DIGITAL AND PERSIMMON PARTNER TO ENABLE NEW TOWN HALL WEB SITE

MAYNARD, Mass. -- June 29, 1995 -- Digital Equipment Corporation and
Persimmon IT of Research Triangle Park, N.C. today announced an agreement
to deliver TOWN HALL, an Internet-based community for public policy, news
and politics. TOWN HALL is the result of a joint venture of the Heritage
Foundation and National Review magazine. Digital and Persimmon are
supplying the computing power and software applications for the TOWN HALL
World Wide Web site which debuts today. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
and Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole will be on hand for the site
"kick-off" festivities.

Tim Butler, president of TOWN HALL, said, "The 1994 elections taught us
that people today do not rely solely on traditional print or TV media to
get information. New media like the Internet are becoming more and more
pervasive. That's why we created TOWN HALL. Digital and Persimmon have
provided us with Internet expertise, insight into on-line communities and
the hardware and software resources needed to bring TOWN HALL to the
public."

"The Internet is unlike any other medium in its ability to enable immediate
exchanges of information and ideas which, in turn, foster on-line
communities of users with similar interests," said Rose Ann Giordano, vice
president of Digital's Internet Business Group. "Only by understanding its
collaborative nature can organizations such as TOWN HALL, and businesses
ranging from entrepreneurial to mature, truly realize the Internet's
promise," she continued.

Giordano added that Digital's expertise in Internet-based communities,
coupled with its powerful computers and strategic partners such as
Persimmon, has enabled it to provide leading solutions for government,
businesses and cultural organizations.

Digital's AlphaServer 2100 system was chosen as the TOWN HALL server
because of its unsurpassed ability to easily handle large volumes of
simultaneous users as well as the complex computing operations needed to
maintain the site. The AlphaServer 2100 system first demonstrated its
power during a similar Internet project. Digital helped the Secretary of
State create and operate the California Elections Web site, which was
accessed more than one million times by users seeking results from the
November 1994 statewide elections.

In addition to providing an AlphaServer system for the ongoing TOWN HALL
Web site, Digital is providing 15 of its Pentium based Celebris PCs to
enable people to log on to TOWN HALL during the Web site's launch.

Persimmon provided the technical, design and turn-key services to realize
TOWN HALL's vision. Customized software and navigation aids were created
to make TOWN HALL easily accessible for both the sophisticated user and
novice. Persimmon developed the look and feel of TOWN HALL, from the logo
to the Metro map, an interactive guide to the site. The latest in Internet
technologies from Persimmon, Netscape Communications and others were
combined to provide the advanced functionality needed to simplify searches
and distribution of the extensive and complex information available at
TOWN HALL.

"We strived to make TOWN HALL a place for action in a medium that is
available to everyone," explained Karl Schlatzer, vice president of
Persimmon. "Our design team aimed at creating an environment that engages
users and encourages them to visit TOWN HALL again and again.

"The Internet is one element within an organization's overall
communications or information management strategy. At Persimmon, our goal
is to use technology as a way to resolve business problems and create new
opportunities. Our involvement in TOWN HALL is a demonstration of that
philosophy," Schlatzer explained.

Persimmon IT, founded in 1993, identifies, develops and applies information
technologies to resolve problems of commercial and governmental
information distribution, with an emphasis on the use of Internet
technologies. Persimmon maintains close working relationships with leading
research organizations such as Digital Equipment Corporation's Network
Systems Lab, and prime Internet technology vendors such as Netscape
Communications.

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server
solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information
systems. Digital's scalable Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software
and services together with industry- focused solutions from business
partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global
marketplace.

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