Arbortext gives customers powerful e-Content creation, processing and publishing systems

[Beth Ambaruch <bea@arbortext.com>]

Arbortext gives customers powerful e-Content creation, processing and
publishing systems with key capabilities now available as optional
modules

XML-based Epic 3.0/Adept 9.0 releases include a new junior member, the
low-cost, easy-to-use Adept Editor Lite Edition

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov., 22, 1999  Arbortext, Inc., a leading provider of
XML-based e-Content software, announced today its release of modular
Epic 3.0 and Adept 9.0 e-Content software that supports customers’
information creation, publishing and personalization needs.

The simultaneous release of both packages, which for the first time have
a common user interface, allows existing Adept users to preserve their
investment in their current infrastructure and simplifies migration to
Epic. Epic is Arbortext’s XML-based e-Content software that lets
companies create, assemble and deliver their vital business information
to the Web, CD-ROM and print.

Arbortext will also offer a new product called Adept Editor LE (Lite
Edition), an XML/SGML editor with a simplified user interface for the
occasional e-Content contributor. LE puts the power of XML into the
hands of less-technical, but strategic, e-Content contributors within
any organization. Epic includes all of Adept’s features with additional
capabilities such as personalization, which allows e-Content documents
to be tailored to the audience that will be viewing them. More
feature-rich than HTML, XML brings manageable intelligence to data
allowing it to be reused and published to multiple media formats.

"Epic and Adept users can benefit from the cost-effective flexibility
and new features in these releases," said Michael Maziarka, Director of
the Dynamic Content Software Strategies team at the market research firm
CAP Ventures. "Arbortext has solved some significant migration and
ease of use issues for customers with smart packaging and new built-in
capabilities. The introduction of LE and modular packaging enables
companies to expand and extend XML-content creation and publishing
capabilities to additional users in their organization at
their own pace."

New modular packaging

Arbortext’s new modular packaging allows Epic and Adept customers to
tailor their purchase to meet their exact needs. The product options
include:
· Print publishing for producing paper and PDF output;
· Web publishing for posting documents to the Web;
· CD-ROM publishing for developing CD-ROM content with Web updates;
· Word interchange for helping users go back and forth between XML and
Microsoft Word;
· Repository adapter for connecting Adept and Epic to document
management systems, and
· DocBook Application for providing a complete, ready-to-run application
based on the DocBook standard for operating guides, service manuals, and
reference books that can be automatically published to paper, CD-ROM,
the Web and HTML Help.

For example, at DaimlerChrysler, Adept currently serves as the
publishing creation tool for all vehicle service-related information for
5,500 dealerships nationwide. "The new modularity of
Epic 3.0/Adept 9.0 is going to help us with legacy users immensely,"
said Michael Kristofik, director of technology at DaimlerChrysler. "We
can integrate new features and additional functions with our existing
software, while eliminating the need to re-configure our system, or
deal with issues related to re-training."

Epic and all product options are available as both fixed and concurrent
licenses with the exception of Adept Editor LE and CD-ROM publishing,
which are available only as fixed licenses. This allows customers to
choose licensing based on the types of users it has.

Additional major improvements in the Epic 3.0/Adept 9.0 release include:
· Adept and Epic have a common user interface, which means that Adept
users will benefit from the simplified interface introduced in Epic
which makes navigation and use easier.

· Print publishing provides additional options such as text colors,
background colors, small caps and text flowing around graphics and
tables.

· PDF publishing capabilities are available for all document types in
both Epic and Adept.

· The new 'Turbo Styler' wizard lets users create stylesheets in
minutes, a process that was formerly more complex and time consuming.

"All of these options are designed to make publishing vital business
information easier and more cost-efficient," said David White, Director
of Product Marketing at Arbortext. "The introduction of Adept Editor LE
is a good example of how we are giving organizations flexible
options for their users. With content creation that is even simpler than
that found in word processors, even casual users can now more
effectively harness XML."

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for Epic 3.0 and Adept 9.0 varies, depending on number of seats
purchased, type of licensing, and number of modules. Epic 3.0 and Adept
9.0 will be available Dec. 15.

About Arbortext

Arbortext is the leading provider of XML-based e-Content software to
Global 5000 organizations. Arbortext solutions enable companies to
create, manage and deliver vital business information automatically via
the Web, CD-ROM or paper media, speeding time-to-market while reducing
costs. For more information about Arbortext, visit the company website
at www.arbortext.com.

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