Press Release

Brunswick, VIC, AUSTRALIA, May 31, 1997 -- To all commercial ISV's - WarpSpeed Computers is offering use of its internet server to provide a single unified site for updates of their products. The offer is open to all commercial ISV's who are shipping OS/2 products. There is no charge for this service. IBM have offered their full support for this initiative by placing a link from their updates page to the WarpSpeed Computers page.

Updates to products, particularly when dealing with multiple vendors, can often be tedious and very time consuming to find and install. WarpSpeed Computers is offering its internet server as a holding site for updates. The updates will be made available via four different methods. Gopher and FTP will be provided for those users who prefer a standard gopher or FTP interface. Also provided is a modified gopher server which is needed for the "Retrieve Software Updates" program that was supplied with OS/2 Warp 3.

Support for the newer web based "Retrieve Software Updates" (RSU) program is also provided. IBM is using the RSU method for the distribution of its own CSD's and other updates. Using the RSU method, the user clicks on a link to a small RSU file. This RSU file is recognised by a suitably modified web browser (IBM provides an update program for Netscape and Web Explorer users), downloaded and passed onto the RSUINST.EXE program. The RSUINST program downloads the real updates and then runs an install program.

The site has been fully operational for a month and we have had two ISV's join up. Spitfire Software (InCharge!) and Sundial Systems (Mesa, Relish, DBExpert) have had their latest updates made available using this service and the reports back have been encouraging. It seems that users do indeed appreciate this service.

WarpSpeed Computers will provide documentation and support to those ISV's that require it. The information can be found at /rsuinfo.htm.

"The real aim of this offering is to make it is easier on the users. Nothing else." says Director and CEO Chris Graham. "We have seen an obvious need in the market and we have supplied a solution to it. The concept was mentioned to the editors of some eZines and they thought that OS/2 users sorely needed such a service, so we just set out and did it. We use it for our own products and it works well. Why shouldn't we offer it to others?"

The WarpSpeed Computers Updates page can be accessed at: /updates.htm. This page is the main page as it provides links to all of the ISV's supported in this endeavour.

This can only work with the support of other ISV's. We are hoping that all of them will get involved, as no-one looses. Everyone wins, particularly the users. All interested ISV's should email Chris Graham at the below address for further details.

WarpSpeed has also expanded its offering to the participating ISV's by providing free use of its mailing list facilities. What is offered is a list mailing lists to choose from. Current lists are "Announcements", "Bugs" and "Updates", these three lists are freely available to all users - they can sign themselves up, query which lists they are on and remove themselves at will - all without the intervention of the individual ISV. When an ISV has an announcement to make, it is submitted to WarpSpeed Computers and we make sure that all users on the list under the appropriate section are emailed the information. The mailing list page is found at: /maillist.htm.

IBM were asked to and agreed to place a link on their update pages to our page. This link can be found at: http://ps.software.ibm.com/pbin-usa-ps/getobj.pl?/pdocs-usa/otherservices.html. By providing this link, IBM is actively helping WarpSpeed Computers by providing exposure to its services which will encourage ISV's to participate.

Based in Brunswick, Victoria, Australia, WarpSpeed Computers has been in business since 1988 and is committed to producing high quality, low cost software which meets and exceeds the end user's expectations. The software is fully supported through CompuServe and other electronic means - including our own BBS and Web sites. Phone, fax and mail support are also available. Dealers are situated in Australia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United States.