net.Genesis unveils its first software tool for the Internet and World Wide Web; net.Form acts as automated forms processing engine

Business Wire, April 17, 1995

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 1995--net.Genesis Corp., based here, today formally introduced net.Form, the first in a series of software solutions it is developing for the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW).

net.Form, available in volume shipments, serves as an automated, universal forms processing engine for the WWW.

"net.Form has the opportunity to do for Webmasters what PowerBuilder from PowerSoft did for SQL developers," says William (Will) Herman, chief operating officer at Viewlogic Systems Inc. of Marlboro, Mass. "PowerBuilder is a powerful, automated engine. net.Form is a powerful forms processing engine which helps automate tedious, repetitive chores that are part of every Webmaster's day.

"In any business, time is critical. net.Form saves time," Herman adds.

Previously, site administrators developed and maintained individual, and often times, complex customized Common Gateway Interface (CGI) scripts. These scripts handle a variety of sales and marketing forms for consumer comments, survey responses, ordering information and data entry.

Most of these forms can be processed through net.Form instead of maintaining links to multiple custom-created scripts. Simple command lines written in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) control net.Form's field handling and form processing. This allows network administrators to design forms and encode instructions for each form's contents without requiring knowledge of CGI scripts.

"Commercial-quality CGI scripting requires trained, experienced staff familiar with both the HTML 2.0 specification and CGI specifications," notes Rajat Bhargava, president and chief executive officer of net.Genesis. "These scripts require varying degrees of coding complexity and corresponding debugging." Scripts not adequately tested can behave erratically, have typographical mistakes and return error messages to users, he continues.

net.Form ensures a network administrator can create fully functional forms, while reducing the number of custom CGI scripts. It eliminates the need for ongoing script debugging and support from site maintenance. net.Form works with all CGI-compliant servers and HTML 2.0-compliant browsers. It is compliant with existing email standards -- RFC 822 and RFC 952, for example.

Its capabilities, with a plain English reporting feature, include type checking for email address, phone, zip code and similar conditionals.

"As more companies establish Web sites, it is an imperative to have a more automated and cost-effective approach to maintaining the site," concludes Bhargava. "With net.Form, we've eliminated the need for tedious and error-prone programming, while saving time and associated costs."

net.Form, available now on OSF/1, SunOS, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX and Linux platforms, is backed with a variety of customer support and service options. It requires an HTTP server which supports the CGI, the sendmail program and the perl programming language properly installed and configured. Pricing for net.Form starts at $1,495.

For more specific product information, contact Matthew Cutler, director of business development at (617) 577-9800 or at mcutler@netgen.com. More information on net.Genesis can be found at http://www.netgen.com/.

More detailed information about other net.Genesis Internet-based products and services will be available throughout 1995.

net.Genesis Corp. was incorporated in 1994 to facilitate electronic business communication by providing software products and services for the Internet and the World Wide Web, the Internet's most prominent and fastest growing navigational resource. It specializes in designing advanced, modular software for companies with the need to conduct business on the Internet. net.Genesis is self funded and privately held.

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net.Genesis and net.Form are trademarks of net.Genesis Corporation. net.Genesis acknowledges trademarks or registered trademarks of other organizations for their respective products and services.

CONTACT: Nanette Collins

617/577-9800 (Office)

617/437-1822 (Home)

nanette@netgen.com