Now Software redefines calendar and address book publishing on the World Wide Web; New products enable Atlantic Records, Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, and other top Web sites to publish "State-of the-Art" calendars and address books

Business Wire, April 8, 1996

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 1996--Now Software Inc., a leading time management software developer for Windows(r) and Macintosh(r) computers worldwide, today announced two new products which provide a breakthrough solution to publishing, updating and capturing calendar and address book information on the World Wide Web.

Now Up-to-Date Web Publisher(tm) automatically creates and maintains calendars and address books in familiar formats within Web pages-with no HTML (hypertext markup language) programming required. New versions of Now Software's award-winning desktop products, Now Up-to-Date(tm)1.5 for Windows and Now Up-to-Date & Contact(tm)3.6 for the Macintosh, allow users to drag-and-drop published information from Web pages into their personal calendars and address books.

"Now Software is very excited to provide a complete, open and standard solution to publishing, distributing and maintaining calendars and address books on the Web," said Duane Schulz, president and CEO of Now Software.

"Now took a system approach to the larger problem of providing access to time and people, and built a solution for and with our partners. Our new products work for consumers surfing the Web, corporate `intranets', and especially small businesses who need to be more productive managing time and staying in touch with people."

Now Software has also restructured their Web site (www.nowsoft.com) to serve as "the" source for calendars and address books on the World Wide Web. The new Now Software Web site, dubbed the "Time Management Network," serves as the central clearing house for Internet users to locate calendars and address books.

Time Management Network offers individual users and Web publishers free software to download and try for both Windows and Macintosh platforms.

New Versions of Now Up-to-Date

Now Up-to-Date 1.5 for Windows and Now Up-to-Date & Contact 3.6 for Macintosh introduce exclusive Internet features. Both versions of the popular time and contact manager allow users to integrate Web public information which they have selected into their personal calendars and address books.

From a Netscape browser, users search the Web for interesting calendars and address books, then drag-and-drop that information into Now Up-to-Date on their desktop or laptop. Users can drag-and-drop single calendar or address entries or entire categories-without typing a thing.

Drag-And-Drop Eliminates Typing

"This is of great value to Web users who are tired of filling out forms at countless Web sites and doing tedious data-entry into their personal information software ," said Jerry Michalski, managing editor for Release 1.0, an influential newsletter read by high-tech executives, industry observers, and corporate end users.

"Imagine schedules for movies, theater performances, sporting events, community meetings and family get-togethers all easily available on public and private Web sites to drag-and-drop into Now Up-to-Date's calendar and address book."

Problems Facing Web Publishers

There has been a virtual explosion in the number of Web sites created in the past year, with much of the commercial Web content consisting of event schedules and directories. The vast majority of this information is published in the form of simple text lists, unfamiliar to users and difficult to navigate.

Designing attractive, functional calendars and address books, and filling them with information that remains current, requires extensive and ongoing HTML programming. Web publishers also lack a simple method for transporting their data to the end user with a link back to the original site.

The Solution is Now Up-to-Date Web Publisher

Now Up-to-Date Web Publisher automatically generates calendar and address boo pages with no HTML programming. Anyone can easily maintain data using the familiar Now Up-to-Date interface. Web pages can be updated immediately, so Web sites can always have the most current information.

In addition to viewing published calendars and address book pages on the Web in familiar formats, users can drag and drop that information into their personal Now Up-to-Date calendar and address book. When information is dragged from Web pages, the Web address of the source page is automatically appended for quick navigation back to the publisher's Web page.

"Now Up-to-Date Web Publisher provides a simple and effective approach to sharing time and people information on the Internet" said Ian Campbell, research director at International Data Corp.

"Many users want their PIM to do more than just calendaring, contact management and group scheduling. They want access to the interesting and useful Internet schedules and directories. Now Up-to-Date Web Publisher answers this need with a robust solution to publishing and exchanging calendars and address books on the Web."

Atlantic Records Adopts Now Up-to-Date Web Publisher

"Now Software has given fans a whole new way to interact with their favorite Atlantic artists," said Chris Otto, manager of Multimedia for Atlantic Records. "Along with live concert cybercasts, digital photoshoots, downloadable interviews and video clips, Now Up-to-Date lets fans drag-and-drop online events and artist appearances into their personal calendars and address books, with our Web address attached to that information."