Palladium Interactive Presents "Family Gathering" for Macintosh, First Mac Genealogy CD-ROM with Online Links; Ground-Breaking "Family Gathering" Uses Online Links To Assist In Researching and Creating Detailed Family Histories and Web Pages

Business Wire, July 31, 1996

LARKSPUR, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 31, 1996--Online genealogy research and genealogy publishing is coming to Macintosh users with Family Gathering from Palladium Interactive.

Scheduled for release in October, Family Gathering for Macintosh will include features that have made the PC version an unqualified success, including integrated online components that link users to thousands of information sources through the World Wide Web and allow them to create their own custom family web pages.

Like the PC version, Family Gathering for Macintosh contains a user-friendly interface that guides individuals through the steps of creating the most in-depth family histories possible, going well beyond any other genealogy software available on any platform. To do this, the program unlocks the power of information sources found on the World Wide Web.

Family Gathering users will be allowed to travel seamlessly to both the Family Gathering public web site, as well as a proprietary "members only" site. From these sites, individuals can access genealogy information, consult experts, participate in genealogy chat rooms and purchase personalized family research. The Family Gathering CD-ROM supports Netscape and Microsoft Explorer browsers, as well as provides a complete online solution from the CompuServe Internet Division for those users who do not have their own browser or Internet service provider.

Beyond its groundbreaking online features, Family Gathering offers the most comprehensive tools for chronicling and sharing your family's history. The program allows users to create a complete family history, including everything from simple family trees to family journals that can be customized with pictures, scanned marriage licenses, birth certificates and more.

Once your family data has been entered, the program affords scores of viewing options, plus the printing of beautiful journals. It also allows you to develop a slide show and automatically creates a complete narrative history of your family.

With a touch of a button, Family Gathering also creates a custom web page for your family, filled with your research, photographs and printed materials. Individuals can hold a family reunion in cyberspace by giving all their relatives the web site address (URL).

Like a family tree, Family Gathering is a CD-ROM program that is always growing. Through the dedicated web site, users can constantly update their own family histories and find out more about the world of genealogy. Web site areas feature advice from professional genealogists, articles from syndicated columnist Myra Vanderpool Gormley, reference information, listings of the best genealogy web sites and other Internet resources, chat rooms, moderated discussion boards with special guests from the world of professional genealogy, and much more.

Family Gathering's exclusive partnership with one of the world's largest genealogy search services, Lineages, Inc., gives users access to information on many millions of individuals. Special emphasis will be given to providing information sources and expert advice from multiple cultures and ethnic groups, including African-American, Native American, Jewish and more.

"We see a tremendous opportunity with the Macintosh," said Ed Bernstein, president and CEO of Palladium Interactive. "Family Gathering fills a void by providing a product that is easy enough for beginners, yet sophisticated enough for more serious genealogists."

Family Gathering for Macintosh was developed by the co-creator of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing and Chessmaster, two of the most successful software products of all time, along with COMMSOFT, Inc., the leading computer genealogy software company, in conjunction with the country's foremost genealogy experts. Family Gathering for the Macintosh has an expected street price of $49.95.

Format, System Requirements

Macintosh/Power Macintosh: System 7.0.1 or higher, 68040/25 MHz or PowerMac 601/60, 8 MB RAM, 40 MB free hard disk space, double-speed CD-ROM drive. Optional: Modem (9600 baud minimum; 14.4k baud or greater recommended).

About Palladium Interactive

Headquartered in Larkspur, Calif., Palladium Interactive was founded in 1994 by former executives of Broderbund, Mindscape, Activision and other technology companies to explore new opportunities in the development and distribution of interactive multimedia. Palladium Interactive was the first company to publish all its original titles as "CD-ROMs with the Internet inside," combining the best aspects of CD-ROM with the growing influence of the World Wide Web. Palladium Interactive is backed by U.S. Venture Partners and Canaan Partners. For more information on Palladium Interactive and its products check out the company's website at http://www.palladiumnet.com.

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