Vignette Technology to power NEWS.COM, CNET's newest Web site: Breakthrough site uses "PRISM" to produce and deliver the entire site

Business Wire, Sept 3, 1996

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 3, 1996--Vignette Corp. Tuesday announced it has provided the key software technology to power CNET's newest Web site, NEWS.COM (www.news.com), which will debut Wednesday using Vignette's proven content production system.

CNET used Vignette's technology to produce and deliver the entire NEWS.COM site, which breaks the barrier on the next generation of large-scale personalized, multimedia-enabled, interactive Web experiences.

The product, code named "PRISM," provides CNET with the best price/performance Web sites in the industry, resulting in faster browsing experiences, longer average session lengths, and increased advertising revenue at a fraction of the investment typically required for sites delivering millions of hits a day.

NEWS.COM is the first online service devoted entirely to technology, with 24-hour-a-day coverage created exclusively for the World Wide Web. NEWS.COM will provide approximately 30 new stories daily including up-to-the-minute reports on developments in computing and technology as well as in-depth analysis of industry issues, live event coverage and exclusive interviews with industry newsmakers.

PRISM will enable hundreds of thousands of daily site visitors to take advantage of cutting-edge audio and video and a database of 3,000 unique news stories.

Until now, publishers have been forced to build complex Web sites with static HTML pages or legions of programmers using database tools to generate content dynamically. Neither provide the production scalability required to deliver the third generation Web sites that are needed to compete in 1997 and beyond.

HTML pages are time consuming to create and maintain, and large programming staffs are costly. With PRISM, commercial content providers will be able to produce "intelligent" sites containing content that changes throughout the site each time new information is provided by writers, or by the interactive participation of users.

Halsey Minor, chairman and chief executive officer of CNET said: "PRISM provides NEWS.COM with distinct competitive and economic advantages, and at the same time delivers our users one of the most compelling, fastest experiences on the Web." Minor continued, "Our editors can focus on creating great content and let PRISM build the Web site."

The PRISM server-based content production system allows large group authoring of highly interactive and personalized Web site content. This group publishing model facilitates the integration of writers, designers, producers and engineers within a single content production framework, eliminating today's fragmented approach to Web site development.

Using PRISM, Web publishers can easily customize Web content and presentation based on user interest and profile, browser capabilities, speed of connection and more.

"CNET's NEWS.COM and other sites such as CNET.COM, SEARCH.COM, EONLINE.COM and SHAREWARE.COM, which also utilize Vignette's PRISM software, are indicative of a shift in the Internet market to a new category of Web site," said Ross Garber, chief executive officer of Vignette. "CNET's standardization on PRISM technology is an endorsement of our ability to become the standard for Web site content production."

CNET: The Computer Network (NASDAQ:CNWK) is at the leading edge of media companies, integrating television programming with a network of sites on the World Wide Web. In both media, CNET provides authoritative information on computers, the Internet and digital technologies.

CNET's Web sites combine breakthrough interactive technology with engaging content and design, and are widely accepted as setting new standards for excellence in the medium. The company's television programming is broadcast by USA Network and the Sci-Fi Channel to more than 68 million U.S. households.

Vignette Corp. develops advanced content production systems for the World Wide Web. Vignette plans to announce soon its integrated content production system for commercial providers developing premier content sites, emphasizing high-speed, dynamic and richly interactive experiences. Five of the world's most popular Web sites are powered with Vignette's technology and deliver 2 million pages everyday.

In July 1996, Vignette entered into a strategic alliance with CNET in which it acquired CNET's content management technology and received an undisclosed financial investment from the company. Vignette has received more than $3.4 million in venture funding from top-tier venture capital firms Austin Ventures and Sigma Partners.

CONTACT: Vignette Corp.

Cathy Martin, 512/502-0233

cmartin@vignette.com

or

Capital Relations

Cheryl Cole, 805/230-8206

Cheryl@caprel.com