Attachmate enhances KEA! 420 and KEA! 340; Improved interface and utilities ease VAX and UNIX information access

Business Wire, May 19, 1997

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 1997--Attachmate(R) Corporation today announced KEA!(TM) 420 and KEA! 340 version 5.0, upgrades to the most robust, yet easy to use VT emulation packages available. Version 5.0 features an improved interface and enhanced utilities that enable better deployment, installation, automation, customization, and use.

More users today require connectivity solutions that integrate into their existing environments rather than solutions that merely provide connectivity under Windows(R), and an increasing number of users currently are migrating to 32-bit technology. In response to these users' needs, Attachmate built upon KEA!'s already extensive automation and customization features to provide full access to the power of VAX(R) and UNIX(R) environments with a true 32-bit product running under Windows 95 and Windows NT(R).

Attachmate has added several customization features to KEA! version 5.0 which increase user productivity, including a Windows 95-style wizard that simplifies host session connection and configuration, Windows 95-style configuration dialog boxes, and a configurable toolbar that enables users to create custom configurations of KEA! for each host application. Other productivity features of KEA! include a customizable menu that allows users to add and delete menu items, keyboard re-mapping capabilities to enable users to reduce multiple repetitive actions to a single keystroke, and a customizable SmartPad for quick access to host commands and sequences.

To aid in lowering the overall total cost of ownership through simplified installation and deployment, several new features have been added to KEA! version 5.0's install program. The enhanced program enables typical, minimal, and custom installs. A new administration utility that provides the ability for administrators to easily customize their end users' installation, including predefined parameters, macros and a silent option that answers all installation questions without requiring end user intervention. KEA! version 5.0 also has added support for Microsoft(R) SMS and Attachmate NetWizard(R), simplifying network management by allowing MIS to distribute and manage individual systems from a remote computer. Installation is made even easier with KEA!'s new Uninstall feature, which lets end users remove KEA! easily and safely without compromising existing applications.

The new version of KEA! also supports unrestrained horizontal and vertical scaling so users can manipulate emulation windows without losing data representation. Attachmate has further enhanced KEA! version 5.0 by including its own custom True-Type(R) font, so users can select either the KEA! True Type font for accurate representation of host data or the True-Type font of their choice.

KEA! continues to contain the most advanced automation and integration features available, including extensive OLE automation support, and support for Attachmate client server tools such as Enterprise Access Library(TM) and QuickApp(R), which simplifies the creation of GUI-based applications. Together, these features allow easy integration with disparate host systems and help maintain the investment of host-based applications, while creating a more productive environment by matching the user's workflow. KEA!'s

OLE automation, EAL, HLLAPI and WinHLLAPI support make it easy for customers and developers to create GUI front-ends using tools such as Visual C (R), Visual Basic(R) and PowerBuilder(R). By including an extensive macro language and a feature-rich macro editor, KEA! automates and customizes host-based functions and applications to the Windows desktop and makes macro-debugging a simple and intuitive process.

Pricing and Availability

KEA! 420 version 5.0 is available now with a U.S. suggested retail price of $245 from Attachmate resellers, retailers and VARs, as well as through the Attachmate sales organizations. Also, KEA! 340 version 5.0 (which includes graphics support) is available now with a U.S. suggested retail price of $395.

Attachmate Corporation

Attachmate is the leading supplier of information access software and services to major corporations, large organizations and government agencies worldwide. The company's connectivity solutions -- object-oriented client and server software, authoring tools, management software, and hardware -- safely extend enterprise systems, applications and data to end user customers. With Attachmate's award-winning solutions, desktop and mobile users can transparently access, manage, and use any business information inside or outside their organization.

Attachmate has been developing and marketing products since 1982, providing industry leadership, innovation and outstanding support and service to a broad customer base of over ten million users. The company leverages its many years of connectivity expertise in enterprise software technologies in three market-specific business groups.

For more information about Attachmate's products, contact Attachmate's headquarters in Bellevue, Washington at 425/644-4010, 425/747-9924 (fax) or toll free at 800/426-6283. Attachmate's World Wide Web address is http://www.attachmate.com . -0-