FirstFloor ships first "Channel Ready" push server to support Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 platform; FirstFloor to license Tibco information bus technology

Business Wire, May 21, 1997

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 21, 1997--FirstFloor Software, Inc., a premier supplier of web-based document delivery products, today announced the shipping of the FirstFloor Smart Notification Server.

FirstFloor's Smart Notification Server is the first server-based product to ship that is channel ready, designed to take advantage of the open functionality in the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 platform and the emerging Channel Definition Format (CDF).

FirstFloor's Smart Notification Server is the first server-based product that narrowcasts specific business documents and web pages to target groups of users, rather than broadcast to many. This allows corporations to deliver the very latest business information to users, reduce the volume of information they must wade through, and deliver the right information to the right people at the right time.

The Smart Notification Server is the key component of the Smart Delivery Channel Suite which enables developers to build business notification and document delivery channels that enhance internal and business-to-business communication. The Smart Delivery Channel Suite takes advantage of the open functionality in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 4.0, to enable corporations to communicate more effectively by delivering business documents and web pages to targeted customers and partners without the need to re-author.

"We're excited see to companies like FirstFloor quickly bring products to market that support CDF and Internet Explorer 4.0," said Will Poole, senior director of business development at Microsoft. "By combining FirstFloor's products and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0, corporations can communicate more effectively by delivering business documents and Web pages to targeted customers and partners."

As part of the FirstFloor Smart Delivery product line, the Smart Notification Server uses flexible user groupings or "narrowcasting" to deliver business critical documents to targeted audiences so they have the information they need, when they need it.

The Smart Notification Server also utilizes server-based agents to conserve network bandwidth and automatically notify users of new or changed information. For example, with the Smart Notification Server, sales departments can extend communication beyond sales representatives to its distributors, channel partners, and even customers, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and increasing sales productivity.

A number of application developers including Calico, PowerCerv, Sales Technology, Saratoga Systems and The Vantive Corporation have licensed the FirstFloor Smart Notification Server. Each of these companies will use FirstFloor's products to develop unique solutions based on their own products and customer's needs, bringing targeted web-page and document delivery to corporate sales and customer support organizations worldwide.

Also announced today, FirstFloor completed an agreement to license Tibco's information bus technology. TIBCO software's multicasting features allow a single message, issued just once by a server or publisher, to make its way through the "plumbing" of the network to millions of users, rather than having to send millions of messages to millions of users. The agreement will provide application developers the ability to support real-time notification and delivery of documents and web pages with specific subscriber groups or individuals.

Pricing and Product Specifications

Smart Notification Server has a list price of $9,995 per server and is available immediately for the Windows NT, and Solaris platforms and soon to be released HP-UX. As part of FirstFloor's Smart Delivery product line, the Smart Notification Server automatically integrates with FirstFloor's Smart Publisher and Smart Subscriber products providing a complete targeted document delivery solution for application software developers.

About FirstFloor Software

FirstFloor Software is a premier supplier of web-based document delivery products and technologies for application developers. The FirstFloor Smart Delivery product line enables the delivery of up-to-date documents and web pages so users have only the information they need, when they need it and includes innovative technologies such as agents, targeted notification, and off-line viewing.

FirstFloor's licensing agreements with America Online, IBM, Microsoft, Netscape Communications Corporation, Sun Microsystems, and Verity have placed the company's technology and products into the hands of millions of enterprise users. FirstFloor's application customers include Aurum, Calico Technology, Market Power, Sales Technology, Saratoga Systems, and The Vantive Corporation.

FirstFloor, founded in October 1992, is a privately held company. FirstFloor Software has its corporate headquarters at 444 Castro St., Suite 200, Mountain View, CA 94041; FAX: 415/968-1263. Visit FirstFloor's Web site at http://www.firstfloor.com; or for reader inquiries, contact FirstFloor at 415/968-1101. -0-

Note to Editors: FirstFloor, FirstFloor Smart Delivery, FirstFloor Smart Notification Server, FirstFloor Smart Delivery Channel Suite, and the FirstFloor logo are trademarks of FirstFloor Software, Inc. Other brands and products mentioned here are trademarks of their respective holders.