BlueStep CEO Touts Advantages of CONNECT Over Popular Content Management Solutions

Business Wire, Oct 8, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2001

"Why spend millions when a fraction of

that will do?" BlueStep CEO asks.

"In today's cost conscious world, executives everywhere should be asking themselves, `Do I really need a multi-million dollar client-server or hosted content management solution, when I can do much of what I need to do with BlueStep's CONNECT(TM) at a fraction of the cost?'"

That question was raised today by BlueStep Inc. Chief Executive Officer Richard D. Hanks, regarding the cost, functionality and benefits of BlueStep's content publishing solution, CONNECT, versus offerings from such companies as Documentum Inc. (Nasdaq: DCTM), Interwoven Inc. (Nasdaq: IWOV) and Vignette Corp. (Nasdaq: VIGN).

"CONNECT customers can be up and running within a matter of hours, rather than weeks, and at a fraction of the cost -- starting at $50,000 versus literally millions of dollars," Hanks said. "Content management can be complex and very expensive. On the other hand, content publishing is easy to implement and affordable.

"Many organizations use less than 25 percent of the features that content management solutions provide. Features like versioning control or workflow process go largely unused or unneeded. Why pay for functionality you don't use?

"Our solution, CONNECT, provides the features that many customers really need without the weighty sticker price, lengthy installation time, or hardware, software, and IT staff requirements of existing content management solutions."

CONNECT 2.0 was launched by BlueStep in July 2001 with the goal of providing organizations with a more cost-effective and user-friendly content solution. Organizations can use CONNECT to create, manage, and publish content across the hierarchy of corporate intranets, extranets and Web spaces spanning each level of an organization -- corporate, regional, local, customers, suppliers, and partners, etc.

Users are given specific authoring permission rights (depending on the scope of their responsibilities) to update or share information, syndicate content, and deliver the "right information" to the "right people."

"Just as word processing apps brought publishing to every employee's desktop, CONNECT empowers workers at all levels, rather than just webmasters, to easily publish content on the Web, intranets and extranets, all from the convenience of a Web browser," Hanks added.

No IT specialists or consultants are needed to install or run CONNECT, since BlueStep remotely hosts its products on its own servers and manages all maintenance, security, support, and software upgrades in-house.

"BlueStep's ASP model offers customers definite deployment and cost advantages over traditional client-server solutions," Hanks continued. "Businesses gain access to BlueStep's software without needing to go to the expense to maintain the hardware and network infrastructure or hire the personnel required to support it.

"Since BlueStep's collaborative solutions are remotely hosted and Web-based, they are also well adapted to serve geographically dispersed teams and business units."

As a Vertical Service Provider, BlueStep tailors its solutions to meet the needs of specific vertical markets, including professional services/consulting, hospitality/franchise, government, and association/non-profit organizations, among others.

About BlueStep

BlueStep Inc. provides Web-based collaborative solutions designed to unify the extended enterprise and increase organizational productivity. BlueStep's configurable software gives customers the Internet infrastructure to deliver information, manage projects, and share real-time computing power across an organization -- regardless of complexity, size or location.

Products include tools for team project collaboration and content publishing of permission-based, hierarchical intranets, extranets and corporate Web spaces. The company has executive and technical offices in Salt Lake City, and additional client service locations nationwide. For more information, visit www.BlueStep.NET or call toll-free 877/264-4239.