MicroStation V8 XM Edition Now Available to Bentley SELECT Subscribers; Latest MicroStation Release Combines Power and Simplicity to Create New Category of Capability in Engineering Design

Business Wire, June 29, 2005

EXTON, Pa. -- Bentley Systems, Incorporated today announced that the XM Edition of its flagship MicroStation V8 product is now available as a beta release to all Bentley SELECT subscribers. XM brings a series of innovations for simplicity to what is already widely regarded as the AEC industry's most powerful software platform. The result is an unparalleled combination of power and simplicity.

"The best high-tech products have a common progression: They start simple, then get powerful, then get powerful and simple," said Keith Bentley, chief technology officer. "MicroStation V8 has long distinguished itself as the most comprehensive platform in our market, spanning 2D drafting, 3D modeling, change management, digital security, visualization, animation, and more. Now, with its new interface offering a precise, dynamic match of features to tasks, XM makes it simple to bring the full power of MicroStation V8 to all users in all AEC organizations."

This concept of power with simplicity is driven by four major innovations in MicroStation V8 XM Edition: structured workflows, structured content, 3D in PDF, and an updated GUI and new display subsystem.

--  Structured workflows: MicroStation V8 XM Edition dynamically
        applies a specific set of tools, standards, and interface
        elements to a particular task in a work process, enabling
        users to work consistently and create consistent work.
        Structured workflows present users with a focused palette of
        tools specific to each task, rather than the entire set of
        MicroStation commands. In addition, an organization's best
        practices (along with project, corporate, and industry
        standards) can be configured into MicroStation V8 XM Edition
        for each task, providing a superior alternative to referencing
        offline standards, manuals, and procedures.

        The ability to specify the correct tools, standards, and
        interface elements for each task in a workflow results in the
        standardization of core processes, enhanced efficiency, fewer
        errors throughout design and operations, and increased
        reusability of design. Structured workflows cut the learning
        curve for new users by reducing the number of tools they have
        to learn and use to do their jobs. Experienced users get their
        jobs done faster because they have instant access to tools
        specific to each task.

    --  Structured content: Managing and organizing project content is
        made simpler in MicroStation V8 XM Edition by providing users
        with a structure of their project-specific information. The
        new edition provides a logical, structured view of projects,
        enabling users to easily navigate project content, define
        project organization, and establish and navigate links within
        and between designs, drawings, and supporting documentation.

        Managers now have the entire project and all of its complex
        relationships at their fingertips, making milestone reviews
        and project status reporting much simpler. This structured
        view of project information within the MicroStation XM
        interface also enables users to easily and intelligently
        manage plot sets and project deliverables.

    --  3D in PDF: MicroStation V8 XM Edition provides a simple way of
        packaging and delivering project information. With the touch
        of a button, an entire AEC project - including MicroStation
        and AutoCAD drawings, specifications, and PDF renditions of
        Microsoft Office files - can be packaged in a single PDF
        document. MicroStation V8 XM Edition users can now even
        include animated 3D models in PDF files, enabling AEC
        professionals and their clients to benefit from interactive 3D
        visualization. These interactive PDF files allow users to
        quickly navigate through an AEC project using hyperlinks,
        bookmarks, and pages to get the information they need faster.

        3D in PDF is a simple, powerful way to instantly improve the
        quality of a design and engineering deliverable. Because it's
        PDF, everyone on the client side can view it; because
        MicroStation packages all project information into the PDF
        document, the deliverable is complete and interactive; and,
        because it's 3D, the deliverable richly expresses the entire
        experience of the complex, roadway, or other asset to be built
        or improved.

    --  Updated GUI and new display subsystem: MicroStation V8 XM
        Edition introduces an updated user interface with improved
        customization tools to simplify design tasks. Patented
        keyboard position mapping gives each user the flexibility to
        configure his or her entire keyboard, providing immediate
        access to any MicroStation command with the touch of a key.

        MicroStation V8 XM Edition includes a new, more powerful, and
        faster graphics system that significantly increases view and
        navigation speed in 2D and 3D designs. This system leverages
        Microsoft DirectX technology, the same high-speed graphics
        technology that drives the video gaming industry. Element
        transparency, support of 24-bit colors including the PANTONE
        color system, and display priority have been added to further
        advance MicroStation's design, drafting, and visualization
        capabilities.