Athena Design Ships New Version of Mesa Spreadsheet for OS/2

Boston - October 25, 1995 - Athena Design announced today the immediate
release of version 2.0.4 of its Mesa for OS/2 spreadsheet application.
This version is available to all registered users as a free upgrade and at
a sale price of $95 to new customers. 

Two weeks ago, Athena Design stopped shipment of version 2.0.3 on the
scheduled release date when it discovered certain bugs. The current
release not only remedies those problems' but contains additional
enhancements as well. 

"It was embarrassing to have released a product that had serious bugs in
it, but we appreciate the feedback and support we've gotten from our user
base. By acting promptly and keeping our users informed of our progress,
we are confident that we've minimized any negative impact on them and that
they will receive a better product in the end," said David Rodger, Product
Development Manager. 

"Version 2.0.3 did not die in vain," said David Kahan, the company's chief
operating officer. "Our development team has made great strides in a short
time, and we are making a much improved product available today." 

The Mesa application was built using the Mesa Developer Object Kit (Mesa
DOK). A number of corporate OS/2 users are currently beta testing Mesa DOK
which provides corporate developers and independent software vendors the
ability to integrate Mesa's 32-bit spreadsheet functionality into their
applications with as few as 20 lines of code. This will minimize
developers' programming time and required resources by providing
embeddable, commercial strength objects ranging from a simple table view
to a multi-threaded recalculating spreadsheet. 

This version of the application contains the following new features: 

* Improved display speed 
* Improved recalculation speed 
* Additional file filters, including Lotus 1-2-3 .WK4 files and
  Quattro Pro .WB1 files 
* Enhanced keyboard accelerator keys to speed movement through
  workbooks 
* A script recorder which gives users the ability to record
  actions and automate scripting 
* Page tabs that have been moved to the bottom of the workbook,
  providing more screen workspace 
* The Formula Builder allows users to select formula functions and
  insert them directly into the Formula Bar increasing the speed and
  accuracy of formula entry
* Text Boxes can be created to emphasize sections of the workbook by
  annotating graphs and labeling cells 
* SmartSize can resize row height and column width to "shrink-wrap"
  around cell text by doubleclicking on the lines separating row and
  column labels 
* Better exploitation of OS/2's multi-threading ability 

Mesa is a full-featured, 32-bit spreadsheet offering huge, three
dimensional workbooks. The application also provides unlimited undo/redo,
multi-threaded recalculation and Workplace Shell interaction with OS/2's
color and font palettes. Mesa for OS/2 uses OS/2's REXX scripting
language. Mesa includes many unique usability features including
SmartFill, Formula Inheritance, and drag and drop color and fonts. Mesa
also supports real-time data feeds from a variety of sources including
financial markets. 

Mesa for OS/2 can be purchased directly from Athena Design by calling
1.800.315.MESA or from major OS/2 resellers for a sale price of $95 for
commercial customers and $70 for educational users. Mesa comes with 90
days of technical support via fax and email. An additional 12-month
support contract which includes phone support is also available at a
suggested retail price of $99. 

The updated version of Mesa is available from the following ftp sites: 

   ftp://ftp.athena.com: /pub/Mesa2/mesa204.zip
   ftp://ftp-os2.nmsu.edu/os2/demos/mesa204.zip 

This new version will also be available on CompuServe through the OS2AVEN
forum, through America Online and the OS/2 Shareware BBS at
1.703.385.4325. Users who are unable to ftp the software should contact
their local reseller for information on obtaining the update on floppy
disks. For more information contact the company directly at
1.617.426.6372, or at info@athena.com. 

Athena Design
332 Congress St, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02210-1217
617-426-6372,  fax 617-426-7665
Email: info@athena.com
 
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