IBM INTRODUCES VISUALIZER TO HELP USERS TURN DATA INTO BUSINESS
INFORMATION

SOMERS, N.Y., May 24, 1994 ... Enabling workgroups to make the most of
their data, IBM today announced the IBM Visualizer family, software
designed to link decision makers with information that can help them
understand their business and respond more rapidly to market changes and
opportunities. The Visualizer family consists of modules that enable
business professionals to easily query, analyze and present data.

Visualizer Query, the core of the family, provides powerful, yet
easy-to-use query and reporting capabilities. The first release of
Visualizer Query is optimized for access to all members of IBM's robust
relational database family, DB2'. By the end of 1994, Visualizer will work
with databases from a variety of suppliers such as Oracle and Sybase.

Building on Visualizer Query, a number of optional modules will provide a
range of charting, analysis, planning and development capabilities. One
module will enable users to query multimedia data sources such as scanned
images, video clips and audio.

This modular approach allows users to pick and choose those functions best
suited to their unique business needs and assures compatibility and
scalability between Visualizer modules.

Exceptional Ease-of-Use

Based on the IBM System Object Model (SOM) object technology, Visualizer
provides an exceptionally easy-to-use and flexible end user interface.
Data sources and Visualizer modules are represented as visual symbols or
objects which can be easily moved around the desktop to perform query,
reporting or analysis. Each activity or action can be performed with a few
clicks. For example, printing is as simple as dragging a chart or report
object and dropping it onto the printer object.

Visualizer results can be easily communicated across the workgroup through
links with Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)-enabled desktop applications such
as word processors and spreadsheets, as well as Vendor Independent
Messaging (VIM)-enabled e-mail packages.

"Today's corporations are constantly looking for ways to turn data -- such
as sales performance or regional inventory levels -- into information that
can help them build or maintain competitive advantage," said Dick
Sullivan, IBM's Director of Workgroup Solutions Marketing. "Visualizer
helps marketing, sales, financial and customer service professionals make
informed business decisions by offering an intuitive visual interface that
has the power to help them locate their data, make sense of it and act on
the results, quickly and accurately. "

Visualizer Query

Designed for business professionals that need access to distributed
relational data, Visualizer Query provides useful features such as
point-and-click menus, help texts and toolbars for browsing data.
Visualizer Query allows users to join and group data tables for analysis
and use a powerful reporting function to create detail, summary and
exception reports. While Visualizer does not require users to know SQL,
more technical professionals can directly manipulate SQL statements
produced by Visualizer Query if they wish.

To facilitate the location of data, Visualizer Query works with IBM's
DataGuide-, a data cataloging tool that helps users pinpoint and manage
data. DataGuide enables a user to understand where a particular piece of
data is stored, how it relates to other data in the enterprise and which
member of the workgroup is responsible for its maintenance.

Visualizer Query will be generally available on OS/2 in August at a single
user list price of $199 and on AIX in June at an average concurrent user
list price of $300. Visualizer Query for OS/2 will also be available
bundled with DB2/2 for $549. IBM also intends to deliver a Microsoft
Windows'- version of Visualizer Query by mid-1995.

Optional Visualizer Modules

Additional Visualizer modules will enable users to convert data gathered by
VisualizerQuery into useable business information, or to automate and
customize the Visualizer working environment. These modules include:

* Visualizer Charts - Provides six charting formats: pie, line, bar,
scatter, mix and surface. These charts will be available in 2D or 3D
formats and can have customized titles, colors and fonts.

* Visualizer Procedures - Allows non-technical users to automate procedures
using scheduling and timing functions so that repetitive tasks, such as
weekly reports, can be run on an automatic or off-hour basis.

* Visualizer Development - Provides a comprehensive set of object-oriented
programming tools for GUI customization to meet the needs of individual
end users.

* Visualizer UltiMedia Query - Enables users to access text, images, video
and audio data from the desktop. Searches will also be able to be
conducted, via Query by Image Content (QBIC), on the basis of the color,
texture and shape of items.

* Visualizer Statistics - Provides over 50 statistical analysis options and
methodologies including: sample testing, trend identification, probability
analysis, quality control, variance analysis, and forecasting.

* Visualizer Plans - Builds multi-dimensional models and provides the
ability to "slice-and-dice" the information to gain new visual
perspectives.

Visualizer Charts and Development for OS/2 will be generally available in
August. Visualizer UltiMedia Query, Plans, Statistics and Procedures for
OS/2 will be generally available in September.

Client/Server Integration

To ensure Visualizer users can take advantage of the benefits of their
existing host-based applications, Visualizer will work with IBM's QMF,
Query Management Facility and AS, Application System.

These host-based applications provide robust query and analysis functions
for large datasets. Their integration with Visualizer will enable users to
extend the power of QMF and AS resources to the workstation environment.
Support for QMF and AS will be available in November.

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