Shapeware Unveils Visio Express for Microsoft Office

Drag and Drop Drawing Right Where Office Users Need It--Within Word, Excel
and PowerPoint

SEATTLE, Wash.--March 14, 1994--Shapeware Corporation today announced Visio
Express for Microsoft Office, a drag and drop drawing program designed
specifically for users of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Visio
Express gives users of the Windows-based versions of Microsoft Office the
ability to create great business graphics easily, where they need them
within the applications they use every day. With Visio Express, Shapeware
is the first vendor to take advantage of new component software technology
and deliver on the promise of seamless integration. Visio Express,
designed with a Microsoft Office "look and feel," gives users powerful
drawing and diagramming capabilities directly within their Office
applications.

"Making it easy to integrate Visio drawings into word processing,
spreadsheet and presentation programs has always been a key element of our
product strategy," said Morgan Brown, product manager for Visio at
Shapeware. "Now, with Visio Express for Microsoft Office, we've taken it a
step further by providing users of Word, Excel and PowerPoint with drag
and drop drawing that feels like it's a native part of their programs."

"We are excited that Shapeware is offering a drawing and diagramming
product specifically targeted at the needs of Microsoft Office users,"
said Chris Peters, vice president, Office business unit, Microsoft
Corporation. "Visio Express offers advanced integration with Office, using
OLE 2.0, which Microsoft Office users can use to easily create impressive
business drawings within their Office applications."

Improved Usability and Transparent Integration

Visio Express builds on the innovative drag and drop drawing capabilities
of Visio 2.0--offering a new user interface that is familiar to users of
Microsoft Office, improved integration with Microsoft Object Linking and
Embedding (OLE) 2.0, and six stencils with SmartShapes for easily creating
flowcharts, block diagrams, organizational charts, timelines, maps and
other common business drawings and diagrams.

Visio Express includes new features and technology that enable it to work
with Microsoft Office applications more closely and consistently than ever
before possible with software products that come from different companies.
For example, to add a diagram to a Word document, users simply click the
Visio Express icon that the program automatically installs onto the Word
toolbar. Visio Express then places a new Visio-based drawing within the
margins of the Word document and also replaces the Word toolbars and menu
items with those of Visio Express. Visio Express maintains the Microsoft
Office "look and feel" with consistent menu commands and "pixel-perfect"
icon buttons. As a result, the familiarity of Visio Express makes it easy
for first-time users to quickly incorporate professional-quality graphics
directly into their business documents.

First Component Software Product

Visio Express is the first commercially available software "component." Its
state-of-the-art implementation of OLE 2.0 technology enables business
users to easily integrate the best-of-breed drawing and diagramming
capabilities of Visio into their Microsoft Office programs. As an OLE 2.0
object, Visio Express augments the capabilities of the Microsoft Office
applications and can only be run from within Microsoft Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, Microsoft Access and Mail.

Component software technology offers new opportunities for both users and
software vendors. "The days of 'mega-applications' being all things to all
people are numbered," said Ted Johnson, vice president of product
development at Shapeware. "Visio Express introduces a future in which
programs will solve specific customer problems. Users will be able to buy
software from different vendors and confidently expect them to work
together." For example, Visio Express concentrates on business drawings
and diagrams and also fits into a complete solution by working seamlessly
with the Microsoft Office applications.
"Visio Express has come as a surprise to many in the industry who weren't
expecting to see a commercial end-user object for another year or two,"
added Johnson. "The enabling technology is OLE 2.0--and it's here today."

Pricing and Availability

Visio Express for Microsoft Office is available through leading national
distributors, corporate resellers, retail channels and direct marketers.
Visio Express is available at a U.S. suggested retail price of $79
including 90 days of free technical support and a 60-day, money-back
guarantee.

To obtain more information on Visio Express, customers can contact
Shapeware at (800) 446-3335.

System Requirements

Visio Express for Microsoft Office requires Microsoft Windows 3. l-based
versions of Microsoft Office 4.0 or one of the following applications:
Microsoft Word 6.0, Microsoft Excel 5.0, PowerPoint 4.0, Microsoft Access,
Microsoft Mail, or at a minimum any other OLE 1.0 or OLE 2.0 container;
Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or higher, a 386 or higher microprocessor
running at 25MHz or faster; and 6MB of RAM.

About Shapeware

Shapeware was founded in October 1990 to develop and market business
graphics software for mainstream computer users. The Seattle-based
company's co-founders include Jeremy Jaech and Dave Walter, two of the
founders of Aldus Corporation, and Ted Johnson, the lead developer of
Aldus.

Shapeware Corp
1601 Fifth Ave, Suite 800
Seattle, WA 98101-1625
206-467-6723,  fax 206-467-7227

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