Upgrade Offers New Web Capabilities and Top Performance for Windows 3.1 Users

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 30, 1997 -- Lotus Development Corp. today announced the availability of SmartSuite Release 4.5, an updated version of Lotus' 16-bit desktop productivity suite for the Windows 3.1 environment. This release of Lotus' award winning productivity suite is highlighted by the groundbreaking word processor, Word Pro 97 Edition for Windows 3.1. Comparable to the newest 32-bit version, Word Pro 97 for Windows 3.1 features unmatched capabilities for finding, sharing and publishing information on the Internet, as well as dramatically enhanced performance. This release marks Lotus' continued commitment to providing desktop productivity software for customers who want to leverage their investment in the Windows 3.1 environment.

In addition to the new version of Word Pro, SmartSuite 4.5 includes the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet, Lotus Freelance Graphics presentation graphics, Lotus Approach database, Lotus Organizer PIM, and the Lotus ScreenCam multi-media utility. To complement the powerful Internet functionality in Word Pro, the CD edition of SmartSuite 4.5 also includes Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer browser software, as well as a free 30-day trial connection to the IBM Global Network, one of the world's largest Internet service providers.

"The release of SmartSuite 4.5 fulfills a promise we made to our customers that we are(strikethrough: )committed to helping them leverage their investment in the Windows 3.1 environment," said John Throckmorton, senior vice president, Lotus Internet Applications division. "We understand the reasons why many organizations have opted not to migrate to the latest 32-bit platforms and have responded to this customer demand with well-integrated, Web-enabled 16-bit applications that deliver value."

In addition to performance enhancements, the new Word Pro gives Windows 3.1 users all the tools they need to find, publish and share information over the Internet. Users can search the Web for any word or phrase from within a Word Pro document simply by clicking on a "Perform Web search" icon. Without leaving Word Pro, users can open HTML documents from Web sites and save HTML documents to them. Plus, the Internet SmartIcon Palette provides direct access to the Lotus Home Page and Customer Support Page.

Word Pro allows users to publish documents to Web pages and includes over 30 professionally designed HTML SmartMasters templates. A full set of Web authoring tools enables users to publish to the Web, create links and apply tags, etc. directly from within their familiar word processing environment without needing to learn a whole new programming language like HTML. Other new tools in Word Pro make it simple and straightforward to share information via the Internet with colleagues both across town and around the world. Without leaving Word Pro, users can open documents from any HTTP (Web) or FTP server, and save documents to Web servers that reside on corporate intranets, extranets or the public Internet.

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