FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Novell and Prosoft to Enhance, Expand Macintosh Connectivity Solutions for
NetWare
Agreement Will Enable Customers to Enjoy New Features and Capabilities in
NetWare- Macintosh Networks
MACWORLD, New York - Novell, Inc. and Prosoft Engineering, Inc., a
California-based Macintosh software development firm, today announced the
signing of an exclusive agreement to license and distribute NetWare for
Macintosh and Novell Client for Mac OS. The agreement gives Prosoft
Engineering responsibility for the current and future development,
distribution and support of all Macintosh connectivity solutions for
NetWare.
The new agreement extends Novell's commitment to providing Macintosh users
with full access to information and resources in heterogeneous networks.
Users will gain new Macintosh products for NetWare, including enhancements
to the current client software, which will be optimized for Apple's latest
Mac OS 8.1 and G3 computers. Plans also include delivery of a more robust
client and new versions of the server software for the first Prosoft
product release due in the fall of 1998.
"Prosoft's Macintosh product history allows us to maximize the
effectiveness of Novell's development resources and meet the needs of this
important customer base," said Rich Running, Novell director of marketing
for NetWare. "We understand the importance of providing our customers with
updated Macintosh solutions that leverage all of the robust NetWare
features, including the advancements in NetWare 5 such as native IP, Novell
Storage Services (NSS) and enhanced security services. Apple Computer
highly recommended Prosoft Engineering, which has the Macintosh expertise
to ensure the best Macintosh connectivity solutions for NetWare."
Current plans include a three-stage development phase. A public beta, which
will provide updates to the current client, is planned for late summer.
Later this year the first Prosoft product release will offer tighter
integration with the Mac OS and increased performance. This release will
also begin to incorporate customer-generated ideas and requests regarding
interface, speed and reliability. "We're hearing a lot of great ideas from
customers that we plan to implement in the upcoming release," said Greg
Brewer, CEO, Prosoft Engineering. "Macintosh users want to be able to mount
NetWare volumes and navigate the network via the Chooser, a Macintosh
hallmark, and network administrators want to standardize their networks on
IP."
In the third delivery stage, to extend the Macintosh as a true IP citizen
on the network and leverage Novell's native IP offering in NetWare 5,
Prosoft Engineering will develop a new IP Native Novell Client for Mac OS
as well as AppleShare/IP NetWare for Macintosh server software (NetWare
Loadable Modules or NLM), both planned for release in 1999.
"This commitment from both Novell and Prosoft Engineering will help expand
opportunities for the Macintosh platform and its customers across business
and educational institutions," said Mitch Madich, senior vice president of
worldwide sales, Apple Computer. "Novell has made the right decision in
choosing Prosoft Engineering, Inc. to continue the development of NetWare
for Macintosh."
For more information visit Prosoft Engineering on the World Wide Web at
http://www.prosofteng.com, or send questions or comments to
netware4mac@prosofteng.com.
About Prosoft Engineering, Inc.
Founded in 1985, Prosoft Engineering Inc. has helped develop some of the
most successful Macintosh products available. The company offers a wide
range of software development and testing services for Macintosh, Windows
and Unix. Information about Prosoft Engineering and its complete range of
products and services can be accessed on the World Wide Web at
http://www.prosofteng.com.
About Novell
Novell (NASDAQ: NOVL) is the world's leading provider of network software.
The company offers a wide range of network solutions for distributed
network, Internet/intranet and small-business markets, as well as the
network computing industry's most comprehensive education and technical
support programs. Information about Novell and its complete range of
products and services can be accessed on the World Wide Web at
http://www.novell.com.
