Item 8884178 93/02/24 17:02 From: CONRAD_GEIGER@NEXT.COM@INET# Internet Gateway Subject: Insignia Ships SoftPC with Windows for NeXT Computers News: February 22 SoftPC with Windows for NeXT Computers IS NOW SHIPPING FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Insignia Solutions Inc. Darlene E. Ducharme Sales Administration (508) 682-7600 Allison Thomas Associates, Inc. Emily Brower Public Relations (415) 775-8599 Insignia Solutions Inc. Shannon Auten Marketing (415) 694-7635 Insignia Solutions Inc. Announces SoftPC Product Family for NeXT Computers Ships SoftPC with Windows for NeXT Computers ANDOVER, February 8, 1993 - Insignia Solutions announced today the SoftPC 3.0 Product Family for NeXT computers. The SoftPC 3.0 Product Family is the best and most flexible suite of solutions for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications on NeXT computers. The 3.0 Product Family, based on Insignia's third generation emulation technology, includes SoftPC with Windows and softPC Professional. All versions of SoftPC ship with MS-DOS 5.0 pre-installed, and SoftPC with Windows ships with Microsoft Windows 3.1 pre-installed. The new versions of SoftPC replace the current SoftPC 2.0 product. "These new versions of softPC are our response to the changing needs of the NeXT marketplace. As the use of commercial Windows applications increase, corporate NeXT users need better, faster solutions for accessing mission- critical information available only through DOS- and Windows-based applications," said Bill McCarthy, Vice President of UNIX Packaged Products at Insignia Solutions. "The release of our new SoftPC 3.0 Family of products reflects our commitment to the NeXT market by providing the best solution for interoperating with DOS and Windows environments." The SoftPC Product Family The SoftPC 3.0 Product Family includes two new products, SoftPC with Windows and SoftPC Professional. SoftPC with Windows is best used with Microsoft Windows-based applications including graphics packages such as presentation and draw programs. SoftPC Professional is best used with most PC applications such as database, word processing, communication, and spreadsheet applications as well as other applications requiring extended memory or SVGA graphics. Both versions of softPC provide tight integration between the MS-DOS, Microsoft windows and NeXTSTEP environments. SoftPC with windows users can interchange data between the Windows clipboard and the NeXTSTEP clipboard. SoftPC supports file transfer between the MS-DOS and the NeXT file system using standard MS-DOS commands. SoftPC users can cut and paste graphics and text between NeXT and PC applications. Users can also configure the type of PC hardware, disk size and memory emulated by SoftPC using the familiar NeXT user interface. Both versions of SoftPC enable PC applications to print to NeXT printers. The NeXT floppy disk drive functions as a PC floppy disk drive, the NeXT keyboard becomes the PC keyboard, the NeXT Mouse becomes a Microsoft Mouse and the NeXT serial ports function as PC serial ports and can be used to access peripherals, such as modems. SoftPC with Windows SoftPC with Windows is the most fully-featured member of the SoftPC 3.0 Product Family. It offers the same PC compatibility as SoftPC Professional, and adds the ability to run Windows applications in the NeXTSTEP environment. Every copy of SoftPC with Windows includes a pre-installed copy of Microsoft Windows 3.1 Insignia has written special Windows display and mouse drivers that improve performance of windows applications in the NeXTSTEP environment. The windows display driver maps Windows display calls directly to NeXTSTEP Display Postscript. The Windows mouse driver maps Microsoft Mouse calls to the mouse driver in the NeXTSTEP system software, providing NeXT mouse performance in the Windows environment. SoftPC with Windows is easy to install and configure. After completing the standard NeXTSTEP software installation and starting SoftPC, the user can begin a Windows session simply by typing "WIN". The Windows setup, including display, mouse and printer installation is complete, saving users time with Windows installation. New options allow the user to select the number of colors displayed and the Windows desktop size through the familiar NeXTSTEP interface. SoftPC Professional for NeXT Computers SoftPC Professional for NeXT Computers is designed for users who require emulation of fully featured PC hardware to run high-end Pc applications such as word processors, databases, spreadsheets and communication software. SoftPC Professional, which replaces SoftPC 2.0 for the NeXT, now includes protect mode emulation of the 80286 processor, supports extended memory and SVGA, VGA, EGA and CGA graphics, and includes MS-DOS 5.0 pre-installed. Many PC applications now require the protected-mode 80286 operation to access more than 640 kbytes of conventional PC memory. Support for protect mode and extended memory allows SoftPC Professional users to run virtually and MS-DOS application available today. Pricing and Availability The SoftPC 3.0 Product Family is available now, through NeXT software retailers and Insignia Solutions. The SoftPC 3.0 Family for NeXT ships on NeXT-formatted CD-ROM disks. For product or upgrade information, call Insignia Solutions Inc., at 508-682-7600. About Insignia Solutions Insignia Solutions Inc. develops and sells high- quality, low-cost software solutions for emulating PC hardware in non-MS-DOS operating environments. The company has strategic relationships with Microsoft and the industry's leading computer manufacturers. Insignia Solutions Inc. is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. with sales, marketing and support operations in Mountain View, Calif. and andover, Mass. Insignia solutions Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Insignia Solutions Ltd., headquartered in High Wycombe, U.K. Insignia and SoftPC are registered trademarks of Insignia Solutions Inc. MS- DOS is a registered trademark and Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. NeXTSTEP is a registered trademark and NeXT is a trademark of NeXT Computers Incorporated. All other product names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.