FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact: Angela Grady 415/570-7736 angela@lighthouse.com Lighthouse Design Introduces Two Powerful New Spreadsheets for NEXTSTEP Applications will provide a solution for every type of spreadsheet user - whether advanced or traditional - plus provide compatibility with key products from Microsoft and Lotus JUNE 20, 1994 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Lighthouse Design, Ltd. today announced that it will deliver Quantrix 1.0, a multi-dimensional spreadsheet compatible with Lotus Improv, and ParaSheet 1.0, a traditional spreadsheet compatible with Lotus 1-2-3, and Microsoft Excel, to the object-oriented NEXTSTEP operating environment in the third quarter of this year. Pre-release versions of Quantrix and ParaSheet are currently in use at several key NEXTSTEP installations, and will be on display in Lighthouse Design's booth (#516) running on Intel and HP PA-RISC versions of NEXTSTEP, at NEXTSTEP EXPO, being held from June 20-24 at San Francisco's Moscone Center. "We have been overwhelmed by interest from NEXTSTEP customers seeking a migration path from Lotus Improv, as well as those seeking a more traditional rows and columns spreadsheet," said Jonathan Schwartz, president of Lighthouse Design. "We're very pleased to offer both Quantrix and ParaSheet. Given the breadth of its object-oriented API, along with complete Lotus Improv compatibility, Quantrix has already been a big hit at our early test sites. For enterprises seeking the more traditional approach to spreadsheet analysis, ParaSheet is a perfect fit." Quantrix is a multi-dimensional spreadsheet application that allows users to describe and manipulate data in terms of categories, rather than rows and columns. This approach allows users to write formulas such as "Gross Revenue = Product Revenue + Service Revenue," rather than "$a27=b17+$c$31." Coupled with data tabs for fast navigation, unlimited undo and redo, multiple views and smart cells, Quantrix makes complex financial models and reports easy to create and share with others. Quantrix is also fully compatible with Lotus Improv, Lotus 1-2-3, and ParaSheet, with support for Microsoft Excel 4.0 and Lotus Improv for Windows coming later in the year. Quantrix includes a fully object-oriented application programmer's interface (API) that supports NEXTSTEP distributed objects (DO), as well as real time data feeds and event notification. The API provides complete programmatic access to all aspects of the application, and is optimized for large data sets and real time feeds, substantially reducing the development effort required to shuttle data into and out of spreadsheet views. Support will also be provided for transparent translation of application code previously written to the Improv API. ParaSheet is a general-purpose spreadsheet, providing a familiar rows and columns approach to spreadsheet analysis. File compatibility with Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Excel data, dynamic linking between multiple spreadsheets, and a powerful mathematics engine for every type of financial analysis and accounting task make ParaSheet ideal for users transitioning from PC platforms. ParaSheet features a robust and comprehensive macro scripting language, as well as support for customized, user-definable functions. Both applications include extensive function libraries organized by mathematics, statistics, accounting, logic, time/date, selection/lookup, and formatting and grouping. Quantrix and ParaSheet also provide inter-sheet linking, allowing cells in one worksheet to reference other worksheets and views. Quantrix and ParaSheet include full support for a wide variety of charts and graphs, as well as real-time rotation of 3-D chart types, and fine control over chart color, label and legend type and display, axis scaling and markup, and full support for copy/paste and NEXTSTEP 3.0 Object Links. Quantrix and ParaSheet are important additions to the Lighthouse line of productivity applications, which now includes Diagram!, a drawing program for information graphics; Concurrence, a presentation and outlining package; VarioData, a multi-user workgroup database; TaskMaster, a project and resource management application; WetPaint, a painting and image manipulation program; and the Foundation Classes, a library of reusable objects for custom developers. Quantrix and ParaSheet will be available for the Intel-, Motorola- and HP PA-RISC-based versions of NEXTSTEP 3.2 or later, in Q3, 1994. Quantrix will be priced at $895. ParaSheet will be priced at $595. Site licenses are available, as well as competitive upgrades from other spreadsheets. Academic discounts are also available. Lighthouse Design is dedicated to delivering high-quality, well integrated productivity applications to object-oriented desktops. The company is privately held, and located at 2929 Campus Drive, San Mateo, CA 94403. For further information on Lighthouse Design and its line of productivity software, contact Lighthouse Design, Ltd. directly at 1-800-366-2279 or 1-415-570-7736, or send electronic mail to info@lighthouse.com, or over the internet, try http://www.lighthouse.com/. -30- Lighthouse Design, Ltd., Quantrix, ParaSheet, Diagram!, TaskMaster, Concurrence, VarioData, WetPaint, the Foundation Classes and the Lighthouse logo are trademarks of Lighthouse Design, Ltd. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.