A pre-release, trial version of NetObjects 2.0 will be generally available from the NetObjects Web site at http://www.netobjects.com before the end of December. NetObjects Fusion 2.0 will be publicly demonstrated for the first time from Dec. 11-13 at Internet World in New York in Booth #957. The final product is expected to ship early in the first quarter of calendar year 1997.

"The thousands of designers, developers and professional site builders who have enjoyed the productivity benefits of NetObjects Fusion have been vocal about the need for increased productivity, more design flexibility, and further openness in the next version," said Dave Kleinberg, executive vice president of marketing for NetObjects. "We have taken advantage of our rapid product development capabilities to respond to customer requests and add the key revolutionary features the market needs."

Top new features include the ability to download and import existing sites, revolutionary Master Borders that provide the flexibility to create consistent designs and repeating elements on different pages, a one-button AutoFrame capability that creates a frames version of the site, and a host of Java-encapsulated NetObjects Fusion components that users can drag and drop to add sophisticated functionality and interactivity to Web sites -- all without custom programming.

Since the introduction of the Windows version of the product in September, NetObjects Fusion has won PC Magazine's Editors' Choice award, been declared a category-defining product by several major reviewers and is being used by thousands of customers to build rich Web sites.ÊInternet powerhouses that actively promote NetObjects Fusion include Apple, AT&T, Netscape, Microsoft, IBM, UUNET and Javasoft.

The announcement of version 2.0 follows the release of NetObjects Fusion 1.0 for Windows by just 90 days and NetObjects Fusion 1.0 for Macintosh by less than 30 days, making for three versions of software introduced in just four months. In addition, the Macintosh release established NetObjects Fusion as the first site-oriented, cross-platform WYSIWYG tool for developing Web sites.

New Features

• Import Site: NetObjects Fusion 2.0 adds the ability to automatically download and import any existing Web site with its assets and enhance it using the visual power of NetObjects Fusion. This helps a company leverage the investments they've made in existing Web sites, while making them easier to redesign, maintain and update over time.
• Master Borders: This revolutionary feature in NetObjects Fusion 2.0 provides increased design flexibility, enabling users to create a sitewide consistent look-and-feel and end-user navigation. Master Borders surround the edge of every page in a site, and let users place elements that automatically appear on all pages such as navigational controls, a company logo or calls-to-action.
• Auto-Frames: NetObjects Fusion 2.0 offers the first quick and easy way to create a frames version of the entire Web site. Unlike existing products that require manual creation of frames on a page-by-page basis, now with the simple click of a button, users can convert Master Borders into frames for the entire site.
• Components: NetObjects Fusion Components are pre-built mini-applications that users simply drag-and-drop to add sophisticated functionality and interactivity to Web sites. Components interact with all aspects of the NetObjects Fusion authoring environment and are encapsulated in Java for cross-platform support. NetObjects Fusion 2.0 provides several pre-built components such as a discussion forum and a forms handler. NetObjects will enable third-party developers to build components by making an open application programming interface (API) available by Q1 calendar year 97.

In addition, NetObjects Fusion 2.0 has over 100 feature enhancements including enhanced visual support for the latest HTML 3.2 specifications, the ability to print the site structure for planning and design, an improved assets manager with verification of links and files, broader support for database publishing, over 25 new SiteStyles from leading designers and branded directory templates from WhoWhere, Inc.

Pricing and Availability
NetObjects Fusion 2.0 for Windows95 and Windows NT will be available at a street price of around $495 early in Q1 Calendar Year 97. Registered users of NetObjects Fusion 1.0 may obtain a free upgrade to 2.0 by downloading the electronic version from the Web site at www.netobjects.com, or ordering the Upgrade Pack which includes the CD and documentation for $49.95 (plus shipping and handling).

System Requirements
Minimum system requirements are a personal computer with 486/66 or higher processor (Pentium recommended); Microsoft Windows 95 or NT 3.51 or later; 10 MB of available hard disk space (60 MB recommended for full installation); 16 MB of memory for use on Windows 95 (24 MB recommended); 16MB of memory for use on Windows NT (32 MB recommended); TCP/IP compliant with Winsock version 1.1 or later, CD-ROM drive, mouse or compatible-pointing device and 32-bit ODBC drivers for external database connectivity.

About NetObjects
NetObjects, Inc. develops Web site building products that are based on the first visual, site-oriented approach to building Web sites, unlike first generation, text-based, page-oriented tools. NetObjects FusionTM is the first smart Web site building application that integrates automated site building, professional quality design and data publishing, thereby lowering the cost, time and tedium of building high-quality Web sites. NetObjects Fusion is actively promoted by NetObjects' partners IBM, Netscape, Microsoft, UUNET Technologies and Sun Microsystems' Javasoft division.

Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., NetObjects is privately-held and funded by Norwest Venture Capital, Venrock Associates and private investors. Information about NetObjects and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.netobjects.com or by calling 1-888-449-6400. NetObjects Fusion is a trademark of NetObjects, Inc.