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Armonk, NY and Redwood City, CA, July 29, 1996 -- With the announcement of a strategic partnership today, IBM Corporation and NetObjects, Inc. have joined forces to provide customers an easy and intuitiveway to build sophisticated Web sites. Under the terms of a co-marketing, distribution and bundling agreement, IBM and its business partners will resell NetObjects Fusion, NetObjects' new Web site building tool also announced today, as a stand-alone product, as well as remarket the product with IBM data management and Internet-enabling software. The two companies also confirmed that they were exploring potential joint development opportunities.
The IBM - NetObjects collaboration enables IBM to provide its millions of Internet and intranet business customers, representing the leading IS organizations worldwide, a sophisticated and intuitive solution to building Web sites. NetObjects Fusion is based on the industry's first visual, site-oriented approach to Web site building, which enables content producers to easily and quickly build compelling sites. Combining NetObjects Fusion with IBM's own rich set of data management and Internet enabling software will ensure that those Web sites are fully enabled and secured for business application deployment. And by taking advantage of NetObjects Fusion's open architecture, DB2 customers will easily and quickly be able to repurpose client/server business applications for the Net, protecting their investment in the development of applications and programmer skills.
"NetObjects Fusion brings the visual power of the Web to the world of mission-critical, industrial-strength application developers," said Tim Negris, vice president, sales & marketing, IBM Software. "The combination of NetObjects Fusion's template-driven, visual site building capabilities and the depth of DB2-based applications provides in-house programmers, ISVs and CyberVARs a way to leverage their investment." NetObjects Fusion is the first smart Web site building software application that integrates automated site building, professional-quality design and data management. Early users think that compared to other tools, NetObjects Fusion's visual, site-oriented approach makes building sophisticated Web sites much easier and faster.
"In IBM, we have found a partner that is seriously committed to integrating the Internet into business by providing complete solutions to millions of enterprises worldwide," said Samir Arora, CEO of NetObjects. "The winning combination of our site-oriented software and IBM's legendary understanding of business customer needs will enable future developers and Webmasters to truly unleash the potential of the Internet." IBM plans to resell NetObjects Fusion through the company's direct and indirect sales force, including IBM BESTeam Value Added Reseller (VAR) members, as well as IBM BusinessPartners and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). IBM will distribute NetObjects Fusion electronically as well as through channel sales.
First Partnership Initiative Brings Power of the Web to DB2 Developers the first marketing initiative to stem from the agreement will be to offer Web developers an integrated bundle of NetObjects and IBM software solutions.
This will include:
- NetObjects Fusion Web site building software
- IBM Database Server -- including the award-winning DATABASE2 (DB2) data management software, multimedia relational object support, and the DB2 Software Developers Kit Net.Data (previously named DB2 WWW Connection) -- providing secure Internet access to DB2
- Data Builder Bundle Beta Program -- An open Beta program for the Web site building bundle will allow programmers to register as an early NetObjects Fusion and Net.Data user, during the month of August.
"This is a great opportunity for programmers and application developers to find out how easy and attractive the NetObjects and IBM software bundle is. With this bundle, they can develop sophisticated, multi-page Web sites with built-in site management capability," said Jenny Redfern, Beta program manager, IBM Software. "This train leaves the station on August 31st -- either you're on board or you're left on the platform waving goodbye."
IBM Software
IBM, the world's largest software provider, creates, develops and manufactures the industry's most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, networking systems, storage devices and microelectronics.
IBM offers complete information about the company, its products, services and technologies through the World Wide Web. The IBM home page is at http://www.ibm.com. The fastest and easiest way to get information about IBM software is to go to the IBM Software home page a http://www.software.ibm.com.
About NetObjects
NetObjects, Inc. develops products that enable Web site builders to dramatically improve the design, authoring, publishing and updating of Web sites. NetObjects Fusion provides the first visual, site-oriented approach to building Web sites, unlike first generation, text-based, page-oriented tools. NetObjects Fusion 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. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Redwood City, CA. 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.
For press inquiries, contact:
Kamini Ramani
Director of Corporate Communications
(415) 482-3238
kamini@netobjects.com
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