PRESS INFORMIX SOFTWARE ANNOUNCES INFORMIX-NEWERA CLASS LIBRARY PARTNERS

INFORMIX SOFTWARE ANNOUNCES INFORMIX-NEWERA CLASS LIBRARY PARTNERS New Program Established to Support Third-Party Class Library Development TAMPA, Fla. (July 12, 1994) -- Informix Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:IFMX) today announced at its Worldwide User Conference, partnerships with several independent software vendors (ISVs) who will provide class library support for INFORMIX(R)-NewEra(TM), Informix's next-generation, object-oriented, client/server development environment. Third-party class libraries will offer NewEra application developers instant access to and fast deployment of a broad selection of application modules built by experts in each field. Class libraries are the building blocks of object-oriented applications that enable high productivity through reuse. They enable developers to incorporate complex business rules into their applications, such as those for accounting and inventory management, or to integrate a broad range of application-specific functionality, such as graphical user interfaces, database connectivity or document imaging. Rather than developing custom code for each application, developers can use one class library in many applications. Class libraries will significantly expand the functionality of the core NewEra development environment and enable users to more rapidly develop complex new applications. Informix expects a significant market for third-party class libraries to emerge from its sizable VAR and InSync program partner base. The class library partners are the charter members of a NewEra class library developers' program, which is designed to enable third-party developers, including those without class library experience, to offer class library support for NewEra. The program provides discounted NewEra software and documentation; development support, updates and new releases of software; comprehensive product training; and certification programs. In addition, a Class Library Integration Kit (CLIK) is available to facilitate creation of NewEra class libraries, and enable providers of C and C++ libraries to easily adapt them to the NewEra environment. The initial NewEra class library partners include: -Excalibur (San Diego, Calif.) - Excalibur EFS document retrieval system -ILOG (Mountain View, Calif.) - Advanced C++ Libraries -IRIX, Inc. (Belmont, Calif.) - Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) communications module -Ithaca Software (Alameda, Calif.) - Ithaca 3-D Graphics -Network Imaging (Fairfax, VA.) - Object Management System software -Rogue Wave (Corvallis, Ore.) - Database connectivity -Soft-tek (Wichita, Kan.) - GRAFSMAN business graphic -TMS (Stillwater, Okla.) - ViewDirector/Windows document imaging toolkit -Transarc (Pittsburgh, Pa.) - Encina OLTP monitor -Visigenic Software (San Mateo, Calif.) - Report writing, data visualization, multimedia information display, and connectivity modules Lotus Development Corp. of Cambridge, Mass., has also agreed to work with Informix on development of a NewEra class library. The first phase of this product will enable NewEra applications to access information stored in the Lotus Notes databases. In addition, several independent service firms, among them NexGen Software of Irvine, Ca., and Sierra Toolworks of Crystal Bay, Nev., have agreed to provide development support and distribution services for NewEra class libraries. "These industry leaders understand that the ability to deploy a broad range of complex functionality easily and quickly will open the doors for a new generation of large-scale, mission-critical, client/server applications whose functionality is not limited by their complexity." said Phil White, chairman and CEO, Informix. "Class libraries will allow application developers and IT organizations to significantly reduce the time-to-market for their applications by developing smaller amounts of new code and reusing larger amounts of existing code." TMS, a leading developer of image-management and text-retrieval software, will be one of the first Informix partners to deliver a NewEra class library in 1994. "We are very impressed with NewEra's object orientation, graphical ease of use, cross-platform capability, and suite of tools for database development," said Gail Bower, director of marketing, TMS. "Since a large percentage of our clients 'image enable' their databases, we feel there is a very good match. As a result, we have put a NewEra wrapper around the C libraries of our popular ViewDirector document imaging toolkit. Now NewEra developers can quickly add scanned image display as simply as clicking on a button and opening a pre-defined image viewer; the image viewer is also very easy to modify with NewEra. We see a promising future for our business in NewEra." About INFORMIX-NewEra NewEra is an open, graphical, object-oriented, client/server development environment for creating mission-critical, enterprisewide database applications. NewEra features a powerful and flexible database application language, productive visual programming tools, support for team-oriented development, reusable class libraries, and flexible application deployment, all within a client/server-ready package that supports open connectivity to Informix and non-Informix relational databases. Availability The availability and pricing of class libraries developed by Informix partners and other third parties will be determined by each vendor and provided independently of Informix. Class libraries provided by these initial partners are scheduled for availability beginning in Q4, 1994. About Informix Informix Software is the leading supplier of high performance, parallel-processing database technology for open systems. The company's database servers are the number one choice of computer hardware manufacturers for publishing Transaction Processing Council (TPC) benchmarks for UNIX-based systems. Informix products also include application development tools for creating client/server production applications, decision support systems and ad-hoc query interfaces, and connectivity software that allows information to be shared transparently from PCs to mainframes within the corporate computing environment. The company's corporate headquarters is in Menlo Park, California. ### INFORMIX is a registered trademark, and NewEra is a trademark of Informix Software, Inc. All other companies mentioned or other names indicated by (R) or (TM) are registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers. -- %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% William Daul Advanced Support INFORMIX SOFTWARE INC. 4100 Bohannon Dr. (415) 926-6488 - wk Menlo Park, CA. 94025 uunet!infmx!billd or billd@informix.com