NeXT Debuts as a Software Company

NeXT joins with powerful industry partners and strengthens long-term customer relationships

SAN FRANCISCO, CA  - May 25, 1993; Completing its transition to a software company, NeXT Computer, Inc. today announced key industry partnerships and product milestones.  The announcements were made at NeXTWORLD EXPO, held here at the Moscone Center, May 25-27.

Leading the list of partnership agreements, NeXT and Hewlett-Packard Company have formed Object+Enterprise, a major technology and marketing initiative chartered to bring NEXTSTEP, NeXT's advanced object-oriented software, to the financial services community.  Additionally, OEM distribution agreements were announced with Digital Equipment Corp., Compaq Corporation and NCR Corp., and VAR agreements with Abbott, Linotype and Comnetix.

In another move to further strengthen the company, industry leaders Larry Ellison, president and CEO of Oracle Corp., and Dan Case, president and co-CEO of Hambrecht & Quist, Incorporated will be joining NeXT's Board of Directors.

NEXTSTEP for Intel processors, NeXT's object-oriented software for Intel-486 and Pentium-based computers began shipping today, worldwide, with several customers announcing large-volume commitments.

"During the past five months, NeXT has built the infrastructure, developed the partnerships and completed the software needed to succeed as a software company," said Steven P. Jobs, chairman and CEO of NeXT.  "Getting commitments for 25,000 units out of the gate is an significant indication of the momentum building behind
NEXTSTEP."

HP and NeXT form Object+Enterprise

Hewlett-Packard Company and NeXT Computer, Inc. have launched the Object+Enterprise, a technology and marketing initiative to provide object-oriented technology in an enterprise-wide, client-server environment.

Initially targeted toward the financial services industry, the goal of Object+Enterprise is to deliver the first complete computing solution that exploits the power of object orientation across clients and servers.  Object+Enterprise will allow users to develop the enterprise-wide applications they need to keep pace with fast-changing business environments.

Under the terms of the agreement, HP and NeXT will combine the forces of NEXTSTEP, NeXT's object-oriented software, with Hewlett-Packard's spectrum of desktop and server computers-HP Apollo 9000 Series 700 workstations, Intel-based Vectra PCs, and Series 700 and 800 servers-with products available starting in 1993.

Leading PC Manufacturers and VARs support NEXTSTEP

Digital Equipment Corporation, Compaq and NCR announced they will offer NEXTSTEP for Intel processors pre-installed or bundled by reseller organizations on certain models of their 486-based systems and future product offerings based on Intel's Pentium microprocessor.  They join Data General Corporation, Dell Computer Corporation, EPSON America, Incorporated, Hewlett Packard Company, NEC Technologies, Inc. and Siemens Nixdorf in providing system support for NEXTSTEP.

Abbott Laboratories Diagnostics Division joins Linotype, Comnetix, Systemhouse, Booz Allen & Hamilton, Pencom, and VideoNet in the growing list of prominent NEXTSTEP VARs and System Integrators. Abbott will purchase 6,000 copies of NEXTSTEP 3.1 for Intel processors for its new lab analysis system aimed at the medical diagnostic laboratory market.

NeXT adds industry leaders to Board of Directors

To assist with its growth as a software company, NeXT adds two software industry leaders to its Board of Directors:  Lawrence J. Ellison, president and CEO of Oracle Corp., and Daniel H. Case III, president and co-CEO of Hambrecht & Quist Incorporated.

"We are very pleased to have two of the technology industry's most prominent leaders join our board," said Jobs of NeXT.  "Their experience and guidance will be invaluable as we complete our transition from a workstation manufacturer to a software company. Larry and Dan will be actively involved as NeXT addresses the strategic and operations challenges of becoming the premiere supplier of object-oriented software."

Commitments for over 25,000 copies of NEXTSTEP received

Today, NeXT begins shipping NEXTSTEP 3.1 for Intel processors and NEXTSTEP Developer, object-oriented software that runs on industry-standard Intel 486- and Pentium-based PCs.  NEXTSTEP has received customer and industry accolades for its technical superiority and for speeding the development of custom applications, offering five to ten times the productivity of other platforms.

Contracts representing commitments in excess of 25,000 units have been signed with:  Abbott Laboratories, McCaw Cellular Communications, Chrysler Financial, Wiltel, Skyway Freight Systems, Inc, Logibec, Continental Computers, Booz Allen & Hamilton, PanCanadian, Sky Mall, Inc. and VideoNet.

Customers can purchase PCs that run NEXTSTEP from leading PC manufacturers, as well as their VARs, system integrators and resellers.  Users may also purchase shrink-wrapped copies of NEXTSTEP through several value-added resellers, integrators, software resellers, distributors.  Large corporate accounts can purchase directly from NeXT.

NeXT launches aggressive developer evaluation promotion

To encourage companies to experience the benefits of building client/server applications using NEXTSTEP's object-oriented technology first hand, NeXT is offering a special Evaluation Kit. From May 25 through July 31, a NEXTSTEP Evaluation Kit, containing both the User and Developer versions of NEXTSTEP 3.1 for Intel processors will be available for $299.

The NEXTSTEP Evaluation Kit includes:

• NEXTSTEP 3.1 for Intel Processors which includes the full NEXTSTEP User product and documentation;
• NEXTSTEP Developer CD ROM which includes NEXTSTEP's visual application construction tools and reusable object kits, as well as a 50% off coupon to purchase full technical documentation;
• The NEXTSTEP Advantage Kit which includes a booklet, a video cassette and a diskette with sample software to introduce users to the benefits of application development with NEXTSTEP;
• NEXTSTEP Programming, a book by Garfinkel & Mahoney, which provides users a thorough explanation of NEXTSTEP application development using a tutorial approach.

NeXT embraces new technologies, including Photo CD and NEXTIME

To better meet the growing needs of its multimedia customers, NeXT has embraced Kodak's Photo CD technology as part of its multimedia strategy.  As a first step in this strategy, NEXTSTEP Release 3.1 includes a demonstration application called Photo Album that allows users to view high-quality images based on Kodak's Photo CD standard.

NeXT also announced it is developing NEXTIME, a real-time video compression application that allows users to store video on disk and incorporate it into multimedia applications.  NEXTIME will be a major part of NeXT's multimedia architecture and allow application developers to bring real-time video to the desktop.

NeXT Computer, Inc.

NeXT develops and markets the award-winning NEXTSTEP object-oriented software for industry-standard computer architectures.  Customers use NEXTSTEP to develop and deploy custom client/server applications, using both custom and shrink-wrapped productivity software.  Headquartered in Redwood City, California, and with offices throughout  the world, NeXT serves customers requiring enterprise-wide, object-oriented productivity environments.

Contact:
Karen Logsdon
NeXT Computer, Inc.
415/780-3786

or

Marilyn Kilinski
Ketchum Public Relations
212/536-8865