Don Freely writes:
“Applix Linux Division Launches Collaboration and Support Site
for Linux Developers and Users Worldwide”
WESTBORO, MA. July 15, 1999 – Applix, Inc. (NASDAQ:APLX), a
leader in applications for Linux and UNIX markets, announced today
that the company has launched a new web site, www.SmartBeak.com, to
bring together the support and collaboration needs of Open Source
Software developers and users.
Users seeking help for issues relating to Open Source Software
often have to use a combination of internet-based information
sources, to obtain the knowledge required to fix their problems.
The purpose of SmartBeak.com is to simplify and accelerate this
effort.
“We created the SmartBeak.com website to address the need in the
Linux and Open Source Software community for a more structured
approach to providing knowledge and managing support issues,” said
Jit Saxena, Chairman and CEO of Applix. “We are seeking to position
SmartBeak.com as the website that brings users and developers
together in one place and helps them to work together in a
collaborative fashion. Futhermore, we believe that usage of this
website will help foster the development of Open Source Software
applications.”
SmartBeak.com users are able to search a knowledge base for
documents containing information for solving their issues. The
information is made up of How To, Frequently Asked Questions, HTML,
and support database texts which SmartBeak.com automatically
updates and indexes.
According to Michael Prince, Chief Information Officer,
Burlington Coat Factory, “We are preparing to roll out a
distributed network of Linux workstations and this project provides
us with the challenge of obtaining support for certain components
of our solution.” He continued, “SmartBeak.com will be a valuable
resource for us and our vendors to use as a knowledge base, support
and collaboration mechanism.”
LinuxPPC, Inc., the leading provider of the Linux operating
system for the Macintosh platform, will be the site’s first signed
software partner. Jason Haas, Webmaster and technical support
supervisor at LinuxPPC said, “SmartBeak.com represents an
opportunity for us to manage our users’ questions and problems, and
gives us the ability to route and escalate issues to the developers
in the community, many of which are geographically dispersed. In
short, we expect that by using SmartBeak.com we’ll be significantly
improving the support and development of our Linux
distribution.”
Unlike many other web-based support sites for Open Source
Software products, SmartBeak.com provides a problem report entry
and tracking system to enable users to post questions or log issues
and track their progress. Developers worldwide, responsible for
products represented on the SmartBeak.com site are able to access
these items, assign or escalate their priority and using
SmartBeak.com’s workflow engine, assign issues to the appropriate
developers within their communities.
For each posted question or problem report that a user creates,
a message board system allows other users and developers to
collaborate on the resolution of the issues. A user customizable
section of the site, called my.SmartBeak.com provides an instant
update of the progress of their own issues.
About Applix, Inc.
Applix, Inc. (NASDAQ:APLX), headquartered in Westboro, Mass.,
develops, markets and supports web-based, front office business
solutions, which allow organizations to improve decision-making and
corporate productivity. The Front Office Business Solutions include
a suite of thin-client Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
applications, which include the Applix Enterprise and Enterprise
Anyware product lines, and a set of real-time Business Intelligence
applications, which include the Applix TM1 product line. In
addition to its Front Office Business Solutions, Applix also
provides a set of Decision Support applications, consisting of
Applixware and Applix Anyware products. The Company’s products are
available on a variety of software platforms, including Windows,
Windows NT, UNIX and Linux environments. More information can be
found at http://www.applix.com
and http://www.linux.applixware.com
About Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation operates 263 stores
in 42 states (including subsidiaries). The company’s roots trace
back to 1924 when Abe Milstein launched a successful wholesale
outerwear business. In the 1950’s, Monroe G. Milstein, President,
CEO and Chairman of the Board, joined his father and began a small
sideline retail trade. In 1972, the company began operations as a
retailer through the acquisition of one coat factory and outlet
store in Burlington, New Jersey.
About LinuxPPC Inc.
LinuxPPC Inc. develops distributions of Linux for PowerPC
computers. The company’s first release was in February 1997, and
the fifth is currently under development. In addition to selling
Linux CD-ROMs, the company sponsors development of Linux on PowerPC
through major hardware donations.
Notes to Investors:
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially. Specifically,
comments related to the demand for, revenue from and acceptance of
the Company’s products and the Company’s position in the markets,
may be considered forward-looking and subject to a number of risks
and uncertainties, including but not limited to: the rate of growth
in market demand for the products; the acceptance of the Company’s
products; intense competitive conditions; rapid technological
change; frequent new product introductions and evolving domestic
and international standards, which may render existing products and
services obsolete. Refer to the Company’s Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 1998 for a list of factors as discussed under
“Risk Factors “. Applix does not undertake – and specifically
declines any obligation – to publicly release the result of any
revision which may be made to any forward-looking statements to
reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect
the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.
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