AccountingNet's Internet Program's 100% Compatible with Microsoft/AICPA Internet Offer; AccountingNet Offers Internet Development Support, Customized Applications Marketing Support and Revenue Sharing Programs for ALL State Societies.

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 1996--AccountingNet (http://www.accountingnet.com), early developers of more than 25 state CPA society Websites, announced its plans today to offer its technology and Internet development support to all societies, including those who accept the recent Internet offer by Microsoft/AICPA, according to AccountingNet's President, Derek Doke.

"We have told our 25-plus society partners that AccountingNet is here to support their Internet development," said Doke. "It doesn't matter whether they are currently participating in our program, maintain their own site, or accept the Microsoft/AICPA offer."

"We see this as a win-win for everyone," said Marianne Conger, Information Technologist at the Washington Society of CPAs. "AccountingNet has had the foresight to develop and continues to develop programs and resources that allow our Society to deliver richer services in a quick, user-friendly format. Our relationship with Microsoft will give the Society the opportunity to develop a frontpage that is more reflective of the personality of the society. We are excited to share expertise from both companies."

Online as of December 1995, AccountingNet developed turn-key solutions for more than 25 participating societies on the Internet's World Wide Web. Societies use AccountingNet's specialized applications to create, edit and modify a majority of their own content.

Systems includes: a searchable online "Information Desk" providing up-to-date news announcements; searchable CPE catalogs and class registration; a password-protected Members Only Section; a searchable database of homepages for members in public practice; a database of member job and resume postings; membership benefits programs; membership applications; members only bulletin board systems, and more.

State societies like Washington are taking advantage of AccountingNet's customized applications by simply adding a link from their self-maintained homepage to AccountingNet's powerful 'virtual server.' This creates a friendly environment for the end-user, who never realizes that the back-end of a request was performed remotely.

"The society chooses which programs it likes and creates a link from their homepage to the application's interface on our server," said Doke. "We customize the application for each society so the process is seamless to the end-user."

AccountingNet has committed these technologies and maintains them for the state CPA societies at no cost. However, the recent program by Microsoft/AICPA has offered the societies free hardware and software as incentives to take on the responsibility of the day-to-day maintenance of their Websites.

"Microsoft's tools and templates give the societies the ability to maintain the basic necessities of creating and housing a homepage," said Doke. "This allows us to focus our talents on developing higher-end dynamic technologies and marketing programs."

AccountingNet has also created several marketing/revenue sharing programs for the state CPA societies, that include: a national CPA yellow pages directory; custom filtered news subscriptions; CPA time billing/tracking tools; member benefits packages; online interactive CPE, job/resume posting service; national member dial-up solutions, and more.

CONTACT: AccountingNet, Seattle

Shane Gillispie, 206/621-1183

e-mail: [e-mail]