Adobe, Apple and Netscape to Collaborate on New Internet Font Technology; Collaboration to Establish the Standard for High-Quality, High-Performance Fonts on the Web; Companies to Submit Proposal to Industry Standards Organizations.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 26, 1996--Adobe Systems Inc., Apple Computer Inc. and Netscape Communications Corp. (NASDAQ:ADBE, AAPL, NSCP) today announced that they will work together to define and deliver HTML extensions for type on the Web.

The three companies expect to provide an open, cross-platfrom technology solution for using Type 1 and TrueType fonts in HTML and PDF documents.

This new web font technology marks a significant advance in the visual appeal of Internet information. People viewing information on the Internet will benefit from a rich font assortment on a page with excellent performance. People creating information for the Web will be able to choose from numerous fonts and ensure that users see their pages as they were originally intended to be seen.

With Adobe's long-standing leadership in developing digital type, Netscape's leadership in open Internet software and Apple's font expertise as the inventors of TrueType, users will benefit from: -0-

    --  Anti-aliased type for higher screen quality for both large
    and small type sizes.

    --  Embedded, compressed fonts for fast performance over 14.4
    kilobit/second modem connections and font fidelity.

    --  Progressively rendered fonts which enable the screen to
    display text immediately.

    -- Font subsetting which improves performance because only the
    characters needed will be downloaded.-0-

This new web font technology exploits technology already under development as part of Adobe's Acrobat "Amber" Plug-in for Netscape Navigator. The new font technology will be supported in the next version of "Amber," and later this year in Netscape Navigator client software. Apple bundles Adobe Acrobat and Netscape Navigator with the Apple Internet Connection Kit and the Apple Internet Server Solution.

The companies plan a submission of this technology to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) as a proposed extension to HTML. The new web font technology will be usable by style sheet designs such as the one the W3C is developing for HTML 3.0.

"This new web font technology adds dramatic new dimensions to the Internet experience enabling Netscape users to view and create pages with new richness," said Dr. James Clark, chairman and founder of Netscape.

"This marks a collective effort by the industry to evolve type and content on the Internet and we are pleased to be collaborating with world leaders in font technology. By working closely with Netscape and Apple, we intend to bring to the Internet the kind of visually compelling information users have come to expect in other media, such as print publications and CD-ROMs," said John Warnock, chairman and chief executive officer of Adobe.

"This effort marries well with Adobe's current strategy to make electronic publishing a graphically rich and rewarding experience for both authors and consumers."

"Apple was involved in introducing to the market the two most pervasive font formats: Adobe's Type 1 and our own TrueType," said Dr. Gilbert Amelio, chairman and chief executive officer of Apple. "Working with Netscape and Adobe, we intend to adapt these technologies to the World Wide Web, a medium which is growing rapidly in importance to the customers we serve.

"Apple's goal is to bring the ease of use and multimedia richness for which the Macintosh is known to the emerging Internet platform."

Based in Mountain View, Adobe Systems Inc. is the world's third largest personal computer software company, with 1995 revenue of $762.3 million. The company develops and supports products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media.

Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software developers and service providers; and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.

Apple Computer Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, online services and personal digital assistants.

Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in over 140 countries. Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/

Netscape Communications Corp. is a permier provider of open software to link people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools and Netscape Commercial Applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications.

Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corp. is based in Mountain View. Additional information on Netscape Communications Corp. is available on the intrnet at http://home.netscape.com or by sending email to [e-mail]. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: Adobe, Postscript and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc. Netscape Communications, Netscape and Netscape Navigator are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corp. Apple, the Apple logo and Macintosh are registered trademarks, and TrueType is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc.

CONTACT: Adobe Systems Inc.

Carol Sacks, 415/962-4989

[e-mail]

or

Apple Computer Inc.

Laurence Clavere, 408/974-8643

[e-mail]

or

Netscape Communications Corp.

Chris Holten, 415/528-2521

[e-mail]