Adobe Announces New Version of FrameMaker; FrameMaker 7.0 Makes XML Approachable to Corporate Users New Server Version Also Introduced.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 2002

Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE), the leader in network publishing, today announced a new version of FrameMaker(R), its powerful enterprise authoring and publishing solution. By making Extensible Markup Language (XML) easier to use, FrameMaker version 7.0 software allows corporations to take advantage of XML's ability to search, share and repurpose content across the enterprise. The new XML capabilities provide a comprehensive network publishing platform, allowing content creators to distribute information to multiple channels, including print, the Web and PDAs. Also announced today is the new Adobe FrameMaker Server, which gives companies the ability to produce personalized, data-driven content for output to print or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).

In the past, FrameMaker offered powerful word-processing functionality for long documents, and FrameMaker +SGML included a full set of tools for structured authoring of valid SGML applications. Corporate users can now benefit from the simplicity of FrameMaker and the power of FrameMaker+SGML combined into one product. Users can choose to work in the structured environment to address single-source information publishing needs and create valid XML files, or choose a simpler interface to create well-formed XML files for general word-processing usage.

XML Authoring and Publishing Simplified

FrameMaker gives corporate users the ability to easily create, edit and import valid XML content in full WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) mode with real-time validation and context-sensitive guided authoring. Once valid, the XML content can be searched, shared and repurposed across the enterprise, integrating disparate systems and processes. For users new to XML, FrameMaker provides a variety of starter templates that enables them to work with industry-standard xDocBook and xHTML DTDs (Document Type Descriptions) and map XML elements to tables, graphics, footnotes, cross-references and index markers.

"FrameMaker 7.0 supports us as we move in the direction of XML and consider WebDAV integration," said Evan Olson, Online Products Developer at Fujitsu Network Communications. "The new features combine traditional FrameMaker benefits -- advanced book-building capabilities and easy output of files to formats such as Adobe PDF and HTML -- with the flexibility of XML for sharing and reusing information company-wide."

Cross-Media Publishing

Through the use of templates, FrameMaker 7.0 enables efficient publishing of a single source document to multiple channels, including print, Adobe PDF, the Web, eBooks, PDAs and more. The included WebWorks(R) Publisher Standard Edition 7.0 software from Quadralay provides features for publishing to HTML, Palm Reader and other handheld formats. Support for Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) allows the integration of high quality and interactive vector graphics for Web publishing. FrameMaker also supports Adobe's XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform) and WebDav (World Wide Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning), which streamlines document collaboration and content sharing. XMP gives Adobe applications a common framework that standardizes the exchange of metadata across publishing workflows.

Adobe PDF Integration

Unlike other XML-based solutions, FrameMaker 7.0 enables users to easily publish documents in XML format to PDF and print. FrameMaker also outputs tagged Adobe PDF which means documents created with the application can be viewed on mobile devices like PDAs. Tagged Adobe PDF files are also accessible to people with visual disabilities because they can be read appropriately by leading screen reader software applications, which synthesize text to speech.

New Server Version Ideal for Enterprises

Adobe's new FrameMaker Server software gives companies the ability to extract existing content housed in databases, document management systems and XML repositories to be manipulated in FrameMaker. The Frame Development Kit (FDK) provides a comprehensive way to integrate FrameMaker with server-based systems ranging from Web applications to legacy mainframes. FrameMaker Server is incredibly flexible, handling text and graphics in a variety of formats with multi-language support.

Pricing and Availability

Adobe FrameMaker 7.0 and Adobe FrameMaker Server 7.0 will be available in the second (calendar) quarter of 2002 to customers in the United States, Europe and Canada through Adobe Authorized Resellers and the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com. Estimated street price for FrameMaker 7.0 desktop version will be US$799 for the full product with a special 90-day post ship upgrade offer (Mac and Windows(R) only) of US$209 (US$349 thereafter). Estimated street price for FrameMaker Server 7.0 will be US$7,999. For more detailed information about new features and upgrade policies for Adobe FrameMaker, please visit: www.adobe.com/products/framemaker.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Founded in 1982, Adobe Systems Incorporated (www.adobe.com) builds award-winning software solutions for network publishing, including Web, ePaper, print, video, wireless and broadband applications. Its graphic design, imaging, dynamic media and authoring tools enable customers to create, manage and deliver visually-rich, reliable content. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Adobe is the second-largest PC software company in the U.S., with annual revenues exceeding $1.2 billion.

Note to Editors: Adobe, the Adobe logo, FrameMaker and XMP are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. SVG is a trademark of the World Wide Web Consortium; marks of the W3C are registered and held by its host institutions MIT, INRIA and Keio. Mac is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. Microsoft is either a registered trademark or a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All prices listed are the U.S. estimated street price and are in U.S. dollars. Upgrade offer is for Macintosh and Windows versions only. Upgrade offer is valid for 90 days after product ships.