Altera Now Shipping OEM Versions of Leading HDL Simulation and Synthesis Tools from Mentor Graphics.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 7, 2000

Altera Corporation (Nasdaq:ALTR) today announced that it has begun shipping OEM versions of Mentor Graphics' (Nasdaq:MENT) popular HDL-based simulation and synthesis tools, providing more than 20,000 existing customers with access to the ModelSim(R) and LeonardoSpectrum(TM) products. Designed to both strengthen and fit seamlessly into Altera's Quartus(TM) and MAX+PLUS(R) II software environments, the ModelSim Altera Edition and the LeonardoSpectrum Altera Edition fully supports all of Altera's APEX(TM), ACEX(TM), FLEX(R), and MAX(R) families of programmable logic devices (PLDs).

"Mentor Graphics is providing Altera designers with industry-leading, high-performance simulation and synthesis tools that are being used to develop next-generation PLDs," said Erik Cleage, Altera senior vice president of marketing. "As the Altera and Mentor Graphics partnership expands, mutual customers will continue to utilize the core strengths from our industry-leading companies, allowing for the rapid development of complex, next-generation designs."

"Integrating the ModelSim and LeonardoSpectrum tools into Altera's products provides a powerful software environment that exceeds performance and time-to-market demands set by the PLD industry," said Anne Sanquini, vice president and general manager of Mentor Graphics HDL Design Division. "This partnership enables Altera and Mentor Graphics to provide customers with advanced PLD design flows, and allows us to work closely to develop the tools for next-generation designs."

LeonardoSpectrum offers Advanced Synthesis

LeonardoSpectrum Altera Edition provides PLD designers with a world-class synthesis tool targeted for Altera devices. The tool combines push-button ease-of-use with sophisticated synthesis capability, enabling Altera designers to control and optimize PLD designs to meet their design requirements.

ModelSim Altera Edition Provides HDL and Gate-Level Simulation

Based on the world's most popular simulator, ModelSim Altera Edition supports the entire line of Altera devices. ModelSim Altera Edition includes support for VHDL or Verilog, Altera Gate-Level Libraries, and also powerful debug capabilities provided by the ModelSim user interface.

Pricing and Availability

Both the LeonardoSpectrum and ModelSim tools are integrated into Altera's Quartus and MAX+PLUS II development environments, and are available for PC and UNIX-based systems. Annual subscription for the Altera development tools is $2,000 for a node-locked PC license, which includes full-featured Quartus and MAX+PLUS II development software, both ModelSim Altera Edition and LeonardoSpectrum Altera Edition, and 12 months of software upgrades. New or existing customers may obtain a software subscription at the Programmable eStore on the Altera web site, http://www.altera.com or from Altera distributors worldwide.

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corp. is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products and consulting services for the world's largest electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of more than $500 million and employs approximately 2,700 people worldwide. Company headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com.

About Altera

Altera Corporation, The Programmable Solutions Company(R), was founded in 1983 and is a leading supplier of programmable logic devices (PLDs). Altera's CMOS-based PLDs are user-programmable semiconductor chips that enhance flexibility and reduce time-to-market for companies in the communications, computer peripheral, and industrial markets. By using high performance devices, software development tools, and sophisticated intellectual property cores, system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) solutions can be created with embedded processors, memory, and other complex logic together on a single PLD. Altera common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol ALTR. More information on Altera is available on the Internet at http://www.altera.com.

Altera, The Programmable Solutions Company, Quartus, MAX+PLUS, APEX, ACEX, FLEX, MAX, and specific device designations are trademarks and/or service marks of Altera Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Mentor Graphics, ModelSim and LeonardoSpectrum are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation.