Applix Launches Open Source Initiative With Applix SHELF; Embeddable, Graphical Programming Language Now Available for Applixware.

WESTBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 1999--Applix, Inc. (NASDAQ:APLX), a leader in decision support applications for Linux and Unix workstations, today launched its first Open Source initiative with Applix SHELF, an embeddable, full-featured programming language for use with the Applixware office suite. With SHELF added to Applixware's Extension Language Facility (ELF), application developers will be able to increase customization and extensibility of their applications by embedding Applixware language in their products.

Richard Manly, director of Product Management and Marketing at Applix, said customers currently use ELF to customize and extend the capabilities of Applixware and to rapidly developing graphical applications that leverage the power of the office suite. "By making SHELF available in an Open Source development model, application developers will now be able to embed Applixware language in their own products to offer similar customization and extensibility."

According to Manly, SHELF is ideally suited for developing graphical interfaces to legacy and Internet/Intranet applications. He said SHELF does not need to be embedded within customer applications to be used to create true cross platform, standalone, robust graphical applications.

Both Applixware and Applix SHELF are available for all major distributions of Linux, including Red Hat, SuSE, Caldera, and Slackware. They are also available for Sun, IBM, Compaq, and Hewlett Packard Workstations, as well as for Microsoft Windows 98 and NT. Applix SHELF is being released under the GNU Library Public License (LPGL), as defined by the Free Software Foundation, Cambridge, MA. Under LPGL, Applix SHELF is freely usable in either the original or modified form. It is available now for free download at Applix's new Open Source-oriented website: http://www.applixware.com.

According to Barry Zane, Applix's vice president of Technology, the release of SHELF expands the company's commitment to Linux, the open source movement, and standards-based computing.

"The Linux platform is one of the most exciting platforms on which to develop," Zane said. "The open nature of the technology allows for rapid product innovation and customer feedback. In fact, we view Linux and the Open Source model as an ideal means to release the shackles of developers who want to leverage and integrate with the work of others."

Zane added that Applix's Open Source-oriented web site (http://www.applix.com), will serve as a primary location where Open Source tools and applications will be available to the developer community. It will also offer a forum-based support model to propose new projects and to support developers in their use of Applix's source code.

About Applix, Inc.

Applix, Inc., (NASDAQ:APLX) headquartered in Westboro, MA, is a leading provider of Internet front-office business applications that allow organizations to better access, analyze, and act on customer and market information. Applix Enterprise is an Internet-centric customer relationship management solution which received the Editor's Choice Award from Telemarketing & Call Center Solutions Magazine in 1998; Applix TM1 is a real-time online analytical processing solution for decision support and real-time business analysis; and Applix office solutions include Applix Office for UNIX(R), Linux and Windows NT, and Anyware Office for Java-based desktops.

With thousands of customers around the world including such fast-growth companies as AT&T, Bank of Nova Scotia, Blockbuster Video, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Brite Voice, British Airways, Chase Manhattan Bank, Cox Communications, Credit Suisse, Daimler Benz, Deutsche Bank, Ericsson, Harrah's, Hewlett-Packard, Kaiser Permanente, Motorola, MTV, National Football League Properties, New Holland N.A., Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Reuters, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Sharp Documentation Services, Siemens, Singapore Telecom, SmithKline Beecham, Sony, Sun Microsystems, U.S. Army, U.S. Department of Energy, Visa International, and Visibility. Applix leads the way in delivering Internet-centric enterprise applications for today's globally distributed companies. More information can be found at www.applix.com.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements 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 Form 10-K for the year ended 1997 for a list of factors as discussed under "Risk Factors." All trademarks, registered trademarks, and service marks are property of their respective owners.