Autodesk and Netscape to extend Internet as platform for design and engineering collaboration.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 10, 1996--Autodesk Inc. and Netscape Communications Corp. today announced they are working together to extend the Internet into a virtual engineering environment where designers and engineers use Netscape and Autodesk software to collaborate.

The companies are united behind the new DWF file format developed by Autodesk, as a standard for viewing and publishing 2D vector graphics, such as design drawings, diagrams and technical illustrations. The DWF file format and the WHIP! Plug-in for Netscape Navigator client software let users view design data efficiently over the Internet. The combination of the WHIP! technology and Netscape's new Navigator Gold and Enterprise Server software provide many of the tools necessary for design and engineering professionals to collaborate, publish and manage design data over the Internet.

With Netscape Navigator Gold's easy-to-use Internet publishing capabilities and the WHIP! technology, design and engineering professionals can embed design data into their HTML pages. Netscape Enterprise Server is the first Internet server software to support Java and JavaScript, enabling the creation, delivery and management of live, online applications and content on enterprise networks and the Internet.

"By creating this technology for designers and engineers, Autodesk and Netscape will help eliminate communication barriers between engineers, architects and other design professionals and increase the use of shared digital designs," said Carol Bartz, Autodesk chairman, president and CEO. "Our work with Netscape will let Autodesk's design software users collaborate more easily with other users, as well as share their work with their clients in an inexpensive, timely fashion."

"Autodesk's new Plug-Ins are very complementary to the work Netscape has done in Internet Publishing," said Mike Homer, vice president of marketing at Netscape. "The virtual engineering file format will improve the use of the Internet as a platform in business-to-business engineering and design applications and increase the utility of the Intranet for corporate communications, collaboration and data access. Together we will bring to light the millions of existing designs and engineering documents created in detailed design format that previously were stored on inaccessible internal LAN servers."

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and other risks detailed from time to time in SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.

Netscape Communications Corp. is the premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corp. is based in Mountain View, Calif.

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geographic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in nearly 130 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide. For more information on Autodesk please call 415/507-5000, type GO ADESK on CompuServe, or log-in to http://www.autodesk.com. -0-

Note to Editors: Additional information on Netscape Communications Corp. is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com or by sending email to [e-mail]. Corporate customers can call 415/937-2555 while consumers can call 415/937-3777 for more information. Netscape Communications, the Netscape Communications logo, Netscape, Netscape Navigator, Netscape Navigator Gold, Netscape Enterprise Server, and Netscape Commercial Applications are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corp.

Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, and 3D Studio are registered trademarks and DWF, and WHIP! are trademarks of Autodesk Inc. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT: Autodesk, Inc.

David Radoff, 415/507-6533

[e-mail]

or

Netscape Communications Corp.

Andrea Cook, 415/937-3329

[e-mail]