Bentley and RealityWave Announce Licensing Agreement; Bentley to Integrate RealityWave's VizStream Technology to Further Enhance Collaborative Tools.

Business Editors

Daratech Plant

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 30, 2001

Bentley Systems, Incorporated (Exton, PA), the leading software supplier in the engineering, construction and operations (E/C/O) market, today announced an agreement with RealityWave, Inc. (Cambridge, MA), developer of the adaptable and flexible VizStream(TM) platform for 3D-enabled Internet applications, to distribute the VizStream products.

Under the terms of the agreement, Bentley will integrate VizStream into its MicroStation(R) and Viecon(TM) software product lines.

Bentley's broad array of information creation and information management products are thus further enhanced by VizStream's superior streaming and viewing features, coupled with its advanced interactive capabilities.

The integration of Bentley's products with the VizStream technology makes it possible to integrate enterprise information with 3D models based on enterprise business rules and deliver this rich set of information across the globe to users equipped only with a Web browser.

The combined capabilities let users easily and effectively distribute large, complex 3D facility models across the Internet in the context of the enterprise information associated with the 3D components.

"Bentley has long been recognized around the world as creating leading design solutions and now there is a rapidly growing recognition of Bentley's strengths in information management. We continue to increase our products' value by integrating with best-in-class technologies like RealityWave's VizStream," said A. B. Cleveland, Jr., senior vice president and general manager of software development for Bentley. "VizStream's 3D streaming and viewing capabilities offer yet another competitive advantage to both our Viecon and MicroStation product lines. VizStream is an important addition to our portfolio."

Aaron Freedman, vice president of business and product development for RealityWave, said, "Bentley's influence is prominent throughout the engineering and construction space, and its design solutions are used by a vast number of firms and individuals. This partnership complements our companies' strengths and provides Bentley's worldwide users with numerous advantages gained from utilizing Web-enabled applications."

More about VizStream

RealityWave's patented VizStream technology provides the fastest method of 3D interaction over the Web and is the foundation of several collaborative products. VizStream is the only solution to overcome conventional 3D transmission limitations, such as bandwidth and performance requirements. Its advanced features include configuration, messaging and real-time changes.

VizStream's 3D transmission capability enables Web collaboration without compromises in time, design integrity or workstation performance.

The incorporation of the VizStream technology into Bentley's Viecon Integration products enables users to view and link large 3D facility models to information associated with geometry objects, reducing the need for separate, often confusing communication about the models on which they are working.

Likewise, the integration of this innovative technology into MicroStation and the MicroStation(R) TriForma(R) Engineering Configuration--the platform for all Bentley 3D building/ plant applications--will enable XGL support from any MicroStation 3D file. This will allow users to share compatible files easily and rapidly across most technology environments and geographical distances.

About Bentley

Founded in 1984, Bentley Systems, Incorporated is a premier technology supplier dedicated to improving the process of designing, building and operating permanent assets such as buildings, roadways, manufacturing facilities and utility and telecommunications networks.

The professionals who use Bentley technology include architects, engineers, constructors and owner/operators. Bentley's MicroStation, and Viecon technology and services make Bentley the leader in the engineering, construction and operations (E/C/O) market.

Bentley's annual revenues exceed $190 million, and its reach spans the globe, serving more than 300,000 professionals and over 20,000 companies and organizations. More than 200,000 Bentley users participate in the Bentley SELECT(R) technology and service subscription program.

For more information on Bentley, please contact the company at 1-800-BENTLEY, [phone] (Americas), [phone] (Europe, Middle East, Africa), [phone] (Asia/Pacific), through E-mail at [e-mail] or by visiting www.bentley.com.

About RealityWave Inc.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, RealityWave is the world's leading provider of interactive streaming 3D for Web-based applications. The company is committed to increasing the use of 3D over the Internet through the licensing of its patented technology, VizStream and the products it builds based on the VizStream platform.

This feature-rich development platform enables the use of 3D in visualization, collaboration, configuration, data association and animation over the Web. The use of RealityWave's 3D streaming technology empowers the company's clients to develop and offer next-generation Web-enabled tools and services.

For more information, visit the RealityWave Web site at http://www.realitywave.com or call [phone].

Bentley, the "B" Bentley logo MicroStation and TriForma are registered trademarks; Viecon is a trademark; and Bentley SELECT is a registered service mark of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or Bentley Software, Inc. in the United States and other countries. VizStream and the RealityWave logo are trademarks of RealityWave, Inc. Other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.