Centraal Forms Advisory Board to Guide Web Naming Policies; Christine Varney, Lori Fena and Andrew Bridges appointed to Policy Advisory Board.

SAN CARLOS, Calif./WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 29, 1999--

Three leading experts in Internet policy and trends have joined the newly-formed Policy Advisory Board of Centraal Corporation. Centraal, creators of the RealNames Internet key word system, formed the Policy Advisory Board to ensure the company is held accountable for its decisions to the Internet community as a whole and to introduce an element of self-regulation into the RealNames approval process.

Christine Varney, an attorney with the Washington, D.C. law firm Hogan & Harston and a former senior advisor to President Clinton; Andrew Bridges, an Internet and intellectual property attorney with the Palo Alto law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Lori Fena, chairman of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and chairman and founder of TRUSTe; and Bill Washburn, chief policy officer, Centraal Corporation, are the founding members of the Centraal Policy Advisory Board.

"The members of the Board were chosen based on their extensive and continuous public efforts to make the Internet an easy and accessible medium for all users as well as their abilities to counsel Centraal in resolving questions and concerns regarding Web naming issues," said Keith Teare, CEO, Centraal Corporation.

"The members of the Policy Advisory Board are highly regarded, reputable, independent authority figures in the world of commerce and the Internet," said Teare. "The Board will verify Centraal is adhering to our mission and will have the authority to ask us to reverse decisions if they deem it necessary."

"It is crucial that the Internet remains a valuable and useful tool for all users and the formation of the Policy Advisory Board is the first step in ensuring fair and equitable naming convention," said Christine Varney, a former FTC Commissioner and Policy Advisory Board member. "We will work with Centraal to ensure they are fulfilling their mission of providing a positive RealNames user experience. The Board will also advise government and decision-makers on naming policies."

The Policy Advisory Board is committed to four goals: advise Centraal on fair and equitable naming convention policy; review disputes between companies if there is a naming conflict; advise government and Internet decision-makers on Web naming conventions and identify an external agency by the end of 1999 to act as the final authority for resolving disputes concerning RealNames; according to Bill Washburn, Policy Advisory Board member and Centraal's chief policy officer.

"In forming this Board, we are responding to the increasing need for an advisory council who will work to protect the interests of Web users. Additionally, the Board will act as the voice of authority for naming, particularly in deciding the appropriateness of RealNames," said Washburn.

About Centraal Corporation

Formed in 1997 and privately held, Centraal Corporation provides, RealNames, an Internet key word system, to its customers and partners and an intuitive navigation system for Internet users. Centraal is venture-backed by idealab! Capital Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Network Solutions (Nasdaq: NSOL), Compaq (NYSE: CPQ) and Amerindo Investment Advisors Inc., all leaders in the Internet industry or venture capital. Centraal Corporation is located in San Carlos, California. For more information, visit our Web site at www.centraal.com

Trademark Information

RealNames System, RealNames Services, RNS and Centraal are trademarks of Centraal Corporation. The RealNames System is a patent pending technology.