Ei Sets New Model For Databases; Folds Websites Into Major Engineering Index.

HOBOKEN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 30, 1997--Engineering Information Inc., publisher of the worlds most comprehensive interdisciplinary engineering database, Ei Compendex, and its print predecessor and current counterpart, Engineering Index, has taken the bold step of integrating into that respected, widely used and world-renowned database, citations pointing to Web sites with specific relevance to the various disciplines covered in Ei Compendex. Addition of the new data is part of Release 2.0 of Ei CompendexWeb, which was introduced in January of last year.

At this time sites are being indexed only in Ei CompendexWeb, the subscription version available directly from Ei. The Web sites selected for indexing were previously identified, qualified, evaluated for reliability and interest, and abstracted by Ei for inclusion in the publishers Internet-based subscription service, Engineering Information VillageTM. In announcing the move, Ei president and ceo John J. Regazzi quoted a concept already put forth as a raison detre for Ei Village: Today the information that could make a difference in helping to solve a research problem might reside anywhere -- not just in traditional bodies of published material. To continue to lead as the provider of easily and quickly accessed, complete and cutting edge technical information Ei must be prepared to recognize and include all sources of knowledge. Today, that means pointing to some of the global information published on the World Wide Web.

Other features of Release 2.0 of Ei CompendexWeb include combining the earlier Expert and Assisted search modes in a way that allows information professionals to limit their searches using features such as Boolean and proximity logic while prompting less experienced users in these information-seeking techniques. In addition, an author name within a report is hot linked to a list of all other published articles by that author.

Ei has an advantage in identifying WWW information for indexing since it has already dedicated over two years to identifying, tracking, evaluating and filtering sites for engineers, and incorporating them into Engineering Information Village, its unique, cyberspace community that integrates traditional and informal database resources with technical newswires, text delivery, Web sites, access to technical professionals, and other such community services intended to enhance productivity. The initial release will index, in the 1990s files, 3000 sites pointed to in Ei Villages Research & Industrial Park and Ei Village Industry Mart, with more to be added from this source as well as from other of the Villages 10 information centers, including the new regional editions being developed at Ei mirror sites in South Africa, Europe and the Philippines. New search screens will allow users to limit their searches to Web sites only, or to exclude them. When a Web site is displayed, the URL is hot linked directly to the site.

Ei CompendexWeb recently added 2,000,000 backfile records, bringing the total coverage from journals and conferences to over 3,000,000 articles. It also introduced autologon, eliminating the need for searchers who register their IP addresses once to re-enter a user ID and password, sending them instead directly to the Ei CompendexWeb menu.

Ei Compendex is also available online through several international online hosts, on CDROM, and through partners in other site distribution programs. The Company is based in the USA at One Castle Point Terrace, Hoboken, NJ 07030, phone [phone], fax [phone], e-mail: [e-mail], URL http://www.ei.org and has offices in northern California and in Philadelphia. Ei Europe headquarters are at 1 Stonecross, St. Albans, Herts. A11 4AA, UK, phone [phone], fax [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]

CONTACT: Engineering Information Inc.

Andrew Hoffer

201-216-8500 ext. 697

201-216-8532 (fax)

email: [e-mail]