Linguistic Technology Releases English Wizard 2.1, Providing Enhanced Enterprise Data Access Using Natural Language.

LITTLETON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 1997--

New Information Management Capability, The Data Workshop,

Can Provide Management of Business and Personal Information

Linguistic Technology today announced English Wizard Release 2.1, the first query tool that eliminates the gap between the way business users think and the way software works, providing a simple solution for all levels of users in an organization.

The new Data Workshop feature combines the convenience of asking business questions using conversational English, with the power to analyze, format and publish information using a Microsoft Excel- compatible spreadsheet. This marriage of the English language with the spreadsheet makes English Wizard 2.1 the only query tool to successfully meet the broad range of needs in today's end-user query market.

English Wizard 2.1: A Single Desktop Solution for End-User Data Access

"Our research has consistently shown that customers are looking for a single query product that can be used by any user, either as a standalone application, as an add-in to their favorite desktop database, spreadsheet or report writer, or as an embedded component within custom applications.

"Users want instant productivity, while organizations want to eliminate expensive training and support," said Dr. Larry Harris, founder and chairman of Linguistic Technology. "Forrester Research recently cited natural language query as the No. 1 innovation recommended to corporations to raise the corporate IQ. English Wizard 2.1 meets that challenge by adapting to the way users work, rather than forcing users to adapt to the way software works."

Long time customer Cascade Information Systems, in implementing English Wizard 2.1 with their InfoCenter medical records abstracting application, found that the new Data Workshop satisfies the most requested enhancement among English Wizard users.

"English Wizard's new Data Workshop will help enable health care professionals at our client hospitals to access and analyze medical records in time to make a difference in the quality of care delivered," said Suzanne Weiss, systems analyst at Cascade.

She went on to say, "The new built-in test drive combined with English Wizard's intuitive interface gets users up and running in less than an hour, which makes it more cost-effective to deploy on a wide scale to less technical users."

Greatly Expanded Productivity for Both End Users and Developers

Because end users of all experience levels want to focus on their tasks instead on the processes, a wide array of accessible features offers increased productivity to every type of user. Developers can enhance custom applications by embedding these new capabilities in record time. -0-

Some of the new productivity features include the following:

-- Select the desired information by asking questions in plain English 

-- Intuitively use the language of business to drill down into data

-- Organize multiple queries and then analyze the results of each query

-- Visualize information using built-in pie charts and bar graphs

-- Customize, present and integrate information with other Microsoft Office Tools

-- Exchange information with others via e-mail and fax

-- Embed these capabilities into custom applications -0- Pricing and Availability

English Wizard 2.1 is now available, at a suggested retail price (SRP) of $129 for the end user edition (Client), and $189 for the software developer's kit (SDK). Linguistic Technology will offer upgrades free to users of English Wizard 2.0. Users of English Wizard version 1.x can upgrade for $39 for the end user edition (Client) and $49 for the software developer's kit (SDK). Please visit englishwizard.com and acquire your own CD demo.

Company Background

Linguistic Technology's English Wizard software product suite employs unique, industry leading technology to produce an immediate response to business questions expressed in conversational English by translating a plain-English request into SQL, a task formerly reserved for technical experts. Users are able to exploit the full information value of a data warehouse or database by getting answers to everyday questions ranging from simple browsing to complex data analysis. Support is provided for any SQL database located on the desktop, LAN server, mainframe, or the Internet.

Founded by Dr. Larry Harris, Linguistic Technology is the natural language market leader, with more than 6500 user installations, making man/machine communication easier and more productive. While it has been historically difficult, or nearly impossible, to retrieve desired, correct and critical data from databases that were growing exponentially, English Wizard has empowered users while shielding them from database intricacies. The company is based in Littleton, Mass. -0-

Note: Dr. Larry Harris, chairman of Linguistic Technology has authored several white papers, one entitled "Effective Use of Relational Databases on the Internet". And a treatise on How to Maximize Your Data Warehousing Efforts. These white papers describe, among other issues, how two important problems, finding the right database and then browsing it, can actually be solved through the use of Linguistic Technology's Exposi, English Wizard Web/Server and English Wizard products. Please call 800/425-8200 to receive the white papers and for additional information. International, call 610/325-7500.

Try English Wizard live at www.englishwizard.com -0-

Note to Editors: Microsoft is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. English Wizard, English Wizard Web/Server and Exposi are trademarks of Linguistic Technology Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

CONTACT: Linguistic Technology

Rob Hershfield, 508/486-8860

[e-mail]

or

Fifth Business, Inc.

John Donnelly, 508/620-4712

[e-mail]