MathSoft introduces StatServer -- the first distributed statistics solution for organization-wide data analysis; deployment of powerful analytics puts business critical results on the desktops of key decision makers.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 1997--MathSoft, Inc., a leading provider of advanced technical calculation and data analysis software, today announced the availability of MathSoft StatServer(TM), the first enterprise-wide solution for electronically distributing statistical analyses and graphics to business professionals.

With StatServer, corporations can take advantage of existing client/server and Internet/intranet technologies to deploy statistical expertise throughout an organization. Professionals in diverse fields such as finance, biomedicine and manufacturing can use familiar tools such as Excel, Netscape or PowerBuilder to access corporate data resources and perform data analysis without becoming experts in statistics or users of statistical tools.

The newest addition to MathSoft's line of statistical data mining solutions, StatServer is the first product to enable distributed statistical data mining throughout an organization. StatServer is a warehouse-independent platform for organization-wide distribution of powerful analytics -- ideal because it integrates with a company's existing database technology.

With the flexibility to work seamlessly with leading relational databases from Microsoft, Oracle, Informix and Sybase, as well as with ODBC-enabled client applications such as Excel or Visual Basic(R), StatServer can be easily implemented and utilized within a current company infrastructure. MIS professionals, in conjunction with a corporation's statistical group, can deploy models using any combination of more than 2,000 statistical functions, eliminating the need to develop custom analytics for each individual.

StatServer is a powerful addition to any corporation's data mining strategy. Data mining -- the process of effectively using information to create knowledge that is useful to an organization -- helps companies gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. One essential aspect of data mining is the use of statistical methods to gain new insight into data. By leveraging exclusive graphics techniques and advanced statistical analysis methods, StatServer is the premier tool for distributed statistical data mining.

"Corporations accumulate massive amounts of information through research and while conducting business," said Charles Digate, president and CEO of MathSoft, Inc. "Through the introduction of StatServer, MathSoft will greatly expand its base of users by permitting corporations to make highly usable data mining tools available to all their knowledge workers."

From financial institutions that need to distribute analyses of historical securities data to traders and brokers, to pharmaceutical companies that want to provide Internet access to analyses of the latest cancer survey data, StatServer allows corporations to distribute and access powerful statistical analytics.

Introducing MathSoft StatServer

StatServer moves beyond the capabilities of report writers, spreadsheet applications and stand-alone data analysis software, representing a significant advancement in decision support and data mining technology.

Key components of StatServer include:

-- Analytical Object Server -- the central point of communication for client applications;

-- Analytical Object Development Kit -- the tools used by data analysts for publishing and distributing analytical models;

-- Analytical Object Client Package -- the tools used by MIS professionals to deploy analytical models to client applications;

-- S-PLUS Core Technology -- more than 2,000 classical and modern analysis and visualization functions, a flexible environment for customizing and creating analytics, and exclusive TRELLIS(TM) graphics for revealing hidden patterns in complex, multivariate data.

The Power of S

The S-PLUS technology in StatServer is based on S, an object-oriented language developed at Lucent Technologies (formerly AT&T Bell Labs) specifically for data visualization and exploration. MathSoft has exclusive worldwide rights to develop and distribute products which incorporate the S technology.

Availability

MathSoft StatServer is available immediately starting at $35,000 for corporate-wide implementation. Academic prices are also available.

About MathSoft, Inc.

Founded in 1984, MathSoft is the leading provider of knowledge discovery software for students and technical professionals. The company has more than 1,000,000 users of its Mathcad(R), StudyWorks(TM), S-PLUS and Axum(R) software worldwide. Users include technical professionals at more than half the Fortune 1,000 companies and over 500 government installations, and students and faculty at over 2,000 colleges and universities.

StatServer and S-PLUS product information can be obtained via MathSoft's Web site located at http://www.mathsoft.com, by phone at 1-800/569-0123, by fax at 206/283-8691 or via mail at 1700 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98109. MathSoft's corporate headquarters can be reached by phone at 1-800/628-4223, by fax at 617/577-8829 or via mail at 101 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142. -0-

Note to Editors: To view a live demo of MathSoft StatServer over the Web, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.mathsoft.com .

The MathSoft logo, Axum, S-PLUS, Mathcad and StudyWorks are trademarks of MathSoft, Inc. TRELLIS is a trademark of Lucent Technologies, Inc. Other product and service names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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MathSoft, Inc.

Shawn Javid, 206/283-8802, ext. 224