StarNine Acquires Microsoft Mail For AppleTalk Networks, Ranked Among Top-Ten LAN E-Mail Products; Coupling AppleTalk Mail Server and MailLink gateways rounds out the company's Internet server strategy.

BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 22, 1995--StarNine Technologies, Inc. today announced that it has signed an agreement with Microsoft Corp. to develop, market and support Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk Networks (see Microsoft Press Release dated 9/21/95).

The client/server e-mail product will be marketed as StarNine Mail (formerly Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk) and will include a free 10-user dial-up Internet gateway with every copy of the server software. Along with the recently released WebSTAR, the most widely used commercial Web server, and ListSTAR, a full-fledged Internet listserver, StarNine's server product line now offers a full-suite of Internet services for both electronic publishing and group communications including web, e-mail, mailing list, ftp and gopher services.

INDUSTRY-LEADING INTERNET SERVER STRATEGY

StarNine is the industry-leading developer of state-of-the-art Internet servers for the MacOS. Previously, complex and costly UNIX machines were required to provide Internet services. StarNine Mail offers unparalleled ease-of-use, scalability and reliability for AppleTalk networks and, used in conjunction with StarNine's MailLink gateways for SMTP and UUCP as well as gateways from third-party developers, provides a complete Internet e-mail solution for Macintosh LAN's.

"According to the statistics I keep on mailbox counts, StarNine is now in the top 10 of LAN e-mail providers," remarked Eric Arnum, editor of the Electronic Mail and Messaging Systems newsletter. "I'm eagerly anticipating the new products StarNine can develop by combining their web server, mailing list servers and e-mail servers. The introduction of that kind of integrated product line is perfectly timed for an era when e-mail and Web publishing increasingly dominate the networking discussion."

"StarNine built its business around SMTP and UUCP gateways for Macintosh Mail products," said David Thompson, Director of Marketing at StarNine. "Our current focus with WebSTAR and ListSTAR is to provide easy-to-use yet powerful solutions for desktop publishers who want to become 'Web-top Publishers'. Our future is a synthesis of the two product lines, combining the information publishing features of WebSTAR with the communications foundation of StarNine Mail and our Internet gateways."

INTERNET GATEWAYS FOR STARNINE MAIL AND OTHER MAJOR MACINTOSH MAIL PRODUCTS

When StarNine begins shipping StarNine Mail within the next 30 days, the server software will include a free 10-user copy of MailLink Remote, the company's UUCP gateway for connecting StarNine Mail servers to the Internet and other mail systems via a dial-up modem connection.

The company will also continue to develop its MailLink SMTP and MailLink Remote Internet gateways for QuickMail as well as MailLink SMTP for PowerShare.

"The Internet has proven beyond any doubt that you can build robust, scalable and truly open networking infrastructures based on standards such as SMTP and HTTP," Thompson added. "We're committed to this open systems philosophy one-hundred percent and that means all of our servers, including StarNine Mail, are interchangeable with servers from any other vendor. For example, if you want to publish documents via WebSTAR, but wish to continue to use QuickMail as your messaging environment, that's easy. In fact, our MailLink SMTP gateway for QuickMail will continue to set the standard for connecting QuickMail to Internet and other mail systems."

BEST CROSS-PLATFORM CONNECTIONS OF ANY MACINTOSH MAIL SOLUTION

In addition to the world-wide connectivity provided by MailLink gateways, StarNine Mail benefits from very tight integration with Microsoft Mail for PC Networks and Microsoft Exchange Server. The Connection Gateway, which will also be marketed by StarNine, provides full messaging and directory integration between StarNine Mail and Microsoft Mail for PC Networks. Moreover, Microsoft Exchange Server, the software leader's forthcoming client-server business messaging solution, will include the Microsoft Mail Connector for complete connectivity between StarNine Mail and Exchange users.

"StarNine Mail has the best connections to PC mail systems on the Macintosh bar none," Thompson observed. "In addition to its close ties with Microsoft's messaging products, StarNine Mail can be integrated with any MHS-based system using MailLink MHS gateways as well as Apple's AOCE environment with our PowerTalk gateway. And of course, the Microsoft Office products are geared to work seamlessly with StarNine Mail."

ANALYST RANKS STARNINE MAIL 10th AMONG LAN E-MAIL PRODUCTS

According to Eric Arnum's EMMS newsletter, with an customer-base of 700,000 seats, StarNine Mail (formerly Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk Networks) is the 10th most widely used LAN-based e-mail system. When StarNine Mail ships, StarNine will assume support for the entire customer base and continue to aggressively market upgrades, support services, and enhancements to the product. In addition to support for PowerPC and out-of-the-box Internet connectivity, StarNine plans to reveal future feature plans in November.

"We're delighted to have the opportunity to build on the intense loyalty that current customers of Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk feel toward the product by providing industrial strength support and upgrades," Thompson remarked. "The installed base is also eager for the next generation of products and we believe our Internet server strategy will achieve this long-awaited leap forward in productivity and functionality."

SMOOTH SUPPORT AND PRICING TRANSITION

Microsoft and StarNine will closely coordinate the product transition over the next 30 days. Current support contracts will be honored by both companies and StarNine expects to maintain the current pricing of approximately $269 for the Server, $269 for a 5-user license pack, and $899 for a 20-use license pack. StarNine Mail products are expected to be available through the same distribution channels as the Microsoft product.

Customers can contact StarNine directly by calling 1-800-525-2580 and asking for the Sales Department. An e-mail "hotline" is also available to provide updates about the status of the product transition. Users can send an e-mail message to [e-mail] a subject of "subscribe" to automatically receive a message with information about the status of StarNine Mail and subscribe to a mailing list to discuss the future of the product directly with the product managers and engineers. Information about the transition will also be posted to the company's web site at http://www.starnine.com/.

ABOUT STARNINE

StarNine Technologies, Inc., located in Berkeley, CA, is the leading developer of Internet server software and e-mail connectivity products for the Macintosh. StarNine's MailLink product line includes thirteen e-mail gateways connecting CE Software's QuickMail, Microsoft Corp.'s Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk Networks, and Apple Computer, Inc.'s PowerTalk and PowerShare to the Internet and a wide variety of e-mail systems on other platforms.

StarNine's WebSTAR (formerly MacHTTP) Web server software is used by individuals, corporations and organizations. ListSTAR is a full-fledged listserver and Email-On-Demand processor for Internet and LAN-based e-mail. StarNine can be reached by calling 1-800-525-2580 or by sending e-mail to [e-mail] or via the Web at http://www.starnine.com/. This press release and additional press information available at http://www.starnine.com/.

CONTACT: StarNine Technologies, Inc.

David Thompson, 510/649-4949

[e-mail]

or

Naomi Pearce, Albany

Naomi Pearce, 510/528-0824

[e-mail]