Tektronix Proposes New Product Category to Describe Platform for Enterprise-wide Applications; Name Change Reflects Evolution of X Terminal Into Networked PC Alternative.

BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 21, 1995--With all three of the leading X terminal vendors providing PC application access for their products, Tektronix (NYSE: TEK) today proposed the creation of a new product category based on these enabling technologies.

Effective immediately, the company will use the term netstation -- rather than X terminal -- to describe products that are increasingly used by commercial customers as alternatives to PCs for enterprise-wide networked applications.

David Pinckard, vice president of Tektronix' Video and Networking Division and general manager for Network Displays, explained: "Technology and customer applications have changed significantly in the last five years -- and X terminals have evolved to meet these changing needs. Thanks to Tek's WinDD, and similar offerings from other vendors, netstations are now used as alternatives to networked PCs in front-line, mission-critical applications. This is more than just a name change -- it's the direction customers and the industry are moving, and a direction we intend to pursue."

Jim Hogan, manager of systems development for COBE Renal Care, agreed. "I've been able to replace a number of PCs with Tektronix netstations, and I hope to do more of that in the future. With netstations, my users get access to all of the PC applications they normally use, as well as our UNIX-based applications. But netstations require a lot less time to upgrade, support, and administer than PCs do. The difference is dramatic."

Noted Eileen O'Brien, an industry analyst with IDC: "When I first started covering this industry in 1989, vendors were delivering products that connected to UNIX workstations and which were used by customers for technical applications. Now the majority of these products are going into on-line, mission-critical network environments running Windows, UNIX, midrange and mainframe applications. It's only natural that the terminology should evolve with the product."

A netstation is a desktop device and associated software that together deliver enterprise-wide connectivity to data and information from Microsoft Windows(TM), UNIX, midrange or mainframe systems. Netstation users can transparently access data in any form -- including audio and video -- across virtually any type of network. (For a more detailed definition of a netstation, please refer to the attached data sheet).

"Our customers are basically using netstations as universal plug-in network displays," continued Pinckard. "This concept reflects, in many regards, the complete evolution of the distributed client/server computing model, with the netstation as the ultimate `universal client' for corporate networks. Fortune 1000 customers have reacted so favorably to these products over the last 12 months that we've become the fastest growing vendor in our industry. Now we think we have an accurate name for the products these companies are demanding."

KEY TECHNOLOGY:

One of the keys to delivering on the promise of netstations has been Tektronix' development of its WinDD software. WinDD, based on Microsoft Windows NT(R) Server 3.51, is the first product to allow UNIX platform users to access Microsoft Windows applications running in native mode on a PC application server. By allowing access to Windows 3.1, Windows NT and Windows 95 applications, WinDD cleared a last, crucial hurdle from Tektronix' ability to deliver universal application connectivity through its netstation desktops. Since the introduction of WinDD, other X terminal manufacturers have scrambled to offer their own PC application access solutions.

TARGET USERS:

Tektronix has been providing this technology to corporations that depend on information processing, rather than desktop computing, for business success. The target user would thus be anyone who relies on applications that are primarily designed for corporate-wide networked access, such as databases, workflow applications, Internet software, etc. Typical industries include banking/finance, healthcare, insurance, telecommunications, transportation, utilities, etc. In addition, from a cost-of-ownership perspective, netstations are the most affordable platform for Windows-based personal productivity applications.

The comprehensive capabilities of a netstation also make it appropriate for the technical markets currently served by X terminals, such as CAD/CAM and process control. In this regard, the netstation's capabilities are a superset of these UNIX-only solutions.

For customer sales information, please call: 1-800-547-8949, or visit the Tektronix Home Page on the Internet at http://www.tek.com/VND.

Tektronix is a portfolio of measurement, color printing, and video and networking businesses dedicated to applying technology excellence to customer challenges. Tektronix is headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon and has operations in 23 countries outside the United States. Founded in 1946, the company had revenues of $1.5 billion in fiscal 1995.

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Note to Editors: Tektronix and Tek are registered trademarks and WinDD is a trademark of Tektronix Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT: Tektronix VND 

Wendy Eimers, 503/627-2465 (Media Contact)

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Sterling Communications,

Kevin Pedraja, 408/441-4100 (Agency Contact)

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