Thursday February 25, 6:50 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Software Publishing Corporation
Software Publishing Corporation Holdings, Inc. Begins Shipment of
Harvard(R) Instant Charts
Unique Companion to Standard PC-Based Computer Programs Instantly
Transforms Ordinary Text and Data Into High-Impact Visuals
FAIRFIELD, N.J., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Software Publishing Corporation, subsidiary of Software Publishing Corporation Holdings, Inc. (the ''Company'' or ''SPCH'') (Nasdaq: SPCO - news), the
Visual Communications Company(TM), today announced the shipment of Harvard® Instant Charts, a unique graphics program that effortlessly transforms ordinary text and data into high-impact visuals.
Software Publishing Corporation, publisher of Harvard Graphics® 98, Harvard® Publisher and other well-known graphics programs for business users, expects small office and corporate business professionals will find that Harvard Instant Charts greatly enhances the communications effectiveness of ordinary business documents, presentations, publications, spreadsheets and Web pages.
Unlike most PC programs that operate independently, Harvard Instant Charts may reside alongside a ''host'' application -- which can include any word processing, desktop publishing, presentation graphics, spreadsheet or other PC standard application -- in addition to acting as a standalone program. With easy drag and drop action, a user may bring a chart, list, table, relationship, or other data or text layout into the document being produced in the host application. As the user enters text or data into the layout, Harvard Instant Charts automatically adjusts the font size, position of graphics and other design elements to achieve the optimal design. Additionally, a user may add and switch designs, textures and color schemes to the graphic with simple mouse clicking until the preferred graphic style is achieved.
''We believe that today's hurried business professional needs a fast, easy way to create professional-looking communications. Harvard Instant Charts provides that capability, using unique features that greatly enhance the impact of communications materials, both printed and online, literally in seconds,'' said Mark E. Leininger, President and Chief Operating Officer of SPCH.
Harvard Instant Charts and Harvard® 3D, a 3D graphics program for rendering compelling text and scene effects in business and home communications, are the first Harvard® brand products to ship in
1999. Harvard® Design Studio, a complete drawing, animation, graphics and 3D program, is expected to ship March 10, 1999.
Harvard Instant Charts -- The Unique Advantage for Business Pros
''Savvy business professionals know that a message is most likely to get noticed and acted on if it quickly and uniquely communicates an important concept. Harvard Instant Charts supplies that advantage to small business and corporate users through its ability to effortlessly create powerful visual representations of key ideas,'' said Joe Drop, Vice President of Sales for the Company.
Harvard Instant Charts operates by providing layouts in which a user adds data or text. Layouts include flow, charts, lists, relationships, tables, and additional formats typically employed in data-driven business communications. Once text or data is inserted, the user may visually brainstorm different layouts, color schemes, textures and/or page designs to find the preferred visual style. Additional clip art, bitmap fills and other graphics may be imported to further enhance designs, while text may be inserted as colorful ''stamps'' for added impact.
Among the unique capabilities that facilitate Harvard Instant Charts' remarkable ease of use:
Intelligent Formatting. This technology coordinates graphic and text elements for the user. Virtually all that is required is simple mouse clicking on select design, layout and other graphic choices -- the
program facilitates automatic, professional results.
OLE Compatible. Through OLE compatibility, Harvard Instant Charts is able to operate by ''floating'' or residing alongside a host application. Communications created in standard word processing, desktop publishing, presentation graphics -- even spreadsheets programs -- may be optimized by the addition of professional-looking graphics created with Harvard Instant Charts.
Web Graphics. Harvard Instant Charts can also operate independently and supports the export of finished graphics as GIFs: even Web pages and E-mails may benefit from the added impact of visual representations of data.
Numerous Design and Layout Combinations. Whether a user wants a stock analysis with a ''Money'' texture or a ''To Do'' list with a ''Party design'' -- the number of design combinations are virtually
limitless.
System Requirements
Harvard Instant Charts requires a 486 PC with a CD-ROM Drive and mouse running Microsoft Windows® 95 or Windows® 98 with a minimum of 8 MB of RAM, or Microsoft Windows® NT 4.0 with a minimum of 12 MB of RAM. Harvard Instant Charts also requires a minimum of 4 MB of free hard disk space. Harvard Instant Charts may run on a VGA (256-color display) monitor or higher, although a ''Hi-color'' (16-bit) or higher setting is recommended.
Pricing and Availability
Harvard Instant Charts began shipping February 17, 1999, with an expected street price of $29.95.
For more information on other great Harvard products, visit the Harvard Graphics' Website at harvardgraphics.com.
About the Company
Software Publishing Corporation Holdings, Inc. (www.spco.com), through its subsidiaries Serif Inc.,
Serif (Europe) Limited and Software Publishing Corporation, is an international developer, publisher and
supplier of visual communications software, including desktop publishing, presentation graphics, business
productivity and other computer software applications, for the corporate, small office/home office
(''SOHO'') and consumer markets. The Company's products produce documents through its
easy-to-use desktop publishing, drawing and presentation graphics applications, and also improve the
graphical appeal and overall effectiveness of documents produced by either the Company's or third
parties' desktop publishing, presentation graphics, web page, e-mail, word processing and other similar
applications. The Company's product line includes Harvard Graphics®, Harvard ChartXL®, Harvard®
Publisher and Harvard® Draw, and Serif PagePlus(TM), Serif DrawPlus(TM) and Serif 3DPlus(TM).
The Company has established a multi-channel distribution system utilizing retail, corporate, direct mail,
telemarketing, OEM and the Internet. SPCH's Serif subsidiaries operate significant direct mail and
telemarketing operations that market and sell its and third party products, including affordable digital
color cameras and digital imaging software products (see serif.com).
Safe Harbor Statement
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth herein which are
forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include such
factors as the level of business and consumer spending for computer software, the market acceptance
and amount of sales of the Company's products, the extent that the Company's direct mail programs
achieve satisfactory response rates, the efficiency of the Company's telemarketing operations, the
competitive environment within the computer software and direct mail industries, the Company's ability
to raise additional capital, the ability of the Company to achieve the anticipated results of its
reorganization efforts, the cost-effectiveness of the Company's product development activities and the
extent to which the Company is successful in developing, acquiring or licensing successful products.
Investors are directed to consider other risks and uncertainties as discussed in documents filed by the
Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Trademarks
The Harvard product line is a group of products having no connection with Harvard University. All
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE: Software Publishing Corporation |
