Tuesday October 13, 12:08 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Digital River Teams With Lotus and
IBM Software to Become the First
Electronic Software Distributor in
Europe
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 1998--Digital River (NASDAQ: DRIV - news), which manages the world's largest online database of software products, today announced a European distribution agreement with Lotus Development Corp. and International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) (NYSE: IBM - news). Through Digital River's online dealer network, Lotus and IBM software will be available via electronic distribution, thereby making Digital River the first distributor of targeted electronic software delivery (ESD) in Europe.
In 1997, Digital River began distributing Lotus and IBM software through its online dealer network in the United States. With this expansion into Europe, distribution efforts will be managed from Digital River's European headquarters in London, which was recently opened in response to the heightened interest throughout Europe to purchase, sell and electronically distribute software over the Internet.
''Digital River has successfully delivered hundreds of thousands of products over the Internet in the US since the inception of ESD, and we have the technology, vision and leadership that the European market needs to successfully do the same,'' said Ian Yarlott, general manager European office Digital River. ''Breaking into the European market with leaders like Lotus and IBM Software makes this international development even more exciting. Digital River's capabilities to
manage targeted, focused online stores, as well as international channel programs, are very unique to this industry and provide software publishers and dealers with an easy, no-risk way to begin
selling software online.''
''This initiative will accelerate our reach to new online channel resellers who want to market, resell and securely distribute Lotus and IBM software over the Internet in European markets,'' added Sheryl Barnes, worldwide eChannel manager for Lotus and IBM. ''Digital River's technology will provide us with secure online product delivery and will enable traditional dealers and new on-line Internet resellers to market, sell, and electronically distribute Lotus and IBM
software to a rapidly growing market of Internet buyers.''
Through this deal with Digital River, Lotus and IBM Software will sell application development tools, personal productivity tools and utilities. Some of the software applications that will be made available for electronic distribution include Vtconn for Netscape, VisualAge Developer Domain, VisualAge Java, Home Page Print, and Desktop On-Call. In addition, a large subset of Lotus SKUs will be available through ESD, including Lotus Notes(a), Notes Client(a), Lotus 1-2-3 Spreadsheet(a), Organizer(a), EasySync for Notes(a), eSuite Developer Pack(a), and ScreenCam(a).
About Digital River(b)
Digital River, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRIV - news), based in Minneapolis, offers the world's largest online database of software products. The company provides more than 1,600 software publishers and online dealers with its proprietary technology for Internet delivery of more than 120,000 software and other digital products. Tech Squared Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TSQD - news) controls 19 percent of Digital River's common stock. For more information visit the Digital River Web site at digitalriver.com. |
