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To: DOC who wrote (9241)	10/27/1998 1:42:00 PM
From: JimBeamII	Respond to of 25711

Company Press Release SOURCE: FutureLink Distribution Corp. FutureLink(TM) Adds Great Plains(R) Financial Management Solution to its ''Application Service Provider'' Menu FutureLink Reduces IT Costs for Small and Mid-Size Companies CALGARY, Oct. 27 /CNW-PRN/ - FutureLink Distribution Corporation and Great Plains today announced an alliance to deliver Great Plains' market leading financial management applications through FutureLink - The World's First Computer Utility Company. FutureLink will provide Great Plains' Dynamics financial management system and customized IT network solutions to businesses with 15 or more users, on a monthly subscription basis via FutureLink's secure networks. This service will be available through FutureLink's and Great Plains' VAR channels as well as authorized accounting firms throughout North America. ''Great Plains is an industry leading provider of business management software. Their VAR network consists of more than 1,600 resellers. Our alliance allows both FutureLink and Great Plains to deliver quality hardware and software solutions to small and mid-sized businesses,'' said FutureLink's CEO, Cameron Chell. ''As a founder of the Application Service Provider (ASP) industry, it is FutureLink's goal to make world class applications and information systems affordable for businesses with 25 to 1,000 employees. Partnering with Great Plains expands our suite of available applications.'' ''FutureLink simplifies the use of technology by providing access to software applications on a monthly subscription basis. Previous to FutureLink's Computer Utility Services, customers had to purchase and pay maintenance fees for software applications,'' said Chell. ''They also had to outlay capital for hardware and IT support. Computer Utility Services simplifies the technology and reduces costs. FutureLink's Computer Utility Services model is the purest form of outsourcing - like heat, light and power - now you can flick the switch and compute. FutureLink provides IT staff support, hardware, software, training and all the other elements that go into making IT services effective.'' ''This alliance allows mid-sized businesses to outsource networking and application management to become more efficient,'' said Wayne Harding, General Manager and Vice President of Great Plains Hosting Services. ''Great Plains and FutureLink have reduced the total up-front cost of ownership by bundling hardware and software, outsourcing the network maintenance, and making it all available at a predictable monthly subscription price.'' FutureLink's Computer Utility Services address several key business problems facing growing companies today: One of the most serious obstacles to growth for small to mid-sized businesses is how to meet their company's IT/IS needs and how to keep their costs down. FutureLink manages the hardware, software, network and upgrades in a maintenance-free environment allowing users to access the most current version of their applications without experiencing upgrades or downtime. Workstations are up and running when people need them with the most up-to-date version of the applications they need. In addition, businesses save scarce resources, money and time, by reducing IT expenses and streamlining IT operations. Pricing and Availability FutureLink will offer Great Plains Dynamics to customers in North America on a monthly subscription rate. The offering includes hardware, core Dynamics financial management applications, maintenance, support, training and help desk. Great Plains' value-added resellers and FutureLink will offer the service in the first quarter of 1999. Existing Great Plains Partners and authorized accounting firms will locally represent the solutions. For more information, contact Great Plains at 1-800-456-0025 or FutureLink at 1-888-543-5511. About Great Plains Great Plains (NASDAQ:GPSI - news) is a leading provider of Microsoft Windows NT and SQL Server-based enterprise-wide solutions to the midmarket. The company's award-winning products and services automate essential business functions and enhance the strategic value of financial and operational information. The company's products and services are sold and implemented by its extensive network of Partner organizations throughout the world. About FutureLink Distribution Corp. FutureLink (NASD-OTC BB:FLNK), the world's first computer utility company, provides small and medium-sized businesses with a cost-saving solution for their computing needs through the use of central server farms and Thin client computers and/or networked PCs. FutureLink's information technology services cater to businesses with 25 to 1,000 users or seats. On a subscription basis, FutureLink offers its customers full service, enterprise-computing solutions, which include hardware, software applications, training and maintenance on a monthly cost-per-seat basis. Forward-looking statements and comments in this press release are made pursuant to safe harbor provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements relating to, among other things, the prospects for the companies to complete the transaction and enhance operating results, are necessary subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant in scope and nature. These risks may be further discussed in periodic reports and registration statements to be filed by the company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. SOURCE: FutureLink Distribution Corp.