news@applix.com (News Administrator) (01/18/91)
Note - Free demo for X available via FTP or UUCP - see instructions at end APPLIX INTRODUCES EASY-TO-USE DOCUMENT PREPARATION SOFTWARE FOR UNIX WORKSTATIONS AT PC PRICES Westboro, Massachusetts, January 7, 1991 - UNIX workstation and X-terminal users can now create documents faster and easier with a new document preparation package introduced today by Applix, Inc. Available immediately, the new software includes advanced word processing with integrated graphics, a set of powerful macro tools and an optional graphical spreadsheet. Initially available on SPARC-based and DECstation/DECsystem RISC workstations, Asterix(TM) supports the look and feel of both OSF/Motif and OPEN LOOK under X-Windows. Priced between $695.00 and $995.00, Asterix offers researchers, engineers, financial specialists, and other business professionals a low-cost way to make the most of their workstation graphics and networking resources. "Until now, the UNIX industry has been lacking a powerful yet easy-to-use word processing product," said Richard J. Davis, executive vice president of Applix. "Asterix offers flexibility and professional results without the complexity of a full-fledged desktop publishing system." The new document preparation software features live links among all Asterix applications and also supports a variety of import and export formats. One key feature of Asterix is a set of powerful macro tools including an extension language facility that allows users to tailor the Asterix software environment to meet specialized needs. For example, the entire user interface can be customized to the user's preferences, or data from a third-part database can be included in Asterix documents. Asterix Words is a WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) word processor. Words includes style guides, X-clipboard cut & paste, and other powerful formatting and book-building features. Asterix Graphics allows illustrations to be integrated easily into a text document. It is a facility for creating, editing, customizing, and manipulating graphics, and includes built-in drawing tools, screen captures from another X-Window, pixel editing, and importing for HPGL, TIFF, and EPSI files. Asterix Spreadsheets (optional) offers users standard spreadsheet operations, plus special features such as inter-spreadsheet links, projection tables, goal-seeking and multiple views of a single spreadsheet. Users can also create and customize graphs and charts based on spreadsheet data. As spreadsheet data changes, related graphs and charts automatically update. A set of on-line tutorials, context sensitive on-line help, toll-free customer support, and a complete library of documentation also is included. Applix, Inc., is a leading supplier of UNIX office productivity software. Applix is located at 112 Turnpike Road, Westboro, Mass., 01581. Telephone 508/870-0300. Fax 508/366-9313. # # # UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. in the United States and other countries. OPEN LOOK is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. OSF/Motif is a trademark of the Open Software Foundation. SPARC is a registered trademark of SPARC International based on technology developed by Sun Microsystems. DEC and DECstation are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. X-Window System is a trademark of MIT. # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Asterix Rolling Demo Download instructions: An X11 graphic rolling demonstration of the Asterix product is freely available to sites with FTP or UUCP access to UUNET Communications Services. There are two files on the machine ftp.uu.net (192.48.96.2) which need to be copied. The file names are asterix-demo.tar.Z and README, and they are located in the directory /usr/spool/ftp/applix on the machine ftp.uu.net. The FTP login ID is "anonymous" and the password is "anonymous". The README file contains instructions on running the demo.