grio@psuvax1.cs.psu.edu (Daniel L Grillo) (02/05/91)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lotus Announces Shipment Of Lotus Improv
Early Users Respond Enthusiastically To Spreadsheet's Innovation
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., February 4, 1991 --- Lotus Development Corp. today
announced it has begun shipping Lotus Improv, its new spreadsheet for
the NeXT computer, on schedule. Improv introduces a new approach to
spreadsheets combining traditional spreadsheet metaphors, such as
rows and columns, with new, breakthrough features, such as dynamic
spreadsheet views, plain English formulas, and presentation graphics
incorporating data, text, graphics, images and sound.
"Reaction to Lotus Improv has been enthusiastic," said Don Casey,
vice president, Lotus Spreadsheet Division. "Early users have found
that Improv enables them to view and analyze information faster and
more dynamically than ever before, and agree Improv represents an
exciting and significant step forward in spreadsheet technology."
Improv has been instrumental in driving customer interest in NeXT's
new 68040-based computers. According to Todd Rulon-Miller, vice
president of sales for NeXT, "Improv's unique approach to analyzing
and viewing data offers our customers powerful, new capabilities not
available on any other platform. It provides the level of innovation
our customers need and expect from Lotus and NeXT."
Improv has been well received among spreadsheet users in corporations
and higher education who rely on spreadsheets for financial planning,
merger and acquisition analysis, market analysis, sales forecasting,
data management, course administration, and grants management.
According to Eric Spahr, vice president at Shearson Lehman Bros., "In
my opinion, Lotus has truly broken new ground with Improv. I need a
spreadsheet that allows me to build models for forecasting and
accounting and to restructure my data in any way I want. Improv
enables me to do this quickly and easily, and the result is a
spreadsheet my traders and customers can understand."
New Spreadsheet Capabilities For Improved Data Manipulation &
Analysis
Improv enables users for the first time to quickly reformat the
spreadsheet by creating multiple views of the same spreadsheet
without re-keying information. With Improv's dynamic views feature,
data can be rearranged to compare and gain greater insight into
otherwise hidden data relationships; expanded to show more detail;
hidden or grouped for clarity; and formatted for presentation needs.
Any changes made to data in one view are automatically reflected in
all related views.
Improv also allows users to name data cells and formulas using
English words instead of letters and numbers. With English formulas
and cell names, the structure and logic of the spreadsheet are
immediately understood, while data accuracy and the ability to spot
errors are enhanced significantly. Formulas are displayed separately
in a window below the spreadsheet for easy viewing and modification
and increased spreadsheet maintainability. Improv formulas can be
applied to many cells at once reducing a spreadsheet's complexity.
If there are errors in the spreadsheet formula, Improv immediately
identifies them and, where possible, suggests solutions.
Lotus Improv helps users create advanced presentations combining
data, text, graphics, images and sound for voice annotations. For
building presentations, Improv offers full-featured drawing and
charting capabilities. Charting options include 3D bar, stack, line,
bar, pie, scatter, and area graphs. Users can rotate 3D bar graphs
to show the bars from any perspective, and easily change font types,
background colors and fill-in patterns of their graphs. Users also
can add TIFF or EPS images such as those provided in a sampler of
ClickArt illustration from T/Maker Company to customize and enhance
presentations. Improv spreadsheets and graphs are linked dynamically
so that any changes made to a worksheet are automatically reflected
in the associated graph.
Improv imports and exports Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets and reads any
other spreadsheet that writes .WK1, .WK3, or ASCII files, enabling
users to make use of existing 1-2-3 data, exchange data, and combine
efforts with users working on other platforms.
System Requirements, Pricing And Promotion Extension
Lotus Improv ships on 3.5 inch diskettes and runs on all NeXT
computers with the NeXTstep 2.0 system software. Improv supports the
NeXT 400 dots per inch PostScript Laser Printer and the Apple
LaserWriter.
Lotus Improv has a suggested retail price of $695. However, Lotus
and NeXT have extended a worldwide promotion through March 31, 1991,
offering a free copy of Lotus Improv to customers who buy and
register any of NeXT's new 68040 computers or who upgrade their
current NeXT computer with the 68040 upgrade kit. Customers may
request their free copy of Lotus Improv when they register with NeXT
by calling 1-800-848-NeXT. Customers will receive the product
directly from NeXT. After the worldwide promotion expires, Improv
will be available through resellers and VARs that carry NeXT hardware
and other NeXT products. Further details on these plans will be
available at the end of March. For additional product information,
customers in the U.S. can call 1-800-343-5414.
Lotus Development Corp., founded in 1982, develops, markets and
supports business software and CD-ROM databases that help users
access, analyze, communicate and share information. The company's
first product, Lotus 1-2-3, is the most popular software program in
the world with more than 14 million users. Lotus markets its broad
range of products in more than 65 countries and offers users
comprehensive support options, including 24-hour-a-day,7-day-a-week
support in the U.S. for PC versions of its 1-2-3 spreadsheet.
# # #
All prices are for the U.S.A. only.
--
Dan Grillo grio@cs.psu.edu *!psuvax1!griojwright@cfht.hawaii.edu (Jim Wright) (02/05/91)
grio@psuvax1.cs.psu.edu (Daniel L Grillo) writes: > Lotus Improv ships on 3.5 inch diskettes Any word on availability on OD? > Lotus Improv has a suggested retail price of $695. However, Lotus > and NeXT have extended a worldwide promotion through March 31, 1991, > offering a free copy of Lotus Improv to customers who buy and > register any of NeXT's new 68040 computers or who upgrade their > current NeXT computer with the 68040 upgrade kit. I thought that Improv came with the 2.0 upgrade, not the 68040. Is it true that you must buy new hardware to get Improv? -- Jim Wright jwright@cfht.hawaii.edu Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corp.
tgingric@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Tyler S Gingrich) (02/06/91)
In article <jwright.665737881@quonset> jwright@cfht.hawaii.edu (Jim Wright) writes: > >I thought that Improv came with the 2.0 upgrade, not the 68040. Is >it true that you must buy new hardware to get Improv? > You must by new hardware to get Improv. * From the small print on the NeXTStation marketing flyer.... "Lotus Improv will be delivered when available to owners of all NeXT computers and 040 upgrade boards purchased and registered between now and March 31." Tyler