For more information, contact: For Immediate Release
Catherine Litzow
Interactive Learning Division
Macromedia
650-481-4711
clitzow@macromedia.com
MACROMEDIA SHIPS AUTHORWARE 5 ATTAIN AND DREAMWEAVER ATTAIN
New Rich-Media, Web-based Authoring Tools for Enterprise Learning Content
Redwood Shores, Calif., September 15, 1998 - Macromedia Inc.'s (NASDAQ:
MACR) Interactive Learning Division (www.macromedia.com/learning) today
announced the general availability of two new authoring tools for
enterprise learning content, Authorware 5 Attain and Dreamweaver Attain
. Designed for professional developers, Authorware 5 Attain is the
industry's leading visual rich-media authoring tool for Web and online
learning and is available for US $2,699. Special upgrade pricing is
available for Authorware 4 users at US $649. Web developers and
instructional designers can purchase Dreamweaver Attain, the first visual
HTML tool for creating Web-based learning content, for U.S. $799.
The two authoring products are components of Macromedia's new Attain
Enterprise Learning System and are complementary. Rich-media content
developed with Authorware 5 Attain can be embedded in Web pages created
with Dreamweaver Attain. Both products feature productivity enhancements
such as Knowledge Objects to help new authors design courses fast using
pre-built learning interactions. With Knowledge Track, authors can create
content for automatic integration with an open enterprise learning
management system such as Macromedia's Pathware 3 - Attain Essentials
which enables tracking and reporting of users, courses and results.
"This release of Authorware shows that Macromedia really understands the
needs of an enterprise interested in easily creating and delivering
learning programs," said Andrew Schermuly, president of TraCom LLC,
developer of learning content for organizations including Honeywell, the
Armed Forces, Motorola and Corning. "Features like Knowledge Objects make
it much easier for beginners and advanced users to quickly create learning
applications. And next generation features like Knowledge Track ensures
that the course content can easily be managed and tracked within an
enterprise-wide learning management system."
Significant Enhancements in Authorware 5 Attain Authorware 5 Attain enables
developers to quickly create and deploy highly interactive rich-media
content for delivery via the Web, LANs and CD-ROMs. The new release
delivers significant enhancements in rich-media support, authoring
productivity, Web authoring and delivery and student tracking and course
management. Besides Knowledge Objects and Knowledge Track, significant new
features include support for Quicktime 3.0, Flash animations, anti-aliased
text and new graphic effects through alpha channels. Authorware 5 Attain
also provides batch editing and media import/export to reduce complex tasks
to a single step.
Authorware 5 Attain also features Knowledge Stream for compression and
streaming of learning applications. Enabled by server technology called the
Authorware Advanced Streamer, Knowledge Stream optimizes rich multimedia
courses for fast accurate delivery over 28.8 modems.
Next Generation Authoring with Dreamweaver Attain Based on Macromedia's
Dreamweaver, an award-winning tool for professional Web site design,
Dreamweaver Attain is specifically designed for creating learning content.
An industry first, it provides increased ease of use, authoring
productivity, Web-native interactivity and integration with Computer
Managed Instruction (CMI) systems. Authors can create compelling,
Web-native content without the need for plug-ins or Java applets, making
deployment as easy as launching a browser.
Dreamweaver Attain allows authors to verify playback on multiple browsers
while authoring, thus eliminating the need to save, play and re-author.
Designers can also manage content across a site rather than page by page.
With link checking and library features, authors can extend changes made in
one file to all pages within a site.
Distribution
In the U.S. and Canada, Authorware 5 Attain and Dreamweaver Attain are
available for purchase online at www.macromall.com and through standard
software distribution channels, including Ingram Micro, retail dealers and
mail order. For the name of a Macromedia authorized reseller by geographic
regions, call 1-800-326-2128 or visit the Web site,
http://www.macromedia.com/learning/var/ for more information. Interested
parties outside North America should contact their local Macromedia
distributor for pricing and availability.
About Macromedia
Macromedia's mission is to add life to the Web. By providing its
award-winning Web Publishing, Web Traffic, and Web Learning solutions to
web designers, consumers, and the enterprise, Macromedia is delivering a
completely new generation of Internet tools and technologies designed to
transform the Web experience. Headquartered in San Francisco, Macromedia
(NASDAQ: MACR) has more than 550 employees worldwide and is available on
the Internet at http://www.macromedia.com Macromedia also hosts one of the
most engaging entertainment sites on the web at http://www.shockrave.com.
