FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Susan Whitney
Xplain Corporation
marketing@xplain.com
805-494-9797 x105

NETPROFESSIONAL ANNOUNCES JULY/AUGUST LINE-UP
-- Professional Journal for Web Developers and Network Administrators
Provides Sneak Peek At First Issue Under New Publisher

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -- June 19, 1998 -- Xplain Corporation, publishers
of NetProfessional(tm) magazine, today revealed the editorial line-up of
the July/August issue of the magazine, the first since the company acquired
publishing rights to the title in March. The print magazine, for web
developers and network administrators, is now a technical journal packed
with in-depth articles on a variety of current challenges users face,
peer-reviewed by experts in the field.

The first issue of the NEW NetProfessional (Volume 2, Number 1) is due in
print form at Macworld Expo/New York (Developer Central, booth #664), on
July 7. Subscribers of the old publication as well as new subscribers
should receive it around the same time (depending on postal delivery
speed), and it will be available through selected premiere newsstands and
booksellers. The best way to be sure to get a copy is to subscribe TODAY --
RISK-FREE: (http://www.netprolive.com) -- send no money.

The NEW NetProfessional will present high-level, professional, technical,
journal-style content. Every issue will feature how-to articles, detailed
product reviews, as well as the high quality editorial content that MacTech
has built its reputation upon. The magazine continues to have a Mac flavor,
yet will discuss cross-platform issues like fitting into a multi-platform
world and creating cross-platform solutions. It features lengthy,
technically-aware articles, with insights that go beyond the anecdotal
reports of discussion lists and web "news".

Previous NetProfessional readers won't even recognize the new NP -- it is
far thicker and denser than the original NP, which was published by a
consumer-computer publisher, and featured colorful, but short articles, and
an emphasis on product news and "quick hits" rather than deep insights.
Every part of the magazine is focused on delivering more content -- more
pages, higher editorial/ad ratios, and a denser (yet very readable) layout.

Here is SOME of what the first NEW issue -- the July/August issue -- features:

- Search Tools for Mac Web Sites
This 12-page overview, written by information retrieval specialist Avi
Rappoport, provides an in-depth comparison of tools for searching Web
servers, including Maxum's Phantom, Apple e.g., iHound, and WebSTAR Search.
It outlines the operating principles of site search tools, and discusses an
alternative index technique with WebSonar, and an external searching
technique with Alexa. A 2-page table compares features and performance --
and the article is useful for anyone on any platform. The piece also
reveals a surprising alternative -- a tool that will be released to the
public around the time the issue hits the streets.

- Getting Started with XML
This article provides web developers with a primer in authoring and
publishing web sites with XML. The article describes how you can take
advantage of the flexibilty and efficiency of extensible markup today,
while keeping your sites accessible for all browsers. Examples in real
code, comparing side-by-side equivalent XML and HTML, help web
professionals see the power of the content/format abstraction XML provides.
The article includes an overview of XML publishing systems, and makes a
case for server-side XML processing tools that generate standard HTML
pages.

- Getting Started: Claris Home Page Assistants
While professional web developers tend to scoff at HTML-production
automation tools, Web guru and author Maria Langer takes a close look at
the "assistants" in Claris Home Page 3.0, showing how they can actually
help save you time in site setup, prototyping, and creating sets of linked
pages. The article also discusses the use of CHP in relation to database
driven content.

- Mac IMAP/LDAP Server Tools
Former Internet Evangelist Mark Altenberg takes a close look at the new
standards for directory services and e-mail, with a profile of tools net
administrators can use to support the standards and the challenges they
will face in implementing the new formats.

- The Cross-platform Web Site
Author John Rizzo (Mac-Windows connectivity expert) delves into the
challenges of running a cross-platform Web production environment, and
creating content that works well when viewed on Windows. He provides an
overview of translation systems, and insights into how best to preview
content effectively.

- Migrating from AppleTalk to TCP/IP
AppleTalk developer Alan Oppenheimer of Open Door Networks talks about
technical issues facing network administrators as they move Macs onto PC
networks and transition to TCP/IP connectivity and replace older net
infrastructure. His piece discusses security aspects of different protocols
(and shows you what to watch for), as well as URL formats for AppleTalk
services.

- NetReviews
At NetProfessional, we don't just take a cursory look at a product and
assign a rating. We dissect programs from the point of view of the intended
user, stress programs in real-world environments, and provide technical
insight into useful things you can *actually do* with the program as you
integrate it into your network environment.

For example, this issue's review of the Eudora Internet Mail
Server includes scripts for user administration, and insight
into security issues raised by remote management. The author,
Josh Baer, runs a commercial list-hosting service.

Also in this issue, we review the WebSiphon server-side scripting
tool. The author, Robert Woodhead, is an independent Website
developer who has created many high-traffic commerce and interactive
sites using WebSiphon. His review includes not only a detailed
look at the database power behind WebSiphon and what it can do for
web developers, but actual working scripts for setting up a
shopping cart and tracking users with cookies.

Steve Michel, former webmaster for Salon Magazine, reviews
Lundeen's Web Crossing online-discussion tool, providing insight
into how to build a community online with a message board server as
part of your site.

- Apple's Net Future
In this exclusive analysis for network administrators, we catch up on
recently-announced plans for changes in the Mac OS networking
infrastructure and tools, with an update on: Open Transport 2.0, Novell
networks, AppleShare IP 6.0, cryptography and authentication approaches,
Java runtimes, and the Apple Network Administrator Toolkit.

Other articles in the issue will be revealed at the shipping date.

Who writes for NetProfessional

NetProfessional authors are, for the most part, net professionals
themselves -- people working on web design and network administration,
rather than professional writers. This helps ensure that NetProfessional
articles have technical depth and cover topics relevant to our audience.

Articles in NetProfessional are edited and technically reviewed by experts
in the field, largely drawn from NetProfessional's Editorial Advisory Board
(EAB). Some are developed in collaboration with contributing editors also
involved in using the technology. For instance, Gordon Garb, the former
Apple Evangelist responsible for the Apple Information Access Toolkit
search engine, edited Rappoport's article on site-search tools.

Raines Cohen, Editor of NetProfessional, says he spends more time fostering
communication among authors and the NP EAB than working on articles
himself. "It's a pleasure being able to work with the real people, deeply
involved in the vendor and user community, watching them help one another
make sure the articles are both current and complete, and centered on the
topics our readers care about."

NetProfessional -- How to Get It

The new NetProfessional, currently bi-monthly, will be available at
Macworld Expo/New York, July '98. NetProfessional is available for only
$19.95 for six issues for U.S. subscribers -- a savings of 53% OFF the
cover price! (US$44.95 International, US$25.95 Canadian.) If you're not a
current subscriber to NetProfessional, sign up today. Just visit the
NetProfessional web site at (http://www.netprolive.com) and sign up RISK
FREE for NetProfessional.

There's no risk to you, so act now! Send no money today.

Corporate Background:

Xplain Corporation has three divisions -- publishing, mail order and custom
services. The publishing division includes MacTech(r) magazine
(http://www.mactech.com), NetProfessional(tm) magazine
(http://www.netprolive.com), and THINK Reference(tm). The mail order
division operates DevDepot(r) (http://www.devdepot.com), Depot
Store(sm), and the Depot(sm). Custom services provides custom publishing
and trade show services including such projects as Developer Central(tm)
and fulfillment services. Founded in 1984, the company has its offices in
Westlake Village, California. For more information on Xplain Corporation or
any of its products/services, point your browser to
(http://www.xplain.com/), call the main offices at 805-494-9797, fax at
805-494-9798, send an e-mail to mailto:info@xplain.com, or send snail mail
to PO Box 5200, Westlake Village, CA 91359-5200, USA.

****

All contents are Copyright 1984-1998 by Xplain Corporation. All rights
reserved. MacTech, DevDepot, and Sprocket are registered trademarks
of Xplain Corporation. Depot, The Depot, Depot Store, Video Depot,
MacDev-1, THINK Reference, NetProfessional, NetProLive, JavaTech, WebTech,
BeTech, and the MacTutorMan are trademarks of Xplain Corporation. Other
trademarks and copyrights appearing in this printing remain the property of
their respective holders. Not responsible for typographical or other
errors.