FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Editorial Contacts: Derek Lambert, President and CEO
Imperial Software Technology
+44 118 958 7055 or 650/688 0200
derek@ist.co.uk
http://www.ist.co.uk

Stephanie Hart, Public Relations Associate
Imperial Software Technology
650/688 0200
stephanie@ist.co.uk

IMPERIAL SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES
VISAJ(TM) 2.0 FOR JAVA(TM)

Powerful New Version Now Shipping with Extensive Visual Editors, Event 'Hot-
Wiring', Swing Support and Bridge from Motif

London, July 1, 1998 - Imperial Software Technology (IST) today announced
Visaj 2.0, a major new version of its visual application builder for Java.
Visaj 2.0 is written entirely in Java and runs on all platforms, including
UNIX, Windows NT, Windows 95 and the Apple Macintosh. Visaj 2.0
incorporates an extensive and unique level of support for Sun Microsystems
Java Foundation Class (JFC) Swing components, a new rich set of layout
editors, an image editor, graphical 'hot-wiring' of events and JavaBean
serialisation. Now Java application engineers can prototype and build
professional Java applications faster than ever before, using all the
facilities and latest technologies available in Java from both Sun
Microsystems and JavaBeans component suppliers.

"With the release of version 2.0, Visaj moves convincingly into the
forefront of Java builders", said Derek Lambert, President and CEO of IST.
"Visaj's support for Swing, its Advanced Image Editor and sophisticated
layout editors make it the tool of choice on any platform, including UNIX,
Windows NT and Windows 95. The power of Visaj is particularly evident when
building the critical visual elements of a Java application, and the new
facility for bridging Motif designs from IST's X-Designer(R) solves the
major legacy problem for those moving to Java thin- client technology."

"As a software engineer with many years of experience developing GUIs using
Motif and various interface builders on UNIX platforms, I was asked to
switch gears and begin developing our interfaces using Java to increase our
software's portability," Kimberly Peppi of Rockwell Science Center said.
"As a result, I began looking at many Java GUI tools and Visaj was the only
one I found in the market that satisfied all my needs."

"Visaj can run on ANY platform," Peppi continued enthusiastically, "it can
be easily integrated with my existing code, it is keeping up to date with
the latest JFCs (or "Swing"), and its use is very intuitive. In addition,
what I also found most impressive as a developer not new to GUI builders
but new to the Java language, the technical support far exceeded my
expectations by being VERY timely and helpful in responding to my questions
whether they pertained to Visaj, porting issues, or just a simple Java
programming bug. I would definitely recommend Visaj to any programmer
stepping into the fast growing arena of Java GUI development."

"We've evaluated a number of Java GUI development tools, and consider Visaj
2.0 one of the finest available," said David Young of Fujitsu Network
Communications, "it has a very natural feel and behaviour, and allowed my
small team of junior developers to complete a functional prototype of their
application quite rapidly."

Runs Anywhere with Any IDE
Visaj was created to enhance developer's productivity for building pure
Java applications. Visaj complements the user's choice of IDE by providing
advanced visual building capabilities often lacking in standard IDEs. Visaj
features fast and easy Java application creation, providing a fast,
intuitive "point- and-click" environment, generating pure Java source code
for truly platform- independent computing solutions. The product's open
environment runs anywhere, supports JDK 1.1.x, JFC/Swing components,
integrates visible and invisible beans, and works with IDEs such as Sun's
Java Workshop.

Powerful New Features

Visaj 2.0 has been considerably extended over the earlier version, first
launched in October 1997 after extensive Beta testing at 600 sites. Some of
the key new features are:

Extensive JFC/Swing Support - gives the developer the ability to
automatically load and access the entire set of Swing components, and the
option to load Swing as the default Visaj palette. Visaj 2.0 provides full
access to the built-in children of all Swing composite components.

Swing Box Layout Editor - complements the Swing support by allowing more
complex layouts to be constructed visually including visual representation
of glue and strut components. This extends the range of existing Visaj
layout editors for Gridbag, Border, Grid, Card and Flow layouts.

Advanced Image Editor - unique to Java development tools of this class,
the Image Editor is powerful and feature rich. The Visaj Image Editor is
itself implemented entirely using Swing and can read and write both JPEG
and GIF formats. It includes the standard features required for image
design and editing, combined with a range of advanced features usually
associated with dedicated drawing packages, such as blur, texture, stylize
and distort filtering options.

Graphical Event 'Hot-Wiring' - configuring events is fast and easy. The
developer simply draws a line between the source and destination components
in the Visaj containment hierarchy to invoke a ready primed event-binding
wizard. Visaj also supports multi-argument methods and Bean properties
passed as method argument.

Bridging from Motif GUIs - Visaj 2.0 allows programmers using IST's
award- winning X-Designer Motif GUI builder the ability to import interface
designs. This facility, coupled with X-Designer's unique capability to
'capture' any existing Motif interface, provides a unique transition path
to Java thin- client technology for existing Motif applications.

Pricing and Availability

Visaj 2.0 Standard starts at $495 (or 295) for the first license and
includes 30 days support. Visaj ProPack 2.0 starts at $995 (or 595) for
the first license and includes a year of email support, fixes, downloadable
point releases and major upgrades. Visaj 2.0 is now available from Imperial
Software Technology in both the US and the UK. For more information about
Visaj 2.0, call Imperial Software Technology at 650/688 0200 (US), or +44
118 958 7055 (International) or visit IST's website at www.ist.co.uk. The
prices above in US dollars apply only in the United States and Canada.
Prices in British Pounds apply in the United Kingdom. All prices are
exclusive of local taxes.

About Imperial Software Technology

Founded in 1982 by members of the University of London Imperial College,
IST is a software engineering company recognised internationally for its
leadership in software development tools. Its flagship product is
X-Designer, a GUI builder for X/Motif, Windows and Java, which is installed
at major corporations of the Fortune 500 in the finance, defence,
telecommunications, petrochemical, aerospace, electronic, semiconductor and
other industries. IST's products are available world-wide both directly and
through distributors, and X-Designer is resold by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
IST is a leading developer of visual programming tools and other advanced
software technologies. The company is privately held and is based in Palo
Alto, California and Reading, England. For further information, visit IST
at http://www.ist.co.uk.