FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Comdex Fall 1997, Las Vegas, November 17, 1997 - Mainstay today began shipping version 1.5 of PageCharmer(TM), a set of customizable designer Java applets. The new version enhances navigation, adds new graphics and sounds, and an improved User Guide. Reduced applet sizes to an amazing 46 KB (CAB format) for all nine applets result in faster download times and more responsive Web sites-often surpassing static HTML and graphics download times. PageCharmer applets enliven Web pages by automatically highlighting buttons and image maps and providing interactive marquees and tickers to provide Web surfers with a better user experience. No longer do users have to guess and click to find out which page elements are live buttons or which part of an image is a link to additional information-extended navigational capabilities include tab states and pop-up menu lists. And different types of scrolling displays provide eye-catching dynamic message introductions. PageCharmer applets are WYSIWYG customizable in real-time in any Java-capable Web browser using the included AppletSet'r(TM) utility.

PageCharmer gives Web page authors the ability to add special-effects and dynamic controls without the need for specialized plug-ins or third party applications. Compact and optimized for fast, responsive Web pages, PageCharmer applets are designed to offer maximum variability. Each applet can be customized with point-and-click ease into virtually an unlimited number of unique variations, without writing any HTML code or programming of any kind.

PageCharmer applet properties are set using Mainstay's AppletSet'r(TM) -included. Using AppletSet'r, PageCharmer applet parameters are controlled interactively, in real-time, in any Java-capable browser. A split-screen approach is used to view the Java applet at the top of a web page, while applet parameters are modified below-all in the same browser window. Most parameters are chosen from a set of possibilities presented in drop-down menus. AppletSet'r works with any Java-enabled browser like Netscape Navigator(TM) , Communicator(TM) , and Microsoft Internet Explorer(TM) and runs on all platforms including Macintosh(TM) , Windows(TM) , and Unix(TM) .

PageCharmer applets can be categorized into four groups:

Smart Image Map Applets

LiveG-Map(TM): An image map created from any graphic. User-defined regions have a "highlighted" state which is displayed when a cursor rolls over the button and a "clicked" state. An optional tab mode can be used to keep an area selected (similar to Tab dialogs in Windows). Region types surpass standard HTML capabilities giving users more control with the ability to define ovals, rectangles and polygons. A URL, and rollover and click sounds can be defined for each region. A pop-up menu with individual menu item URLs can be defined for each region to provide unlimited navigational capabilities.

LiveT-Map(TM): An image map created from user-defined text. Each text string becomes a rectangle with an assignable URL, and unique properties for "rollover" and "click" states.

Multi-Media Buttons

LiveG-Button(TM): A button applet with different states for idle, cursor roll-over, and click. Sounds can be assigned to the latter two states. An assigned URL is called when the button is clicked, and multiple buttons can easily be added to a web page to create a powerful navigation interface.

LiveGT-Button(TM): Create a navigation button using any size graphic, then overlay a word or phrase. Complete rollover and sound control is available for each button.

LiveT-Button(TM): URL assignable navigation buttons are created by simply typing in a word or phrase. Complete rollover, click and sound control is available for a button.

Animated Marquees

LiveG-Marquee(TM): A scrolling graphic marquee with multiple graphic messages. Each message can have a unique introduction and exit effect, variable background speed and direction, and assigned URL.

LiveT-Marquee(TM): A scrolling text message marquee with customizable text strings, introduction and exit effects, text color, scroll speed, and style. The marquee size and border (including animated borders) are user-defined, and a URL can be assigned to any string.

Scrolling Tickers

LiveG-Ticker(TM): A scrolling graphic ticker with unlimited length graphic message. Both foreground and moving background image and speed can be specified.

LiveT-Ticker(TM): A scrolling text ticker with a customizable message of any length. Font, size, style, color, message speed, and moving background image, speed and direction are all user-defined.

PageCharmer is now available from Mainstay. The street price is approximately $99. For more information please contact Lance Merker by calling (805) 484-9400 or by e-mail at lance@mstay.com.