For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Naomi Pearce
Pearce Communications
510/528-0824
mailto:naomi@well.com

STARNINE INTRODUCES DEVELOPER RELATIONS PROGRAM

-- Developer Program Provides Free WebSTAR Developer Toolkit, WebSTAR API
Discussion Forum, Marketing Support, and More --

BERKELEY, Calif., August 20, 1998 -- StarNine Technologies, Inc. today
introduced the StarNine Developer Program, a free program that provides
technical and marketing assistance to developers of Plug-ins and CGIs for
WebSTAR, the leading Mac OS Web server. The program includes a new WebSTAR
Developer Toolkit, the latest information on WebSTAR API (W*API) server
compliance and implementation, access to a community of experts, WebSTAR
API-specific discussion lists, and marketing support. The focal point of
the developer program is the StarNine Developer Program Web Site, opened
today at (http://dev.starnine.com/).

"A big part of WebSTAR's success is attributable to the wide range of
WebSTAR Plug-ins and CGIs created by talented developers," said Scott
Steward, president of StarNine. "The new developer program will strengthen
our ties with WebSTAR developers, help them develop and market their
products, and provide a forum for all of us to work together to take
WebSTAR solutions forward to Mac OS X and beyond."

"The WebSTAR developer community is an awesome assembly of creative and
intelligent individuals," explained Eric Zelenka, WebSTAR product manager
"but they've never had a central hub for communicating and working
together. Now the developer community has a dynamic, interactive online
meeting place where they can present proposals, share ideas, collaborate on
technologies and make things happen faster. You could say that it is a
direct pipeline between developers and StarNine."

New Developer Tools

As part of the kick-off of the StarNine Developer Program, StarNine today
released the new WebSTAR Developer Toolkit, including commonly-used
routines and a free set of code libraries that help accelerate and simplify
the creation of WebSTAR API-based plug-ins.

The WebSTAR Developer Toolkit compliments the well-established Software
Developer Kit, also free to the developer. Both the new WebSTAR Developer
Toolkit, with the a common set of code routines to make it easier to
develop WebSTAR API-based Plug-ins, and the Software Developer Kit can be
downloaded from the StarNine Developer Program Web site at
(http://dev.starnine.com/).

Streamlined Proposal Process

In addition to the traditionally active WebSTAR-Dev discussion list, the
StarNine Developer Program will introduce the new WebSTAR-API discussion
list specifically for developers to discuss WebSTAR API server compliance
and implementation issues, and to present API proposals for review and
ratification.

The newly formalized process for such proposals is available for review and
comment on the StarNine Developer Program Web Site at
(http://dev.starnine.com/). WebSTAR API server implementors and developers
can subscribe to the WebSTAR-API and WebSTAR-Dev mailing lists from the
StarNine Developer Program Web Site at (http://dev.starnine.com/).

"The WebSTAR-API list complements the existing WebSTAR-Dev list," Zelenka
clarified. "WebSTAR-Dev was created specifically for discussions related to
development of WebSTAR API-based Plug-ins and CGIs. With the WebSTAR API
being so widely adopted, we felt it was time to separate it from the
regular development discussion on WebSTAR-Dev."

Free Developer Marketing Support

The StarNine Developer Program is designed to help bridge the gap between
third-party developers and StarNine's customers in three ways: Extending
WebSTAR, WebSTAR-News, and the WebSTAR CD.

Third-parties can list their products on Extending WebSTAR, a Web-based
list of WebSTAR add-ons, where users go to seek solution options.
Developers can also contribute to WebSTAR-News, an email newsletter about
WebSTAR and third-party products. Finally, developers can submit
demonstration versions of their products for distribution on the next
WebSTAR CD.

Pricing and Availability

The StarNine Developer Program is a free service for developers of WebSTAR
API-based Plug-ins, CGIs, and other Internet server-related products. The
WebSTAR Developer Toolkit is free and available immediately for download at
(http://dev.starnine.com/).

WebSTAR API developers with a shipping freeware, shareware or commercial
product (or product under development) can purchase additional copies of
WebSTAR at a reduced developer price. For more information, developers can
call 800/525-2580, or send mail to sales@starnine.com.

StarNine will continue to add additional, select third-party products to
its popular Bundle Up program, in which StarNine sells best-of-breed
solutions to customers at progressive discounts based on the number of
items purchased.

About StarNine

Located in Berkeley, California, StarNine is a leader in the development of
powerful, easy-to-use Internet server software, content creation tools and
email connectivity products. Best known for its WebSTAR server software,
StarNine also offers ListSTAR list server software, WebCollage automated
content creation software, StarNine Mail and Mail*Link Internet email
gateways. StarNine Technologies, Inc. is a privately held corporation,
wholly owned by Platinum Equity Holdings. Further information on StarNine
may be obtained by calling 800/525-2580, accessing StarNine's Web site at
(http://www.starnine.com/), or sending mail to info@starnine.com.