Ximian Releases Ximian Evolution Version 1.2 to Provide Enhanced Usability and Email Management

BOSTON, MA — November 11, 2002: Ximian, Inc., the leading open source desktop company, today released Ximian™ Evolution™ Version 1.2, which offers a host of enhancements designed to improve the usability, performance and interoperability of the premier personal and workgroup information management solution for Linux and UNIX-based systems. Version 1.2 of the award-winning Ximian Evolution software upgrades its integrated email, calendar, contact and task list management functions to provide a more powerful and customizable solution for end users and companies using Linux or UNIX workstations.

"With hundreds of thousands of users worldwide, Ximian Evolution in under a year has emerged as the de facto standard for email, calendar and information management on Linux and UNIX," said Nat Friedman, Ximian vice president of product development and co-founder. "Version 1.2 reflects the tremendous feedback and contributions from the open source community, corporate customers and extensive usability testing. Its improved ease of use and enhanced interoperability with rich standards support make Ximian Evolution a critical piece of a cost-effective Linux desktop for companies of every size."

Ximian Evolution uniquely integrates email, calendar, contact and task list management in one powerful, fast and easy-to-use application. Advanced email capabilities, such as threaded mail view, text and HTML mail, automatic message indexing, and the unique vFolder™ contextual views provide the needed power and flexibility to manage large email boxes. Broad support for data exchange and communications standards enables integration with corporate networks and messaging systems.

Ximian Evolution 1.2 offers a host of usability, performance and interoperability enhancements that complement its advanced email and information management capabilities to create a friendlier and more configurable user experience. Support for multiple email accounts has been improved with user customizable settings for default mail, address books, calendar and task folders. The improved email indexing engine speeds mail searches and inbox population. Information navigation is enhanced through multiple word searches and the ability to jump to and select items in email lists by typing a single character.

Others of the dozens of enhancements in version 1.2 include:

• Built-in HTML email signature editor, with support for choosing from multiple signatures.
   
• One-stop configuration center to manage settings and preferences for everything from the mail composer, fonts, and address books directories to account setup, default folders and calendar options.
   
• Expanded time-saving keyboard navigation and shortcuts.
   
• Enhanced auto-completion for addressing emails, including improved performance and support for multiple address books.
   
• Customizable color email labels, fonts and follow-up flags for email messages.
   
• Improved support for corporate LDAP directories.

"The standards support and advanced email and information management features in Ximian Evolution are ideal for the users of our systems, and they have allowed me to implement the product with hundreds of users throughout the organization," said Dave Richards, systems administrator for the City of Largo, Fla. "Based on the extremely positive reception, it�s safe to say that Evolution provides my constituents with a comfortable, easy-to-understand and cost-effective solution that is easily integrated into their daily work."

Ximian Evolution 1.2 also works with the optional Ximian Connector 1.2 for Microsoft Exchange add-on software, (see related release: "New Version 1.2 of Ximian Connector For Microsoft Exchange 2000 Enhances Collaboration for Corporate Linux and UNIX Users") which enables Linux and UNIX users of Ximian Evolution to function as Microsoft Exchange 2000 clients. With Ximian Connector installed, Ximian Evolution users can connect directly to Microsoft Exchange 2000 servers for group calendaring, access to shared address books, task and contact management, centralized mail storage and access to public folders.

Pricing and Availability

Ximian Evolution can be freely downloaded from Ximian Desktop Standard Edition ($29.95) and Professional Edition ($59.95) products. The application supports a broad range of Linux distributions and UNIX variants, including Red Hat, Mandrake, SuSE, Debian, Solaris and more. Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange can be purchased separately for $69, with volume discounts.

Users of Ximian Evolution 1.0 may update to the latest 1.2 version for free using the Ximian Red Carpet™ software updating application.

About Ximian, Inc.

Ximian is the established leader in providing open source desktop technology, applications, support and services for the Linux and UNIX marketplaces. Ximian products, in use by over 1,000,000 people worldwide, are providing the ease of use, productivity and interoperability needed to propel the adoption of the Linux desktop in corporate computing environments. Its Ximian Desktop software starts with Ximian GNOME, a productized end-user desktop based on the GNOME project, to provide a complete graphical desktop environment and productivity application suite for Linux and UNIX systems. Ximian Red Carpet and Ximian Evolution deliver software and personal information management solutions for both end users and corporate customers. Comprised of many of the original architects of the GNOME system, Ximian is a founding member of the GNOME Foundation and sits on the advisory board. The company has secured funding from leading venture firms Charles River Ventures and Battery Ventures and can be reached at http://www.ximian.com/.