RosettaNet Press Release
RosettaNet Announces Global Executive-Level Industry Support for Common IT Supply Chain Business Interfaces

For Release June 7, 1998

Santa Ana -- RosettaNet, a newly-formed global organization dedicated to the adoption and deployment of open and common business interfaces in the IT industry, today announced executive-level support from more than 40 companies. Through its efforts, RosettaNet seeks to enhance efficiency in the IT supply chain, enabling businesses to operate more effectively and allowing the IT industry to better serve its customers.

RosettaNet will adopt, promote, and facilitate the deployment of open content and open transaction rules for increasing IT supply chain and electronic commerce efficiency. Its mission is to provide common business interfaces for supply chain trading partners and their customers to exchange information and transactions. RosettaNet is supported by industry-leading manufacturers, resellers, distributors, financial institutions, software publishers, shippers and technology companies.

"Electronic commerce is fundamentally changing how products and services are being bought and sold. The Internet is fueling the growth of electronic commerce and driving all members of the IT supply chain to find new ways to strengthen customer relationships, identify and capitalize on new revenue opportunities and create operational efficiencies. The demand for strong, industry-wide agreement on content formats and transaction interfaces, offers RosettaNet a unique opportunity to effectively establish and maintain those rules," said RosettaNet's CEO, Fadi Chehade.

The Structure of RosettaNet

RosettaNet's Managing Board consists of top executives from 28 leading IT companies, including the board's chairman, Chase Bailey, principal technologist of Cisco Systems [NASDAQ: CSCO], and the board's vice-chairman, Dieter Bock, member of the executive board for Computer 2000 [DTB: 334011]. Other companies represented on the Managing Board include: ABB [BB: ABBGY], American Express [NYSE: AXP], CHS Promark Electronics [NASDAQ: CHSE], CompUSA [NYSE: CPU], Compaq [NYSE: CPQ], Computacenter, Deutsche Financial Services, EDS [NYSE: EDS], Federal Express [NYSE: FDX#], GE Information Services, GSA, Hewlett-Packard Company [NYSE: HWP#], IBM [NYSE: IBM], Ingram Micro [NYSE: IM], Insight [NASDAQ: NSIT], Intel [NASDAQ: INTC], MicroAge/EC Advantage [NASDAQ: MICA], Microsoft [NASDAQ: MSFT], Netscape [NASDAQ: NSCD], Oracle [NASDAQ: ORCL], PC Order, SAP AG [DTB: 320928], Tech Data [NASDAQ: TECD], Tech Pacific Holdings, Toshiba Information Systems [TOKYO: 6502] and United Parcel Service.

"Industry-wide cooperation, at the level of the managing board and of the various global partners, is a hallmark of RosettaNet," explained Chehadé. "With the adoption and permeation of broadly-supported IT supply chain rules, we will be able to increase competitiveness and responsiveness for customers. RosettaNet is about increasing growth through sharing knowledge and capabilities by global IT players across the world."

Other RosettaNet supporters include Architect, Coalition, and Execution partners.

• Architect Partners provide subject matter expertise and directly contribute to the rules development process by voting to approve rules specifications, and championing them within the industry and their own organizations. Architect Partners to date include A2i, Inc., American Power Conversion, Asian Sources, Bay Networks, Compugen Systems Ltd., Dun & Bradstreet [NYSE: DNB], Kingston Technology, Lexmark International Inc. [NYSE: LXK], Open Market [NASDAQ: OMKT], Portland Software, Saqqara Systems, Viking Components, and webMethods.
• Coalition Partners widen RosettaNet's base of support and amplify its message through co-marketing. These partners include complementary industry associations and academic institutions, such as CommerceNet, CompTIA, ITAA, Software Publishers Association, UCC and X12.
• Execution Partners assist with project facilitation, research, piloting and certification processes for RosettaNet rules, and also provide business model metrics. Execution Partners include CommerceNet, KPMG Consulting (part of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP), and USC. The individuals supporting RosettaNet from Execution Partners collectively have over 75 years of experience in developing and deploying supply-chain rules and business model metrics.