Eolas releases WebRouser via the Internet

PRESS RELEASE:
=================================================================
9/18/95 Chicago: Eolas Technologies announced today that it has
    released its WebRouser(TM) applet-enabled World Wide Web
    browser, royalty-free for individual non-commercial use.
    Versions are currently available for Sun, SGI and Linux 
    platforms, with Windows and Mac versions to follow in first
    quarter '95.  The application, and sample Weblets can be downloaded 
    via the Web at http://www.eolas.com/eolas/webrouse/.

    Based upon enhancements to NCSA's award-winning Mosaic
    program, WebRouser features patent-pending technology that
    drasticaly expands the functionality of Web-based
    applications, and provides a simple and convienient way to
    add new features to browser programs through the use of
    plug-in applications, called Weblets(TM).  

    The Weblet enhancement allows fully-interactive program
    objects to be run from within Web pages, through the use of
    a simple <EMBED> command within the document's text.  These
    Weblet programs become treated by the browser as a part of
    the Web document, displayed "inline" and controlled by the
    user in place, without diverting the user's attention from
    the document itself.

    Three demonstration Weblet programs are being distributed
    with the WebRouser package.  These include an "inline" MPEG
    movie player, a 3D CAD file viewer/manipulator, and a 3D
    molecular modeling application.

    For example, when a user visits a Web page that has a URL
    for a 3D CAD model placed within the Web page through the
    use of the <EMBED> tag, the browser fetches the CAD file
    over the network and then launches the CAD viewer weblet on
    the user's machine.  The user sees a live window within the
    Web page, displaying the fully-rendered 3D model, and a
    control panel which allows the user to rotate the model and
    zoom in to see details.  When the user then travels from
    that page to the next destination on the Web, the browser
    "caches" the Weblet together with the Web page.  If the user
    then hits the "back" button, to return to the most recent
    site, the Weblet appears again, right where the user left
    it, having maintained its "state" (rotation position, zoom
    level, etc) during the time it was cached.

    Many other Weblets are currently under development by Eolas
    and others, including Weblet-based interpreters for several
    popular programming languages, such as Safe-Tcl/Tk, PERL,
    and the GRASP animation language.  Plans are in the works
    for the creation of both JAVA and Visual Basic Weblets as
    well.

    Other unique features of WebRouser include client-side image
    map support, and the ability for the browser's button bar
    and menu structure to be dynamically modified by simple
    commands within HTML documents.

    Client-side image maps, for example, allow HTML authors to
    create graphical interfaces to their content that can be
    distributed on CD ROM, using the same image-map-based front
    ends as the online versions.  Many publishers are attempting
    to create hybrid CD ROMs that use Web browsers as their
    front-end, capitalizing on the ability to develop one body
    of content that can be used both for CD and online
    distribution.  These projects are often stymied by the fact
    that the image maps that are currently all the rage on the Web
    cannot be used to front-end the CD content.

    The currrent approach on the Web is to use ISMAP-based image
    maps that require that a remote server decode the hotspots
    on the image.  Since the ISMAP-based image maps are served
    up by the remote machine, they can't be used to front-end
    CDROM-based content, where oftentimes a network connection
    is not available.  WebRouser's client-side maps can be
    loaded directly from the CD ROM, with no network connection
    required.

    Another major advantage of WebRouser is the ability of Web
    documents to dynamically modify the browser's button bar and
    menu structure.  According to Eolas CEO, Mike Doyle, "Most
    Web designers try to build in some sort of navigation system
    into their documents, usually at the top of the page.  The
    problem arises when the user scrolls down the page and
    suddenly the navigation GUI is no longer visible.  WebRouser's
    <LINK> command allows the Web document to place a button bar
    at the top of the screen, as a part of the WebRouser GUI.
    When the user scrolls down the document, the navigation
    buttons remain in place.  Since the document drives the
    definition of the buttons' functions, each Web site can have
    its own Netscape-style "What's New," "What's Cool," etc.
    button bar pointing to their own content, not to some
    hard-coded browser company location, such as in other browsers."

    Similarly, a <GROUP> command allows a Web document to define
    a new menu option in the WebRouser menu bar, allowing the
    user to quickly jump to a particular Web page within a
    large, complex Web site hierarchy.

    "This represent a new paradigm, since these technologies empower
    Web designers to personalize their Web sites, and to deliver new
    levels of interactivity via the web.  Taken together,these
    enhancements represent a quantum leap in the ability of Web
    site designers to build compelling functionality into their
    Web pages."

    Eolas also announced the launching of their commercial
    licensing program for both WebRouser and the development of
    Weblet-based commercial applications.  Further information
    can be found at the Eolas WWW site (http://www.eolas.com),
    or by calling (312-337-8740), faxing (312-337-8743), or
    emailing (info@eolas.com) Eolas directly.


*********************************************
* Eolas Technologies Incorporated           *
* 10 East Ontario Street, Suite 5106        *
* Chicago, IL  60611                        *
*                                           *
* voice: (312)337-8740                      *
* fax:   (312)337-8743                      *
* Web: http://www.eolas.com                 *
*********************************************

Received on Monday, 18 September 1995 09:59:18 UTC