From: dpp@athena.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.announce
Subject: ANNOUNCEMENT: Athena Design Releases Mesa for NeXTstep
Keywords: Mesa SpreadSheet Athena Design Culture Shock Fun and Games
Date: 31 Aug 92 23:21:54 GMT
Reply-To: dpp@athena.com
Followup-To: poster
Organization: Athena Design, Inc.

For Immediate Release	                        Contact: Tracy Kugelman
August 4, 1992	                                  Phone: (617) 783-9838

                   ATHENA DESIGN RELEASES MESA
               THE NeXT(tm) PLATEAU IN SPREADSHEETS

Boston - Today, Athena Design, Inc. released Mesa, the spreadsheet for
NeXTSTEP(tm).  Mesa, the first traditional spreadsheet written exclusively
for the NeXTSTEP operating environment, reads Lotus(r) 1-2-3(r) worksheet
files and executes most 1-2-3 macros.  Mesa defines the most advanced
features of any spreadsheet product while being very easy to use.

David Pollak, President and founder of Athena Design, stated, "We were
very pleased with Mesa's beta test cycle. Hundreds of people have tested
Mesa and virtually all feedback we received was positive. Testers were
clamoring for the release of the product."  J.Terrill Brandon of Preferred
Health Care, which is in the process of taking delivery of more than 1,000
NeXT(tm) computers, said, "Mesa is the most robust and reliable Beta software
I have every used."  Preferred Health Care has designated Mesa as the
spreadsheet for use on its NeXT computers.

Mesa will inter-operate with other NeXTSTEP applications including programs
from California-based Adamation.  Athena Design is working closely with Pages
Software to integrate Mesa functionality into Pages' word-processing system.
Pages' CEO Larry Spelhaug stated, "We expect some very exciting results. Users
will see a very tight integration of a word-processor and spreadsheet
functionality right inside Page One."

Mesa includes the Mesa Object Library Interface (MOLI) which allows custom
programmers to manipulate data in Mesa worksheets, feed data to worksheets
in real time, print reports, and include worksheet views and graphs in custom
applications.  Paul Murphy, a custom application developer with Marble
Associates, said, "MOLI makes it very easy for our custom applications to
interact and exchange data with Mesa worksheets."  Ronald Van Simmons of VNP
Software, consultants to First National Bank of Chicago, simply exclaimed,
"This is the coolest stuff I've seen."

Mesa's use of NeXTSTEP provides streamlined operations for control of color,
typeface, and the overall look of the worksheet.  Graphic images and charts
can be placed anywhere on the worksheet to generate presentation-quality  
output.

Mesa defines some of the most advanced features currently available in
spreadsheet programs and sets the standard for many areas of spreadsheet
functionality.  These advanced features include:
.	Formula Inheritance
.	Savable Report Formats
.	AutoGrow Ranges
.	SmartFill
.	Cell Typing and Data Entry Verification
.	Drag & Drop Font and Color Selection
.	Animated Drag & Drop Range Moving and Copying
.	Series Functions
.	On-sheet and Formula Bar Data Entry

Mesa's most innovative feature is function inheritance.  "Spreadsheets
allow users to change data and see the changes reflected in cells that
refer to that data," says Pollak.  "We simply extended that paradigm to
changes in formulas as well."  This enhancement allows users to create
spreadsheet models with fewer bugs and in less time.  It also simplifies
modification and maintenance of spreadsheet models.

Previously, spreadsheet users wrote macros or repeatedly entered complex
print formatting commands in order to generate reports.  Mesa allows users
to define and save report formats using a visual report builder, eliminating
many superfluous print command steps.

Mesa provides users with the ability to build large spreadsheet models.  Mesa
worksheets can be over 100 times larger than 1-2-3 worksheets.  Mesa takes
advantage of many advanced techniques to speed up recalculation of large  
models.

Bruce Henderson, NeXT development team leader at Pages Software and co-author
of Appsoft Solution, an un-released spreadsheet for NeXTSTEP, stated, "Mesa is
one of the fastest recalculating spreadsheets I have ever used."  In benchmark
tests used by NeXTWORLD Magazine, Mesa performed over 30 times faster than
Improv(r), the Lotus spreadsheet for NeXTSTEP.

Mesa creates graphic and text representations of spreadsheet data which can
be transferred into word-processing, database, presentation software and other
applications.  Mesa will fully support live data links available with NeXTSTEP
release 3.0.

Athena Design is committed to quality support of its customers and views Mesa
as a solution, not simply a software program.  All registered users of Mesa are
entitled to unlimited telephone support.  Capitalizing on NeXTSTEP's  
interpersonal computing features, Athena Design will offer e-mail technical  
support. Users will be able to send spreadsheet models directly to engineers to  
facilitate response to the customer's issue.

Mesa is commercially available from NeXTConnection and authorized NeXT  
re-sellers.  It has a suggested retail price of $xxx.yy. A version that  
supports a floating license  manager will be offered.  Many large NeXT  
customers are evaluating Mesa.

Founded in 1989 by David Pollak, Athena Design develops and markets NeXTSTEP
applications.  In 1991, Athena Design released CultureShock, a favorite game of
NeXT users all over the world.  Since November 1991, the Boston-based software
company has been developing Mesa, a traditional paradigm spreadsheet for  
NeXTSTEP.

-----------------------------------------

NeXT and NeXTSTEP are trademarks of NeXT Computer, Inc.

Lotus, Improv, and 1-2-3 are registered trademarks of the Lotus
Development Corporation.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.announce