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Blogger/Trellix Press Release
Here are copies of the press release and Q&A:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Bill Wrinn
The Portico Group
781-698-2403
Katherine Waite
The Portico Group
781-674-0216

Trellix Acquires License to Pyra Labs' Blogger Technology

Trellix to Integrate and Offer Leading Web Logging Technology Through Its Network of Private-Label Partnerships

CONCORD, Mass. and SAN FRANCISCO - April 16, 2001 - Trellix® Corp., the leading provider of web site publishing software and managed hosting services to top Internet destination sites and small business providers, today announced the licensing of Pyra Labs' market-leading Blogger™ web logging technology. Through the agreement, Blogger technology will be integrated into Trellix's web site publishing platform, which powers leading sites such as About, CNET, McGraw-Hill, Network Commerce and Terra Lycos. In addition, Blogger co-creator Evan Williams will consult with Trellix to help with product integration and will serve on Trellix's advisory board.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

A web log, often known as a "blog," is basically a web site made up of short, frequent entries that are presented chronologically. Blogging has been fueled by students, families, sports enthusiasts, newshounds, and other web users who seek an outlet for their online diaries, passions, and thoughts on a wide range of topics. Blogs typically consist of short or long comments with links to news articles, web sites, press releases, discussions and even other blogs.  Blogs often create a personal relationship between readers and writers that builds over time.  

With 150,000 registered users, Blogger is the leading tool in this rapidly growing area of web publishing.  Blogger makes it simple for users to maintain a web log, easily handling the tasks of posting, editing, formatting and archiving content.  In fact, active Blogger users update their sites an average of 2.2 times per day.

"Blogger is a phenomenal tool that enables the passionate self-expression that has always been a part of our society," said Trellix's founder and Chief Technology Officer Dan Bricklin. "The web logging phenomenon reminds me of the pamphleteers who helped shape the American Revolution by engaging in passionate, public debate through their writings. As an avid web logger myself (www.danbricklin.com/log), I am a devout believer in the power of blogging for self-expression and as a way to communicate with other people."

"I'm thrilled to be working with Dan Bricklin and Trellix," said Blogger co-creator and Pyra Labs founder Evan Williams. "This deal helps us reach and serve a much broader audience through Trellix's private-label partners than we could alone. It also gives me the opportunity to focus on enhancing the technology that I love."

Trellix has the most complete suite of web publishing tools for a wide range of personal and small business web sites.  Trellix's platform includes a full-featured, browser-based site builder that enables users to create rich, multi-page Web sites, such as personal sites about hobbies or family trees; online photo albums to share with friends and relatives; or sites for businesses, clubs, schools and organizations.  It also includes Blogger, the market-leading tool for creating and maintaining chronological web logs; a FreeForm HTML editor and File Manager for people who prefer to work in HTML; and FTP and Microsoft FrontPage Extensions support for builders who prefer to work with other desktop site building tools.

About Trellix
Founded in 1995 by technology visionary Dan Bricklin, Trellix Corporation is the leading private-label provider of web site publishing software and management services for top consumer destination sites and small business providers. Trellix enables premier sites like About, CNET, McGraw-Hill, Network Commerce and Terra Lycos to increase user acquisition and retention, revenue and brand affinity, while containing costs. As web site publishing emerges as the next form of mass communication on the Internet, Trellix provides the richest, most technologically superior, most customizable and easiest to use tools and services available. Massachusetts-based Trellix is privately held with world-class investors, including Accel Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Charles River Ventures, Dell Computer Corp., Goldman-Sachs, HarbourVest Partners, Terra Lycos and Matrix Partners.  For more information visit http://www.trellix.com.

About Pyra Labs
Founded in early 1999, San Francisco-based Pyra Labs was formed to build "power tools for regular people." Its Blogger product has been widely acknowledged as the leader of the rapidly growing weblog phenomenon, which has transformed how people, from the digerati to high school students, communicate, gather news, and share information. Pyra is led by co-founder and CEO Evan Williams, who works with a small virtual team located throughout the Bay Area and greater United States. Pyra's investors include O'Reilly & Associates, Advance Publications, Jerry
Michalski, and The Accelerator Group. For more information visit http://www.pyra.com.

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Trellix and Trellix Web are registered trademarks of Trellix Corporation. Blogger is a trademark of Pyra Labs. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
 
Trellix / Blogger  Q&A

Why has Trellix licensed Pyra Labs' Blogger technology?

Trellix sees a valuable technology in Blogger that should be kept alive and distributed to the greatest number of web site builders. While this agreement infuses new resources into Pyra that will help sustain the Web log phenomenon, it also helps fulfill Trellix's goal to offer web site builders the most diversified and comprehensive web publishing tools available.  

Did Trellix buy Pyra?

No.  Trellix and Pyra have signed a technology licensing deal and consulting agreement.  Pyra is pursuing other beneficial partnerships as well.

It's been reported that Pyra was having financial difficulties.  How does this deal help its long-term viability?

This is a substantial deal for Pyra as it allows the company to efficiently reach a much broader audience of users through Trellix's private-label partners.  It also allows the company to concentrate solely on improving technology, rather than investing in services and personnel infrastructure that would otherwise be required to take Blogger to the next level.

What is the difference between personal web sites and blogging?

Personal web sites can take many different shapes -- ranging for example from simple one-page party invitations or business cards; to family photo albums, hobby or fan sites with mixed text, pictures, video and sound; to small business sites complete with a full storefront and catalog.  Trellix's web site publishing technology is designed for creating a wide variety of these rich media sites.  

A blog is an important specific type of personal web site -- comprised of short, frequently updated posts presented chronologically.  Blogger is highly tuned to doing this type of web site easily and efficiently.  Blogger is highly complementary to Trellix's other site building tools, allowing a rich choice of tools for different needs.

What will happen to Pyra's web sites-Blogger.com and BlogSpot.com?

Blogger.com allows people to build their blogs and post most anywhere, while BlogSpot.com was created to help people who did not already choose a web hoster to get started with Blogger.com.  The need for BlogSpot.com will lessen as the web logging technology becomes available many places through Trellix partner sites.  

Pyra intends to keep Blogger.com going in the foreseeable future and is currently evaluating BlogSpot.com plans in light of recent deals.

How and when will Blogger be integrated into Trellix?

With the signing of this deal, Evan and his team are now working with Trellix to define the integration and timing.

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