DENVER - January 23, 2002 - Following a widespread public test phase with more than 370,000 users, Quark Inc. today announced the U.S. release of QuarkXPress 5.0, the highly anticipated upgrade to the most widely used page layout tool in the world. QuarkXPress 5.0 fuses tools for print and Web design in a single, innovative application for media-independent publishing. QuarkXPress 5.0 has a wide range of new and enhanced features to support print, Web, and PDF workflows. It is an open application that relies on industry standards to generate content for print, Web, and eBooks. Users can import and/or export dozens of file formats, including HTML, PDF, and XML. "We have been putting QuarkXPress 5.0 through extensive quality tests, and we are now ready to release it for use," said Quark president and CEO Fred Ebrahimi. "We are confident that the new features and enhancements will help the industry become more efficient and more productive. QuarkXPress 5.0 is an important step towards helping publishers realize more cost savings by integrating layout and production for print, Web, and new media." Productivity enhancements QuarkXPress 5.0 includes many new and enhanced features that make the industry-leading print tools even better. New Tables functionality allows users to create graphically rich tables to structure design elements or organize complex data. QuarkXPress table cells can contain pictures and text with virtually all the typographic and image control users expect from QuarkXPress. "Tables have been a blessing for me, especially when jobs come in at the last second," said Larry Graff, design editor at Semiconductor International, the leading technical publication serving the global semiconductor industry. "It used to be a very time consuming process. Now, with QuarkXPress 5.0, it only takes a few moments to put a table together. From very simple to more complex tables with color overlays and photos, the new Tables feature has been a great help." The new Layers feature allows users to isolate items within QuarkXPress documents, and lets publishers manage hundreds of document variants quickly and easily. This feature is ideal for users who need to manage complex projects such as targeted marketing materials, versioned projects, and documents with language or text changes. QuarkXPress 5.0 will also help users save time and money with a revised, more efficient print user interface, enhanced PDF support, contextual menus, and better color management. "I like the improved interface for printing in QuarkXPress 5.0. The new Print dialog box is very straightforward. I feel like I've been working with it all along," said Michael Kresse, director of technology for EconoPrint, a short-run commercial printer with service centers and production facilities throughout Wisconsin. "We've been printing files without any problems, and I especially like the fact that our customers will be able to package fonts with their documents. It's also working well with our variable data imaging software, which is an added bonus." New yet familiar tools for Web design QuarkXPress 5.0 also empowers designers who create content for multiple media by bringing the world's leading page layout environment to the Web. Designers who are familiar with QuarkXPress can become productive Web designers immediately without having to learn new tools. "Our customers have told us that it is vital for them to manage costs by merging print and Web workflows," said Brett Mueller, senior product manager at Quark. "QuarkXPress 5.0 is a direct response to that customer request. It's a true design environment for both print and the Web, so designers can to take their rich skills to both media, and beyond." Easy license management With the release of QuarkXPress 5.0, publishers with multiple-seat installations will benefit from new license management software. Quark License Administrator makes it easy for organizations to install software and manage user access throughout the enterprise, so very large organizations can share the use of a smaller number of licenses. Quark License Administrator is a server-based system that lets site administrators create customized user pools and assign customized access privileges to each group. The server can be configured to allow remote users to check out software for use off the network as well as to acquire additional licenses to meet the needs of changing workflows. Customizable software In addition, the powerful XTensions interface allows developers to enhance the functionality of QuarkXPress to meet the needs of unique publishing workflows. There are now more than 500 commercially available XTensions that augment the capabilities of the QuarkXPress software, delivering vital niche solutions to Quark customers. "With QuarkXPress 5.0, Quark has taken its already robust XTensions API and made it even better. There are more ways to hook into the application and it's more informative for developers, so we can develop even more powerful XTensions software," said Paul Schmitt, president of A Lowly Apprentice Production Inc. A Lowly Apprentice Production is the developer of many popular XTensions modules for QuarkXPress, including ShadowCaster, an easy tool for creating transparency and shadows on text and graphics within QuarkXPress, and ImagePort, an XTensions module that lets designers import native Adobe Photoshop files into QuarkXPress documents, and then manipulate the layers, channels, and paths within those files. The new ImageAdjuster lets users correct the color of TIFF images within the QuarkXPress user interface. Pricing and availability QuarkXPress 5.0 is available for both Mac OS and Windows, and can be purchased at www.quark.com or by calling Quark customer service at 1.800.676.4575. List price in the United States is $995. Users of QuarkXPress 4.x can upgrade for $299. The upgrade price for users of QuarkXPress 3.x is $399. Refer to product code UZUXAA59A.