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dotNow! Free Internet Service Alerts More Competitors of Potential Patent Infringement |
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DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 23 /PR Newswire/ -- Asoftware, the
creators of dotNow! free Internet services, is alerting the public today
to potential risk of investment in companies offering free Internet access
supported by advertising revenue who have not signed license agreements
with Asoftware.
"The public, including investors in the companies we have recently
warned, should be advised that Asoftware has a patent pending on the
methodology of ad-supported Internet access," said Ed Andrews,
Asoftware president. "While we have already alerted several of these
companies directly, investors should be fully advised of the implications
of our pending rights." This week Asoftware notified five companies who offer or are
considering offering free Internet access supported by ad-revenues of
Asoftware's pending patent rights to the methodology of ad-supported
Internet access used in its dotNow! suite of free Internet services.
Previously, Asoftware attorneys sent similar letters August 30 to Alta
Vista, NetZero, America Online, Microsoft and others. Asoftware acquired a
U.S. provisional patent for the methodology last year and is pursuing
further U.S. and foreign patent protection. NetZero, Alta Vista and others currently provide free Internet access
to subscribers with revenues generated, at least in part, through
advertising - the same method used by Asoftware's dotNow! suite of free
Internet services. dotNow!, Asoftware's suite of free Internet services, provides absolutely free Internet access, Web site hosting and browser-based email accounts by delivering targeted online advertisements through a banner bar on the Internet user's screen. The advertisements support the entire cost of the Internet experience; users surf the Internet for free. ADsolutely(TM), Asoftware's proprietary advertising software, delivers the highly targeted advertising to dotNow! users based on their buying preferences and geography. dotNow! offers 56K Internet connections - through any Web browser - for Microsoft Windows 95/98 customers. In addition to free, unlimited dialup access, dotNow! users receive an instant Web-based email account with 4 MB of email space and an additional 4 MB of space for hosting a Web site. Internet users can begin dotNow! services by downloading the free software from http://www.dotnow.com/. Alternatively, the dotNow! software is available via mail by calling 515-253-9966. High-speed dotNow! access is available in select markets. Macintosh, Linux, and BeOS platforms are scheduled for release in October. Asoftware, founded by Ed Andrews in 1990 in Des Moines, Iowa, is an award-winning, custom business solutions company specializing in custom software solutions, high-end Web design and e-commerce. SOURCE: Asoftware Web site: http://www.dotnow.com/ ST: Iowa |
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| Posted September 23, 1999. |