FileOpen Systems Releases FileOpen Publisher 2.4 with Web-enabled Authorization and Subscription Management Features

NEW YORK, New York, January 29, 2001
FileOpen Systems Inc. (www.fileopen.com) today announced the release of FileOpen Publisher 2.4, a much-anticipated release of its flagship product for secure publishing. In addition to expanding the software's core feature set for securing electronic documents in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF), FileOpen Publisher 2.4 includes new features enabling Web-based subscription services.

Protecting Subscription Revenues
"FileOpen Publisher 2.4 is a boon to publishers whose profits depend on managing subscriptions and controlling redistribution of documents such as newsletters and journals," said Sanford Bingham, president of FileOpen Systems. With the new software, it is possible for a publisher to make available a single PDF document on their website, but to grant different access permissions to different users. For example, one user may open the file for a period of one month but not print that file, while another user may open the file for a year but print it only during the first month. FileOpen Publisher 2.4 also provides a mechanism for enforcing expiration of a "rolling" subscription list. "This is a problem faced by most periodical publishers: all subscribers get a one-year subscription, but they may start that subscription at different times (one in January, another in October). Without the new features in Publisher 2.4, expiration of non-renewing subscribers can't be enforced unless all subscribers renew at the same time: with the new features, users' subscriptions can be set to expire at any time, for any user," said Mr. Bingham. Moreover, upon expiration of a subscription the publisher can specify that a user retain access to all issues distributed during the period of the subscription, while denying access to any issues distributed after the end of the subscription. This feature, while normal behavior in the physical paper world, was not previously possible with electronic documents.

Web-Based Authorization
All Authorization functions for the installation of permission, which previously could be performed over the telephone or via email, can now be done via a web server using the Online Authorization script included in version 2.4. This script allows the complete automation of the permissions granting process and is entirely under the control of the publisher. Documents processed by version 2.4 also may be linearized for faster download, and can be restricted from opening except in the user's web browser.

Enhanced CD-ROM Publishing
For CD-ROM publishers, the 2.4 version includes a CD-ROM Resident mode, which allows the distribution of CD-ROM which will run on any PC without loading any software on or writing any files to the that machine. This is useful for the creation of a demo discs, and also for environments where the loading of any software (e.g. Acrobat Reader) is not permitted. A modified implementation of CD-ROM Resident mode is also available, in which parameter data is stored on the local machine in order to support the full set of FileOpen usage controls.

Improved Printing Controls
Publisher's existing feature set for controlling the number of times a document can be printed (or duration of time), has been extended to function from Acrobat running within the user's web browser. Of course, the software still prohibits the printing of a document to a local file or to the Acrobat Distiller or PDFWriter printer drivers.

FileOpen Publisher 2.4 also includes an enhanced set of tools for printing user data on top of PDF files, or "watermarking". With these new tools a publisher may, with a single batch operation, typeset a message onto every page of a document ("static watermarking"), or can place a field onto each page which will be invisible on the screen but filled in upon printing with user-specific data ("dynamic watermarking").

Enhanced Foreign Language Support
FileOpen Systems continues its commitment to international publishers by introducing the Publisher client and installers in five additional languages: Dutch, Czech, Finnish, Swedish and Lithuanian. FileOpen continues to make the software available in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Danish.

Pricing and Availability
FileOpen Publisher 2.4 is currently available for an evaluation download from www.fileopen.com as well as from partner site PDF Store (www.pdfstore.com) A license to FileOpen Publisher costs US$2500 for unlimited document distribution, and is a free upgrade to existing licensees. Publisher 2.4 can be purchased direct from FileOpen Systems and also from PDF Store.

About FileOpen Systems Inc.
Based in New York, NY, FileOpen Systems Inc. develops software that enables publishers to secure their content for digital distribution. The company's product line includes FileOpen PersonalPublisher, a simplified system for individuals, and WebPublisher, a high-end server system for automated publishing of secured documents. FileOpen sells its products worldwide to commercial publishers, corporations, industrials, government offices, and universities. Copyright 2001, FileOpen Systems Inc.