MERLIN Software Ramps Up Sales Effort

BURNABY, British Columbia - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Oct. 24, 2000 - MERLIN Software Technologies a leading provider of Linux based software applications and utilities, today announced an agreement to engage an experienced team of sales and marketing professionals from Rocket Builders.

MERLIN develops high quality applications software for the Linux operating system, such as the award-winning PerfectBackUP+ 6.2, the most economical, powerful, network backup and crash recovery tool available. It provides backup scheduling and remote backup, recovery, encryption, robotics module, enhanced security and many other features with both a graphical and character interface. PerfectBackUP+ is available for all major Linux distributions including Caldera OpenLinux, eServer, Turbolinux, RedHat, SuSE, Debian, Mandrake, and the Corel Linux.

Rocket Builders is a world-class team with expertise in the convergence of business models and emerging technologies. Rocket Builders has a sales accelerator process that leverages the experience and success of its two senior sales professionals, Reg Nordman and James Baglot, to execute, focus, and optimize sales and channel strategies.

MERLIN's software products are in use at more than 230,000 locations worldwide. MERLIN leads the way for innovation, performance and reliability for Linux. Its users include small as well as Fortune 500 companies. PerfectBackUP+ 6.2 has recently received accolades from publications as diverse as Linux Journal, Federal Computer Week and Linux Gamers Domain.

"Linux is a fast growing market opportunity," said Geoffrey Hansen, President of Rocket Builders. "For products targeted at this Open Source operating system revolution, there is a need for sales and channel strategies that are both efficient and adaptable. We look forward to matching MERLIN's product excellence with our skill in developing such business opportunities."

This engagement of Rocket Builders will help with sales growth and allow MERLIN to capitalize on the continued growth of the Linux market. IDC, the premier Linux market research firm, recently reported that Linux has now overtaken Novell's NetWare as the network operating system of choice. IDC also expects Linux shipment growth to outpace all other server operating systems with an annual compounded growth rate of 28%. Total new license shipments are expected to rise to 4.7 million per year by 2004. Linux revenues are projected to grow at an annual compounded rate of 23%.

About MERLIN Software Technologies International, Inc.

MERLIN Software Technologies Inc. (MERLIN Softech), is a software publishing company that provides Linux, UNIX, Windows and Mac users with unique Linux and UNIX based software that dramatically improves a system's productivity and reliability. MERLIN Softech has offices in Burnaby, British Columbia and Seattle, Washington.

For more information, contact:

Terry Jeffrey
MERLIN Software Technologies International, Inc.
Suite 200 & 201 - 4199 Lougheed Hwy.
Burnaby, B.C. V5G 3Y6.

Toll Free: (877) 988-7227
Web site: www.merlinsoftech.com.

Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding belief, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Unforeseen factors could cause results to differ materially from expectations, and include risks that marketing efforts may not result in sales, among other potential risks.

Back to index page