Contact: Andre Durand, Durand Communications (805)961-8700
                Scott Brown, NuIQ Software (914)833-3479

NuIQ'S POWERBOARD FIRST BBS TO SUPPORT WIP PROTOCOL

New protocol promises to be the next graphical standard

Santa Barbara, CA -- Durand Communications Network, Inc. has announced the successful integration of its WIP (Windows Interface Protocol) into the popular Powerboard BBS v2.0 software package, produced by NuIQ Software. WIP, a freely-available graphical standard for Windows menuing and communications software, has previously been integrated into many of Durand's own products including the popular MINDWIRE Client/Server platform and Durand's online database products such as DC GENESYS. Now, Durand is actively working to move the rest of the industry to the WIP standard and has started with NuIQ Software's Powerboard BBS package.

Users of Powerboard BBS will have available to them a graphically rich, Windows environment using the free Windows communications program DC-TERM. DC-TERM is a full-featured, easy-to-use, communications package that supports the WIP Enhanced menuing protocol. When users call into a WIP-compatable Powerboard BBS system using DC-TERM, the system they call actually becomes a part of their native Windows desktop! WIP features include Windows icons, full-color graphics, scrolling fields and sound. With an inexpensive add-on package, users can even use DC TERM through the Internet.

Powerboard BBS 2.0 is a DOS-based online services platform and is therefore compatable with a variety of operating systems including all brands of Windows, OS/2 and, of course, MS-DOS. There has, recently, been a trend of other BBS platforms moving to a Windows 95 or OS/2 specific platform while some packages, such as Powerboard, have remained DOS-based. NuIQ President/CEO Scott Brown comments, "We feel it is best to offer a platform that allows both the host and user side to be run in any PC environment." Indeed, the SysOp can run Powerboard under his preferred operating system and the user, as well, can run DC TERM under all flavors of Windows and OS/2. DOS callers can access Powerboard in RIPscrip, ASCII or ANSI.

The WIP protocol is a freely-available graphical standard and can be integrated into any software program. Contact Durand for a free WIP developers' kit.

Developing your Windows interface for your online service with Powerboard BBS is as easy as drawing a menu. To create WIP menus, sysops use the DC Interface Builder available from Durand or through NuIQ Software. The DC Interface Builder is an easy to use drawing program which allows one to literally draw their online service.

On the new Powerboard package, WIP menus can be created automatically by the WIP Menu Developer. The SysOp can add or remove commands to menus, add menus or remove entire menus, and the appropriate WIP screens will be modified by Powerboard automatically. It is also relatively easy to put sounds (wav files) on the system with the new Powerboard v2.0. SysOps who are interested in setting up a WIP-based BBS should contact NuIQ Software for free literature on their Powerboard Package. A free demo pack can be obtained from NuIQ by calling 1-800-844-6526.

Look for more WIP-compatable software from Durand, NuIQ, and other publishers soon. eSoft has already begun integration of the WIP protocol into TBBS and TDBS. TBBS SysOps can look for a WIP-compatable BBS from eSoft in early '96.

Durand Communications Network, Inc. is located at 147 Castilian Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93117. (805)961-8700 FAX (805)961-8701

NuIQ Software, Inc. is located at 415-A Richbell Road, Larchmont, NY 10538. (914)833-3479 FAX (914)833-3623 BBS (914)833-1479 E-MAIL info@nuiq.com WWW http://nuiq.com