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      STACKER NOTE                                         STACKER NOTE
            Stac Releases New Version of Stacker Developer's Tool Kit
      STAC FAX  1109 (12-01-1993)
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      Contact Information     
      Stac Electronics        
      Lois Leslie (619) 431-7474
      
      Jennings & Company                          For Immediate Release
      Gregory Spector (415) 974-6200
      
      
                     Royalty Free License to Stacker LZS 
                       Available to All Qualified ISVs
      
      CARLSBAD, Calif., December 1, 1993 --- Stac Electronics 
      (NASDAQ:STAC), the leading supplier of data compression products 
      for doubling the storage capacity of personal computers, today 
      announced the immediate availability of a new Stacker Developer's 
      Tool Kit that allows independent software vendors (ISVs) to add 
      high performance data compression functionality to their DOS and
      Windows applications.
      
      The Stacker Developer's Tool Kit 3.1 for Windows and DOS now 
      features 50 percent faster compression/decompression engines, 
      software routines for implementing direct transfer of compressed 
      data from a system's hard drive to other storage media or 
      computers, and enhanced code for detecting and using Stacker 
      hardware or software if it is installed in a system.
      
      "The Stacker Developer's Tool Kit helped us quickly and easily 
      implement data compression support in PC Tools Pro," said Tom 
      Darnell, business-unit manager at Central Point Software.  "Now 
      our customers can take full advantage of the industry's leading 
      data compression technology."
      
      The new Stacker Tool Kit now provides the application developer 
      with access to a wide range of information about a Stacker drive, 
      such as determining whether Stacker hardware or software is 
      installed, and if so, what version of Stacker is running and 
      which drives in the system have been compressed using Stacker.
      
      Application programs can now read compressed data directly from a 
      Stacker drive, transmit data in half the normal time, or store it 
      in half the normal space.  
      
      Unlike the previous version, the new Tool Kit's compression and 
      decompression engines do not require Stacker to be installed, but 
      do make use of Stac's patented LZS server technology so that if 
      Stacker or a Stacker LZS compression coprocessor is present, 
      application software performance can be boosted from two to five 
      times, depending upon the version of Stacker software or hardware
      installed.
      
      Each function provides an example in the C programming language 
      that shows how to use it.  The Tool Kit also includes a discussion 
      of testing considerations and a sample installation program.
      
      Other new features of the Stacker Developer's Tool Kit 3.1 include 
      Windows protected-mode versions of all Tool Kit functions, tunable 
      compression and decompression, clearer and more specific error 
      codes and support for Stacker 3.1 for Windows & DOS, Stac's 
      award-winning disk compression software.
      
      Price and Availability
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      The Stacker Developer's Tool Kit can be licensed by qualified ISVs 
      for a one time fee of $295 per product.  The Tool Kit, which also 
      includes a full copy Stacker 3.1 for Windows & DOS, is available 
      today directly from Stac by calling (800) 522-STAC.
      
      A complete technical specification of the Tool Kit functions is 
      available as a Windows 3.1 help file which can be downloaded from 
      Stac's BBS, Compuserve, or America Online.  Stac's BBS phone number 
      is (619) 431-5956.  On Compuserve type GO STAC to access the Stac 
      forum.  On America Online use the keyword STAC.  Also available 
      for download are several example programs which use the Tool Kit.
      
      The Company
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      Stac Electronics is a leading supplier of high performance data 
      compression products for personal computers.  Implemented in 
      software and silicon, Stac's products are sold direct from the 
      company and through retail and OEM sales distribution channels 
      worldwide.
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      Copyright 1993 Stac Electronics