• Vault Source Code Control Tool Provider Contracts Ximian to Build Enhanced Functionality Into the Project

BOSTON, MA — June 2, 2003: Ximian, Inc., the leading provider of desktop and server solutions enabling enterprise Linux adoption, today announced that SourceGear Corporation will use Mono™ Project technology to offer cross-platform versions of its products. In addition, the companies have entered into a development partnership under which Ximian® will provide custom Mono development to enable delivery of SourceGear products later this year. As a result, SourceGear will offer both UNIX and Linux clients for its SourceGear Vault source code management tool, enabling broader use of its solutions in mixed-platform development organizations.

The new code includes work on class libraries enabling Mono to be compatible with .NET XML web services, libraries which Ximian will develop under the X11 open source software license. The use of Mono technology will enable SourceGear to deliver Linux and UNIX clients for its Vault source code management application late in 2003. SourceGear Vault is a version control system designed to be a compelling alternative to Microsoft Visual SourceSafe. Built entirely on the Microsoft .NET Framework, Vault provides a Windows client and uses SQL Server 2000 for all repository storage. Using Mono technology and custom development from Ximian, SourceGear will offer Linux and UNIX clients for Vault for cross-platform development environments.

"Our new partnership with Ximian will allow us to stay focused on the .NET platform even as we make SourceGear Vault available for non-Windows desktops," commented Eric Sink, founder of SourceGear. "The .NET Framework is already the most productive development platform. Now that Mono is emerging, .NET developers are getting the cross-platform flexibility that continues to be important for many ISVs."

"SourceGear is a clear example both of how .NET tools can help developers build better applications quickly and the unique ability of Mono Project technology to enable the rapid development of .NET-based applications on non-Windows platforms," said Miguel de Icaza, chief technology officer of Ximian and founder of the Mono Project. "A major goal of the project is to enhance development productivity, and SourceGear's work with the project demonstrates the substantial benefits of Mono technology even at this early date. It is a clear indicator of the demand by developers and customers for support for the Linux platform."

Ximian initiated the Mono Project in 2001 with the intent to provide developers with a set of open source tools for building .NET applications that run on Windows or any Mono-supported platform, including Linux and UNIX. Mono incorporates key .NET-compliant components, including a C# compiler, a Common Language Runtime just-in-time compiler and a growing set of class libraries. More than 150 developers from around the world contribute to the Mono Project. Miguel de Icaza will present on the Mono Project at the O'Reilly Open Source Convention to be held in Portland, Oregon from July 7 to 11.

SourceGear is the latest in a series of companies to harness the potential of the Mono Project and to incorporate aspects of Mono into commercial offerings. Tipic, the leading provider of Windows-based Jabber instant messaging servers, is using Mono to build a multi-platform server that works on Linux and UNIX as well as on Microsoft Windows servers. OpenLink Software, Inc., an industry leader in the development and deployment of secure, high-performance Universal Data Access and web services middleware, is using Mono as part of the development efforts for Virtuoso 3.0, its latest Universal Server release.

About SourceGear Corporation
Founded in 1997, SourceGear Corporation is a leading provider of source control solutions for software developers using Microsoft tools and platforms. SourceGear's popular product SourceOffSite Classic provides a remote access solution for Microsoft Visual SourceSafe and is used by over 50,000 developers worldwide. In October 2002, SourceGear was named by Inc magazine as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in America. Previous editions of the Inc 500 list have included Domino's Pizza, Intuit and Microsoft.

About Ximian, Inc.
Ximian is the established leader in providing open source desktop technology, applications, support and services for the Linux and UNIX marketplaces. Ximian products, in use by over 1,000,000 people worldwide, are providing the ease of use, productivity and interoperability needed to propel the adoption of the Linux desktop in corporate computing environments. Its Ximian Desktop software starts with Ximian GNOME, a productized end-user desktop based on the GNOME project, to provide a complete graphical desktop environment and productivity application suite for Linux and UNIX systems. Ximian Red Carpet™ and Ximian Evolution™ deliver software and personal information management solutions for both end users and corporate customers. Comprised of many of the original architects of the GNOME system, Ximian is a founding member of the GNOME Foundation and sits on the advisory board. The company has secured funding from leading venture firms Charles River Ventures and Battery Ventures and can be reached at http://www.ximian.com.

Press Contact:
Kevan Barney
Novell, Inc.
Phone: (801) 861-2931
E-mail: kbarney@novell.com

Ximian is a registered trademark and Ximian Evolution, Red Carpet, Enterprise and Mono are trademarks of Ximian, Inc. The names of other companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.