FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 13 January 2002

World’s First “Mt. Rainier Compliant” CD-RW Drive Software for Mac OS to be Released.

WriteCD-RW!™ Pro v3.0 for Apple™ Mac OS supports Mt. Rainier Initiative CD-RW drives with drag & drop interface, and background formatting. Includes disc repair utility for Mt. Rainier format discs, and reader driver for reading new format CD-RW discs on legacy disc drives.

Bothell, WA...Software Architects, Inc. (SAI) announced today that it will release WriteCD-RW! Pro™ version 3.0 for Apple™ Mac OS 8 & 9. WriteCD-RW! Pro is the first software in the world that reads and writes discs formatted in new “Mt. Rainier” Format (“CD-MRW” format) drives. Mt. Rainier specification CD-MRW drives are now shipping in Japan and are expected to be shipped to the US in Q1. Legacy file system utilities for standard CD-RW do not support new Mt. Rainier features and functionality.

Mt. Rainier formatted discs cannot be read by standard CD-RW software. WriteCD-RW! Pro provides everything you need to format, read, write and transfer discs with Mt. Rainer and standard CD-RW drives.

Making Disc Interchange Work with WriteCD-RW! Pro
WriteCD-RW! Pro provides the most comprehensive solution to disc compatibility problems. Using the world’s first integrated UDF file system engine that supports all versions of UDF (v1.0.2, 1.5, 2.0, 2.0.1, plus the special “Mt. Rainier” format that includes UDF), WriteCD-RW! Pro complies with the UDF Implementation guidelines published by OSTA (see below). WriteCD-RW! Pro empowers users to freely distribute their files on CD-RW discs between all popular desktop operating systems and versions.

Unlike other software products, WriteCD-RW! Pro v3.0 formats CD-RW discs to be read compatible with MS Windows 2000, XP and ME, as well as Apple Mac OS 8, 9 & X without requiring special third party device drivers. The software can read most discs formatted in UDF by third party software such as EasyCD Creator™ and Direct CD™. The software will also mount and read discs formatted in new CD-MRW disc drives. Conventional third party software will not mount or read CD-MRW format discs, leaving the user with no method of accessing files, or even identifying why there is an incompatibility.

The software includes FixUDF!™, a diagnostic and repair utility that can test for errors or defects in a UDF format and directory structure, and repair directory defects. This utility identifies the type and version of the format on the disc, and can repair some third party formats, making the disc read compatible with Windows and Mac UDF operating system readers.

Use your CD-RW disc like a Floppy Disc
Conventional CD-RW mastering applications require opening an application, and performing several operations to create a “virtual disc” file on the internal hard disc that can then be written out to disc. With WriteCD-RW! Pro, the CD-RW disc is represented as a drive icon in Mac OS Finder. The interface behaves just like a hard disc or floppy drive. The user can drag and drop files to write to the disc; point and click to open; and use files as if they were stored on a floppy disc drive. It’s that simple!

Compatibility with Legacy Discs:
WriteCD-RW!™ Pro reads discs formatted with Roxio’s Direct CD™ for Windows, as well as Packetman™ from Aplix and B’s Clip from BHA.

Key Components:
The software includes the WriteCD-RW! ™ read/write file system, formatter and packet writing device drivers for various drive protocols, the special ReadCD-MRW™ utility for mounting and reading Mt. Rainier formatted “CD-MRW” discs, and FixUDF!™, the diagnostic and repair utility for Mt. Rainier and standard UDF format discs.

Systems Supported:
WriteCD-RW! Pro v3.0 supports most major brand drives using ATAPI and SCSI protocols running on any Apple PowerMac or iMac running Mac OS 8 or 9. Support for OS X is planned for Q2. Support for many third party FireWire and USB connectors is also available. Consult the SAI web site for a current list of drives and models supported. 32 mbytes RAM is recommended.

Compatibility & Standards
WriteCD-RW! Pro v3.0 is fully compliant with OSTA UDF implementation guidelines for disc interchange, and is also fully compliant with the Mt. Rainier Group specifications v1.1 for CD-MRW discs. Discs formatted with WriteCD-RW! Pro are read compatible with MS Windows and Mac OS UDF readers.

What is the UDF Format?
UDF stands for the “Universal Disc Format” and file system. It is the key software technology underlying optical disc format standards for digital convergence. Based on the International Standards Organization’s (ISO) ISO-13346 standard, and the Optical Storage Technology Association’s (OSTA) Implementation Guidelines for disc interchange, the UDF format ensures that optical discs can be properly used on all types of computer systems as well as future consumer digital appliances. UDF is fast becoming the industry standard for CD-RW drives and other mass storage devices.

About SAI
Software Architects, Inc. develops and publishes system level utility software and specialty applications for personal computers. The company applies its file system, device driver and image enhancement technology to address the integration and ease of use of input and storage devices with personal computers.

Founded in 1987, the company has over fourteen years of experience in licensing its technology to OEM manufacturers and systems integrators worldwide. As a member of the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA), CDs 21 and the DVD Forum, SAI plays a leading role in the application of the Universal Disc Format technology for a variety of computer and consumer applications.