OpenSales Announces Free Availability of OpenMerchant(tm)
E-commerce Source Code
Non-proprietary Licensing Creates New E-commerce Standard

COMDEX, LAS VEGAS, Nevada--November 15, 1999--OpenSales, Inc., the
emerging leader in e-commerce solutions, today announced the free
availability of the source code to its OpenMerchant(tm) online retailing
solution.  In keeping with the successful model of rapid development
found in Linux and other Open Source technologies, OpenSales will
encourage developers, Internet service providers (ISPs) and system
integrators to use and modify the code--and then return their
modifications to the company's development portal, www.opensales.org.

To ensure developers that OpenMerchant can be shared and modified
without becoming a proprietary  and closed system, the software has been
licensed under the terms of the GNU Public License (GPL), a defining
legal document of the Open Source movement.  According to Rob Ferber,
Chief Technical Officer of OpenSales and founding technologist of the
highly successful eToys portal, releasing OpenMerchant under this
licensing arrangement will have a tremendous impact upon both
businesses  and the development community.

"We have created the future e-commerce standard by providing the only
channel for developers to freely use, modify and improve an
enterprise-class Internet retailing solution," he said. "Our development
portal at www.opensales.org will allow us to offer rapid and free
upgrades of an online  retailing package unmatched by any other company
in the industry."

The free retailing catalyst, which can be deployed on Linux, Solaris,
UNIX and Windows NT platforms to work with any major database, is
designed to process thousands of Web transactions per second on
inexpensive clusters of systems.  The select Internet retailers now
using OpenMerchant to easily customize their pricing, inventory and
ordering information include:

* KidsOnLine, a safe online destination for children
* MusicNow, owner of the Woodstock.com and FirstLook.com Web sites
* Shipper.com and its enterprise-class InstantShip.com delivery
operation
* MyHome.com, the Internet's most comprehensive resource for home
furnishings and design

As part of OpenSales' emerging leadership role in e-commerce, the
company also offers a wide range of support and complementary services
for the free OpenMerchant solution.  Through the work of the OpenSales
team, the company's services include system clustering, database
management and the company's unique Jump-To technology that tracks
customer product interest as well as purchasing patterns.  For quick and
thorough implementation of OpenMerchant, OpenSales provides services to
manage any or all of the solution's free modules.

Editors, please note:
OpenSales will demonstrate OpenMerchant during COMDEX at the VA LiNUX
booth located in space number 718 at the Hilton Hotel wing of the
exhibition.


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About OpenSales
OpenSales, the emerging leader in Open Source e-commerce solution, has
created the world-class standard for online retailing with
OpenMerchant(, a freely available and dynamic software solution that
processes thousands of Web transactions per second on inexpensive
clusters of systems.  With deployment on all enterprise platforms and
support for all major databases, OpenMerchant helps meet the challenges
of a business climate that requires immediate and accurate results.
OpenSales is an idealab! company and is based in San Mateo, California.
For more information, please visit www.opensales.com or
www.opensales.org.

All trademarks, products and technologies mentioned in this document are
the property of their respective owners.