Design Image Collection Now Available for Mac and PC/Windows from Ultimate Symbol, with Adobe Acrobat Electronic Catalog

Stony Point, NY (6/1/94)

Ultimate Symbol Inc. today announced the availability of Design Elements by Ultimate Symbol, a collection of 3,064 design images on CD-ROM. Created for professionals who need quick, efficient access to reproduction art, Design Elements by Ultimate Symbol incorporates Adobe Acrobat electronic document software to help users easily search through the library for desired images.

Ultimate Symbol has carefully researched, selected and created the digital Design Elements collection, based on the best-selling reference book series. This electronic library of symbols, icons, and dingbats was compiled from a wide variety of sources from around the world. They have been meticulously rendered to meet the design industry"s rigorous standards. "This CD will appeal to sophisticated design professionals, because it lets them find images in an unstructured, intuitive manner," said Mies Hora, president of Ultimate Symbol. "When we tested the collection with the Manhattan design community, we generated real enthusiasm among designers who previously balked at the notion of using clip art."

Originally published during 1981-1984, the four hardcover design reference books upon which this collection is based have become a standard studio resource, with more than 20,000 volumes sold to date. Industry professionals are enthused by the new electronic edition of this collection.

"Design Elements is an invaluable graphic reference work," Former Vice President and Creative Director of Advertising and Design at CBS, Inc., Lou Dorfsman.

"The quality of this rich collection of images is matched by the clarity of presentation and attention to detail." David Freedman, Senior Designer at Milton Glaser, Inc.

"Design Elements is a much-needed tool and timesaving device that easily paid for itself after only a couple of uses." Steff Geissbuhler of Chermayeff & Geismar Inc.

Design Elements by Ultimate
Symbol is composed entirely of Adobe Illustrator files saved with Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) previews. A new PC version includes EPS and Windows Metafile (WMF) file formats. Although the files are actually stored outside of the Adobe Acrobat interface, Acrobat Reader allows users to quickly locate a file image and its associated file location. The interface utilizes all of the powerful navigational features available with Adobe Acrobat software, enabling users to search by not only keyword, but also by thumbnail page views, electronic bookmarks, and intuitive hypertext links. Links are particularly useful, because they give users the ability to browse and interactively search for categories of images (such as "modern"), rather than relying on the more rigid organizational schemes of other image collections currently available.

"The need for electronic documents crosses a broad range of industries and professional disciplines," said John Kunze, Adobe's director of product marketing. "Design Elements by Ultimate Symbol is an ideal example of how Acrobat software can be creatively applied to meet the requirements of a particular market segment."

Adobe Acrobat is a family of products that work together to enable electronic document communication. Acrobat products use a special file format, the Portable Document Format (PDF), to preserve the essential look and feel of a document regardless of the hardware platform, operating system, application products or typefaces used to create the original. Acrobat Reader is a viewing tool that allows users to view, navigate and |print PDF documents. Because a copy of Acrobat Reader software is bundled with Design Elements, CD users will have the ability to read any other PDF files received in the future.

The Design Elements 8 Volume CD-ROM is currently available for Macintosh and Windows platforms for $299.95 Individual volumes are available for $99.95 on floppy disk format for Mac or PC, Design Elements by Ultimate Symbol is distributed directly through Ultimate Symbol at 1-800-611-4761.

Ultimate Symbol Inc., founded in 1993, is headquartered in Stony Point, New York. Ultimate Symbol creates high-end reference tools for design professionals.

Adobe Systems Incorporated, founded in 1982, is headquartered in Mountain View, California. Adobe develops, markets and supports computer software products and technologies that enable users to create, display, print and commun- icate electronic documents. The company licenses its technology to major computer and publishing suppliers, and markets a line of type and application software products. Revenue for 1992 exceeded $265 million.

Adobe, Acrobat, Illustrator, and PostScript are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated, which may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Ultimate Symbol and Design Elements are trademarks of Ultimate Symbol Inc. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All other brand of product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.