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NEC Electronics and VioSoft Announce Availability of Linux Operating System for NEC's Hardware Development Platforms

Evaluation Boards Featuring NEC's VR4121, VR5432 and VR5000 Microprocessors Now Available With Support for Linux; Include Development Environment for Linux Programs

SANTA CLARA, CA - April 10, 2000 - NEC Electronics Inc. and VioSoft Corporation, a leading software development tools vendor, today announced that the Linux operating system, version 2.3.9, has been ported to NEC's standard evaluation platforms for its VR4121™, VR5432™ and VR5000™ 64-bit MIPS® RISC microprocessors. In addition to providing NEC Electronics' customers with an evaluation platform and reference design, the boards can also be used to develop and test peripheral hardware, device drivers and software applications. These host platforms include the traditional build environments for Linux, as well as Windows® 95/98/NT.

The new evaluation boards come with a standard Linux port and have also been ported to VioSoft's Arriba!™, an integrated development environment (IDE) and debugging tool used specifically in Linux-based development environments. With the availability of new versions of the Java™-based Arriba!™ (see related press release from VioSoft), Linux developers can debug their software products with state-of-the-art development tools, as opposed to the trial-and-error methods they were forced to use in the past.

"The embedded market's interest in Linux is growing and NEC Electronics is committed to supporting Linux," said Karl Auker, assistant general manager for the VR Series microprocessors business unit at NEC Electronics. "Our commitment to the Linux operating system is evidenced by our work with VioSoft to provide complete Linux development platforms for our VR Series microprocessors. In addition, we applaud VioSoft's efforts to provide system designers with the software development tools needed for next-generation Linux applications."

"NEC has a well-deserved reputation for providing quality microprocessors with the feature sets necessary to support a wide range of embedded applications," said Karl Blum, director of business development at VioSoft Corporation. "Our work with NEC Electronics, along with our development of IDEs and software tools for Linux, is meeting the needs of embedded developers looking for Linux-based platforms rich in features and performance."

NEC's VR Series™ 64-bit MIPS RISC microprocessors provide comprehensive solutions for embedded system designers. Developed around the MIPS RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture, all of the VR Series microprocessors are forward code-compatible and highly scaleable. The VR4121 microprocessor's high speed, compact size and low power consumption make it ideal for use in battery-driven, portable handheld systems. The VR5432 and VR5000 are high-performance 64-bit RISC microprocessors designed for use in high-performance embedded systems, multimedia systems, entry-class computers and image processing systems. Furthermore, NEC Electronics is committed to providing complete design environment support for its VR Series microprocessors by offering a wide range of companion chipsets, development platforms and a comprehensive set of development tools.

Pricing and Availability
The new evaluation boards, available today from NEC Electronics, are supplied in kit form. In addition to the evaluation board, each kit is includes a power supply, installation manual, board schematics, Cygnus GNUPro™ Embedded ToolSuite, PMON debugging monitor, Linux Operating System, and Board Support Packages for VxWorks® and pSOS. Also included is a 30-day demonstration license for VioSoft's Arriba!. Typical peripherals include serial, parallel, Ethernet, and counter/timers with interrupt capability. At least two PCI slots are also included. Prices are provided in the table below.

Pricing and Availability

Part number Evaluation Board Description Price Available
DDB-VR4121S-1 VR4121 processor and VRC4171A companion chip $4950.00 Now
DDB-VRC5074 VR5000 processor and VRC5074 companion chip $2450.00 Now
DDB-VRC5476 VR5432 processor and VRC5476 companion chip $2450.00 Now

Pricing and availability are subject to change.

About VioSoft
VioSoft Corporation develops, markets and licenses scaleable Java-based software development tools that benefit Windows 95/98/NT, Solaris, UNIX and Linux developers in the enterprise, desktop and embedded markets. Headquartered in Campbell, CA, VioSoft has engineering office in Los Angeles, CA and New Orleans, LA. Contact VioSoft Corporation at www.viosoft.com, via email at info@viosoft.com or telephone at (408) 341-1015.

About NEC Electronics Inc.
NEC Electronics Inc., headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is one of the leading developers, manufacturers and suppliers of semiconductor products in the United States. Committed to meeting customers' cost, performance and time-to-market requirements, the company offers solutions ranging from standard products to system-on-a-chip (SOC) solutions, as well as customized products for next-generation designs. NEC Electronics also offers customers the benefits of a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Roseville, CA, and the global manufacturing capabilities of its parent company, NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY). For more information about products offered by NEC Electronics Inc., please visit the NEC Electronics Web site at www.necel.com.

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