NQL Enters into OEM Relationship with Lighthammer

The NQL Internet division of AlphaServ.com announced its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement with Lighthammer Software Development to deliver powerful agent technology to users of Lighthammer's Illuminator Plant XML Portal.

As part of the agreement, Lighthammer will embed Network Query Language into its application suite of "intelligent portal" solutions. "We believe that the combination of Illuminator and NQL will be a compelling and powerful answer to the challenge of content engineering," said Rick Bullotta, chief technology officer for Lighthammer. "Our intent is to build a core relationship with NQL that will be long-term in scope. Our product was designed from its inception to exploit the power of XML, and this is key enabling technology for our integration with the NQL product family." XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is widely supported by companies such as Microsoft as the new standard in data formatting and is expected to supersede HTML as the Web moves into the next generation.

In accordance with the terms of the agreement, Lighthammer will incorporate NQL's agent technology into the next major release of its Illuminator product, enabling content generation, extraction and dissemination of data from various sources. Under the agreement, NQL will receive a percentage of revenue for every Illuminator product sold that incorporates Network Query Language.

"Together with a new breed of companies such as Lighthammer, we are providing the tools to create dynamic Web-based software and intelligent solutions for vertical markets such as the industrial automation market," said Douglas J. Tullio, AlphaServ.com chairman, chief executive officer and president. "We believe this agreement makes a strong entry for NQL into the growing market of intelligent manufacturing software and validates the significant opportunity to deliver our technology to multiple strategic vertical markets."

Further collaboration with Lighthammer beyond this initial product release may involve incorporating NQL's artificial intelligence capabilities, including fuzzy logic and neural networks, to provide advanced predictive and analytical functions to the Illuminator. As reported in the Aug. 7 issue of BusinessWeek, up to 40 percent of all new manufacturing-related software now incorporates some form of artificial intelligence, according to Boston, Mass.- based AMR Research.

Lighthammer's client base includes small and large corporations in a range of vertical markets including food, pharmaceutical/biotech, consumer products, chemicals, automotive, electronics, building automation, and utilities. A privately held company, Lighthammer currently boasts approximately 200 sites running its Illuminator Plant XML Portal worldwide, including a number of Fortune 500 companies.

"We believe that this OEM agreement is the first of many to follow, where our Network Query Language is imbedded into customer products in various vertical markets," said Denny Michael, vice president of marketing for NQL. "Through our revenue-sharing OEM program, we believe we have the ability to share in our clients' success and recognize recurring revenue as these products succeed in their respective markets."

The prototype of this integrated application was presented at the ISA Exposition 2000 trade show in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans from August 21-24. More than 25,000 professionals visited exhibits featuring nearly 750 of the industries manufacturers and suppliers demonstrating their latest technologies and equipment. The concept was shown in the Lighthammer Software booth No. 2226.

About Lighthammer

Lighthammer Software Development Corp, headquartered in Exton, PA., is a leading independent supplier of Web products for manufacturing. Lighthammer's Illuminator, the world's first Plant Information Portal, helps companies become more competitive by providing immediate access to process and production information to any user in the supply chain. Instant access to timely and accurate information lets employees, customers and suppliers perform their roles more effectively. Illuminator's innovative XML-based "zero client" architecture provides broad and unequaled access to operational information from a wide range of platforms, data sources, and browsing devices. For more information, visit the company's Web site at: www.lighthammer.com.

About AlphaServ.com

AlphaServ.com (d.b.a. name for Alpha Microsystems) recently received approval from its shareholders to change its name to NQL Inc and plans to change its Nasdaq ticker symbol to NQLI within the next 45 days. The company operates an Internet technologies division, based upon its Network Query Language, and the DCi professional services division. NQL provides Internet software solutions to the global marketplace. This division develops and deploys enabling software technologies based on its Network Query Language to partner systems integrators, Fortune 1000 corporations, Internet communities and marketplaces, software vendors and Internet-based service providers. For more information, visit www.nqli.com or call 888-785-3370. The company's DCi professional services division is a provider of Internet and intranet consulting and networking, onsite network support for customers primarily located in the Northeastern U.S.

For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.alphaserv.com.