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INSIGHTFUL LAUNCHES StatServer 6.0 ANALYTICS SOFTWARE

Insightful Corporation, a leading provider of enterprise software solutions for data analysis, announced availability of StatServer 6.0, a major upgrade to the company's software for data analysis via the Web.

StatServer 6.0 provides easy access to high-end analytics and graphical reports that reveal patterns, trends and relationships in data. New data analysis and visualization features help users access, analyze and share information faster using a simple Web browser.

StatServer 6.0 provides a proven platform for Web-based business analytics, which helps decision-makers make smarter decisions enterprise-wide. The technology delivers advanced analytical methods that increase the richness and reach of information. For example, sophisticated predictive analysis methods and graphical drill-down reports make it easy to make well-informed decisions by showing not only what has happened, but also what is likely to happen.

Industry analysts believe the trend toward sophisticated analytics has just begun. "Insightful is on the leading edge of analytical software, offering a sophisticated, flexible platform that presents clear results and accurate estimates via a simple Web interface. Predictive analysis, which relies on sophisticated models of probability, gives decision-makers a necessary new way to anticipate opportunity, reduce risk and improve efficiency," said Dan Vesset, IDC's research manager for data warehousing and information access. "Graphlet technology featured in StatServer 6.0 simplifies access to high-end analytics by presenting interactive charts via the browser. StatServer makes it easy to access, analyze and share business intelligence, which makes it easier to make good decisions."

Customers such as Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc use StatServer to deliver information to decision-makers across the business. StatServer integrates easily within our application environment standardizing analysis across the research organization facilitating decision-making. StatServer makes S-PLUS data-visualization tools easily accessible to our business users.

"We've reduced our analytic development time by 50 percent and delivered twice as much functionality with Insightful's technology. We can prototype new analysis techniques quickly, and the software scales as we add more users to our system," said Dr. Ken Yourstone, research analyst, Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc.

StatServer 6.0 goes beyond traditional reporting solutions by including advanced analytics that accurately reveal, quantify and predict opportunities, risks and consequences. The software provides a wide-range of pre-built graphical reports to view predictive analysis of historic data and real-time data. Insightful also offers specialized models for analyzing data including Customer Behavior Modeling, Six Sigma quality analysis, sequential trial design, spatial statistics, portfolio optimization and churn analysis, via consulting services. Insightful helps Fortune 1000 customers build Web-based business analytic systems using the StatServer platform delivering information about products, operations and customers -- the basis of business intelligence.

"StatServer helps customers analyze data to find new opportunities to cut costs, improve efficiency and increase revenue. The value of StatServer 6.0 is based on the delivery of timely information and accurate predictions to decision-makers enterprise-wide," said Peter Hallett, vice president of marketing and business development of Insightful Corporation. "StatServer 6.0 reflects our ongoing commitment to make it easier to take advantage of sophisticated analytics via a simple Web browser. By simplifying access to mission-critical data and predictive analysis, we help our clients achieve information superiority."

StatServer software is already being used for enterprise analytics by hundreds of customers including:

• Merrill Lynch - portfolio optimization to maximize return
• Merck - distributed analysis in the search of beneficial new treatments
• General Mills - for global quality control, product development and customer market research
• Procter and Gamble - for new product development and drug discovery
• Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc - development of advanced plant genetics StatServer 6.0 allows users to take advantage of Internet/intranet and client/server technologies to deploy statistical expertise throughout an organization. With this technology, sophisticated statistical models and data visualization capabilities are built and stored in a central server. Non-technical users can access and apply analytical techniques to essential corporate data using a familiar Web or Excel-based environment. StatServer 6.0 is a warehouse-independent platform that integrates with any ODBC-compliant database or data warehouse.

Key new features of StatServer 6.0 include:

• Enhanced Performance and Large Data Set Analysis. StatServer delivers significant performance and scalability gains, allowing customers to process larger data sets faster.
• Interactive S-PLUS Graphlets. Unlike static charts, users can click hot spots and live links within Graphlets to drill-down into data or link to other information on the Web. Graphlets enable creation of Web-based applications that are simple to learn and use by non-specialists.
• New S-PLUS Computational Engine. The latest release of S-PLUS provides enhanced graphics, leading-edge statistical methods and superior performance. StatServer 6.0 uses the latest version of the S language -- the de facto standard among developers of high-end analytical applications -- making it easy to develop new methods, customize existing applications and integrate with data feeds or Web-based applications.
• Enhanced Web Tools. New "wizard-driven" setup provides easy administration for analytics publishing and information access up, down and across the enterprise.

Availability

StatServer 6.0 is available on Windows/NT platforms. Pricing varies by platform.

About Insightful

Insightful Corporation provides enterprises with scalable data analysis solutions that drive better decisions faster by revealing patterns, trends and relationships. The company is a leading supplier of software and services for statistical data mining, business analytics and information retrieval, which provide clients with information superiority.

Insightful software includes S-PLUS, StatServer and S-PLUS Analytic Server. These products add sophisticated data analysis into data warehousing, business intelligence and information retrieval initiatives. Insightful consulting services provide expertise and proven processes for the design, development and deployment of customized analytical solutions. The company has been delivering data analysis solutions for over a decade to thousands of companies in financial services, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, telecommunications, manufacturing, plus government and research institutions.

Headquartered in Seattle, Insightful has offices in New York City, North Carolina, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom with distributors around the world. For more information, visit www.insightfulcom, email info@insightful.com or call 206-283-8802.