1. Pervasive Software Acquires Smithware

A message from Smithware President and CEO, Scott Smith:

Dear Friend of Smithware:

As you probably know, Smithware has been in business for almost ten years, providing real solutions for software developers using Pervasive Software products (Btrieve, Scalable SQL, and now Pervasive.SQL). During this time, Smithware has provided many products and services that have been widely used within the Pervasive development community. The good relationship that Smithware has cultivated with Pervasive Software and with the developer community has led us to this exciting announcement.

Smithware has been acquired by Pervasive Software, and will form the nucleus of Pervasive's new division, the Pervasive Developer Relations Group. I will be Pervasive's new Director of Developer Relations, and Steve Mook will be Development Manager for the Nashville Development Group.

We will be known as "Smithware, a Pervasive Software Company," during the next six months, and we will gradually move current Smithware products into the Pervasive Software product line. Over the next six months Smithware will continue to operate in the same manner that it always has. We will continue to sell, maintain, and support current Smithware and Pervasive products as Smithware products are integrated into the Pervasive product line.

As you know, our business has been guided by providing "Software Solutions for the Real World" and it is in this spirit that Smithware and Pervasive have entered into this agreement. We believe that the biggest winners in this acquisition will be YOU, our customers!

I suggest that you take a look at the Pervasive-Smithware joint press release at http://www.smithware.com/news/pr/pr98feb18.html. Please contact me personally mailto:scott.smith@smithware.com or phone +615-386-3100 if you have any questions or comments about this event.

I personally encourage you to attend the Pervasive Partner Conference scheduled for March 15 - 18 in Austin, Texas http://www.pervasive.com/conference.html where we will be presenting complete details of what this acquisition will mean to both the Smithware and Pervasive developer communities.

Best Regards,

Scott A. Smith
President and CEO
Smithware, Inc.

2. Attend The Pervasive Partner Conference!

To learn more about the Pervasive acquisition of Smithware and the new Pervasive Developer Relations Group, attend the Pervasive Partner Conference March 15-18 in Austin, Texas.

A full complement of Pervasive and Smithware staff will be there to discuss how the merger will increase the development options open to Pervasive database applications.

Please plan to attend! More information is available at http://www.pervasive.com/conference.html or call 800.580.6715 today.

Also, if you've already registered, rooms are getting scarce. Be sure to make your hotel reservations now!

3. Q&As on the Smithware Acquisition...

Q: Will Smithware continue to sell their products?

A: Yes. During the transition period both Smithware and Pervasive will sell each others products. After the transition period sales activities will be transferred to Pervasive.

Q: Where do I get support for Smithware products?

A: Smithware will continue to support Smithware products. After a transition period, estimated to be six months, support activities will be transferred to Pervasive.

Q: Will you continue to support applications built using Smithware products?

A: Yes! Future releases of the Pervasive developer kit will be backward compatible with existing Smithware products.

Q: How do I find more details regarding the acquisition?

A: All the details of the acquisition will be discussed at the Pervasive Partner Conference http://www.pervasive.com/conference.html.

Q: Will Smithware continue to sell Pervasive products?

A: Yes. During the transition period Smithware will sell Btrieve, Scalable SQL, and Pervasive.SQL.

Q: Are Smithware resellers now Pervasive resellers?

A: Smithware resellers will now have the option to re-sell Pervasive products. Many Smithware resellers are already Pervasive partners.

Q: What will happen to the Btrieve Developer's Journal?

A: It is intended for BDJ to continue as an independent publication. Details will be announced soon.

Q: What is the Developers Relations Group?

A: The mission of the Developer Relations Group is to attract and better serve more developers by combining the unique strengths of Smithware and Pervasive in a synergistic manner. The Developer Relations Group will enable Pervasive to provide the best database development tools for the middle market. The group will maintain effective communication with the developer community, which will enable new and existing developers to provide real-world solutions targeted to Pervasive database servers.

Q: Who is Scott Smith?

A: Scott Smith is the founder, president and CEO of Smithware. He will become Pervasive's director of developer relations. Smith, who has more than ten years of development and management expertise, is also the founder and publisher of the Btrieve Developer's Journal, a leading source of news and information on Btrieve-related products and services.

Q: What happens to the Smithware customers that purchase Pervasive products?

A: They can continue to purchase Pervasive products from Smithware.

Q: Will Pervasive VARs resell Smithware products?

A: Pervasive VARs will have the option to resell Smithware products. They should contact their sales representative for more information.

Q: How will this effect the developer kit sold today by Pervasive?

A: During the transition period Pervasive will have promotional pricing on Smithware products.

Q: Will Pervasive now support Smithware products?

A: Smithware will continue to support their own products during the transition period.

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