MACROVISION ACQUIRES ZERO G SOFTWARE, INC.
Extends Macrovision’s Leadership in Maximizing the Value of Software on Any
Platform
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – June 13, 2005 – Macrovision Corporation (Nasdaq:
MVSN), the leader in Software Value Management, today announced that it has
acquired privately-held Zero G Software, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif. Zero
G is a leading provider of software deployment and delivery solutions for
multi-platform operating system environments. Financial terms of the
agreement were not disclosed, but Macrovision stated that the transaction
would be EPS neutral in 2005, and accretive in 2006.
“The combined expertise of Zero G and Macrovision will provide software
publishers and their customers with a seamless software installation
experience across all platforms,” stated Dan Stickel, EVP/GM, Software
Technologies Group, Macrovision. “This acquisition further increases the
market for our Software Value Management solutions, adds innovative
technology and people to the company and enhances our multi-platform
products.”
“Software is facing a complexity crisis. With this agreement, two leaders
in installation and software deployment have joined forces to simplify the
installation of software in complex multi-platform, multi-server
environments,” stated Eric N. Shapiro, CEO of Zero G. “Zero G’s
enterprise-focused multi-platform installation products will complement and
enhance Macrovision’s industry-leading InstallShield solutions, which are
the de facto standard for Windows installations. In addition, Zero G
customers will benefit from Macrovision’s broad Software Value Management
platform that enables publishers to flexibly price, package, license,
protect and update their software applications.”
Software installations are a critical factor in the overall value of
software derived by customers. According to IBM Autonomic Computing
research, 28% of all application failures are related to installation and
configuration errors. The combination of Zero G and Macrovision
technologies will benefit customers by simplifying the installation and
management of enterprise software, offering the industry’s premier
installation experience on every platform. Both Macrovision and Zero G have
been at the forefront of solutions for complex software installation and
have worked closely with key standards bodies and industry partners
including OASIS, WC3, IBM, HP and others to establish standards in the
industry such as the Solution Deployment Descriptor Specification (SDD),
also known as “Solution Installation.”
“Enterprises are continually seeking new ways to reduce the total cost of
managing, updating and installing software. Streamlining these processes
starts with simplifying the management of large, interdependent software
solutions running in increasingly complex IT environments,” stated Audrey
Rasmussen, vice president, Enterprise Management Associates. “By bringing
Zero G into the fold, Macrovision can quickly deliver more value to both
ISVs and their enterprise customers by automating time-consuming and
error-prone manual software management processes.”
Zero G Software will become part of Macrovision’s Software Technologies
Group and expand Macrovision’s product portfolio in the Software Value
Management category. Macrovision will continue to provide support for all
Zero G products. For more information on the strategic rationale for the
acquisition and a list of FAQs, please visit the Macrovision website at
(http://www.macrovision.com/)
About Zero G Software
Zero G expertise and leadership drives innovation in enterprise software
management, and transforms the way companies deploy, deliver, and configure
applications. The recognized leader in multi-platform software deployment
since 1996, Zero G’s award-winning line of enterprise-class products
includes InstallAnywhere, the de facto standard for multi-platform
installation; and SolutionArchitect, the first software packaging solution
for distributed enterprise applications. Zero G solutions and services are
relied upon by thousands of the world’s top commercial software producers,
including IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Novell, Borland, and Sun
Microsystems. For more information, visit (http://www.zerog.com/)
About Macrovision
Macrovision Corporation is the market leader in electronic licensing,
installation, and digital rights management (DRM) technologies. Over 50,000
software publishers and virtually all of the Fortune 1000 companies use
Macrovision’s technologies to maximize the value of their software.
Software Value Management solutions bridge the gap between pricing and
packaging software on the developer side, and purchasing and managing that
software on the enterprise side. Macrovision’s Software Technologies Group
markets the FLEXnet universal licensing platform and the InstallShield
suite of software installation, repackaging and update solutions, which are
deployed on more than 500 million desktops worldwide. Macrovision holds
more than 860 software licensing, DRM and content protection patents
worldwide. Macrovision is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has
offices worldwide. More information about Macrovision and Software Value
Management solutions can be found at (http://www.macrovision.com/)