MacBench 3.0 Provides Independent Source for Performance Data

    CUPERTINO, Calif., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- MacUser magazine, a Ziff-Davis
publication, today announced that Apple Computer, Inc., and Power Computing,
Inc., will adopt MacBench 3.0 Processor Scores from MacUser's Processor Rating
Program.  MacBench is the industry standard for rating a Mac operating
system's (OS) performance and assigns a specific unbiased number that
indicates the speed of a given Mac.
    "We applaud Apple's and Power Computing's adoption of Ziff-Davis'
industry-standard MacBench benchmark," said Mark Van Name, vice-president,
Product Testing for Ziff-Davis.  "The use of MacBench processor scores to rate
Macs will help buyers make better purchase decisions."
    Through the MacUser Processor Rating Program (MPRP), Apple and Power
Computing will specifically use MacBench 3.0's Processor Scores. As the
industry-standard benchmark, MacBench can be used to compare one system's
performance with another systems and help buyers better compare and evaluate
specific system features.
    Beginning on August 7, buyers will be able to view up-to-the-minute
results for currently shipping Mac OS machines on MacUser's Web site
(http://www.zdnet.com/macuser/cpu.html).
    "The new PowerPC microprocessors coming from the alliance of Apple, IBM,
and Motorola are boosting performance exponentially over chips available just
a year ago," said Fred Forsyth, senior vice president of Apple's Macintosh
division.  "This is a great boon for Macintosh users, but it has also created
a challenge in rating speed of the systems using new processors.  That's why
Apple has adopted MacBench 3.0 as our processor testing standard.  MacBench
distills processor speed into a single number that accurately expresses the
relative performance of any Mac OS-based system.  MacBench will help our
customers make purchase decisions with the best information possible on system
performance.  As MacBench clearly shows, there is much more to a system's
performance than can be measured by clock speed alone."
    "MacBench 3.0 is a very useful tool for measuring overall system
performance," said Stephen Kahng, CEO of Power Computing.  "Power Computing
recognizes the importance of MacBench in providing buyers of Mac OS systems
with a valuable standard for reference."
    MPRP specifically test the processor subsystem, which includes the
microprocessor; the logic board design; the system memory (RAM); and the L2
cache, if present.  ZDBOp (Ziff-Davis Benchmark Operation), the creator of
MacBench, worked closely with Apple to ensure MacBench's mix of processor
instructions closely matches a Mac's processor instructions when typical tasks
are performed.  Since its first release in 1993, nearly three-quarters of a
million copies of MacBench have been distributed by  ZDBOp.
    "Labs-based testing and MacBench are the cornerstone of MacUser editorial
and I am thrilled that Apple and Power Computing have endorsed MacUser's
Processor Rating Program as the definitive tool for rating Mac operating
systems," said Pamela Pfiffner, editor-in-chief, MacUser.

    About MacBench and ZDBOp
    The MacBench test suite is a subsystem-level benchmark that measures the
processor, disk, graphics, CD-ROM, and floating point performance of a Mac OS
system. MacBench's key tests mimic the way today's top-selling Macintosh and
Power Macintosh applications work with these subsystems.
    Ziff-Davis Benchmark Operations, located in Morrisville, N.C., is
comprised of approximately 40 professionals dedicated to producing industry-
standard benchmarks.  ZDBOp has produced the industry standards for testing
the performance of PCs, Mac OS systems and servers.  Virtually all "Fortune
500" companies, as well as all ZD publications worldwide, use ZDBOp benchmarks
to help make purchase decisions.
    ZD distributes MacBench 3.0 and all of its publicly available benchmarks
in several ways.  ZDBOp benchmarks can be downloaded from the ZD Net/World
Wide Web Edition (http://www.zdnet.com/zdbop) or from ZD Net/CompuServe
Edition (GO ZDBOP).  CD-ROM versions are also available ($5, U.S., $6, Canada,
or $7, International, shipping and handling fee); fax credit card information
to 919-380-2879, or send a check to ZDBOp, 1001 Aviation Parkway, Suite 400,
Morrisville, NC 27560.  Please indicate whether a PC, Mac OS, or server
benchmark is desired.  Allow 4-6 weeks for regular delivery, or include your
FedEx account number for faster delivery.

    About MacUser
    MacUser is dedicated to providing comparative, labs-based product
evaluations, reviews and information for enhancing productivity through the
use of Macintosh products.  The largest Macintosh publication with 100% paid
circulation, MacUser reaches over 525,000 product buyers each month.
Headquartered in Foster City, CA MacUser is published by Ziff-Davis Publishing
Company.  MacUser's Web Page can be found at http://www.macuser.com.  Ziff-
Davis, a Softbank company, is the leading publisher of computer and Internet
magazines.  In addition to MacUser, the company publishes MacWEEK, PC
Magazine, PCWEEK, PC Computing, Computer Shopper, Windows Sources, Computer
Life, FamilyPC (with the Walt Disney Company), Computer Gaming World,
Electronic Gaming Monthly, EGM2, P.S.X., CyberSports, Intelligent Gamer, ZD
Internet Magazine, Inter@ctive Week (published with Inter@ctive Enterprises),
Yahoo! Internet Life, and Internet Underground in the U.S.  Ziff-Davis also
publishes or licenses an additional 60 titles that are distributed in more
than 100 countries around the world.
    Ziff-Davis is also the leading publisher of online content about computing
and the Internet.  With the debut of "The Site," its daily, prime time TV show
on MSNBC, Ziff-Davis has also become the leading producer of television
programming about the digital revolution.  As a result, Ziff-Davis has become
the leading provider of an integrated system of print, online, and broadcast
media that reaches all the audiences with a special interest in computers, the
Internet, and digital technologies.

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