MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (December 6, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation today announced that the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), the parent company of The Nasdaq Stock Market and NASD Regulation, is using Netscape server software to create a corporate Intranet to circulate and store internal information for the NASD and its subsidiaries. In addition, the NASD is utilizing Netscape server software to launch Internet sites for the NASD, NASD Regulation, and Nasdaq International Marketing Initiatives (NIMI).
NASD's Intranet, referred to internally as OASIS, is mainly used as a tool for disseminating information across the companies. Employees can access OASIS for corporate information and employee announcements, including internal blood drives, cafeteria menu, fun fests, organization charts, incentive/compensation programs and job postings.
"In our rapidly changing environment, it is important to have access to information immediately. With our newer corporate Intranet, our employees everywhere can get the information they need from one place," said Ken Cox, assistant director of the Internet Services Team at the NASD. "The open standards and cross-platform characteristics of Netscape technology made it possible to provide employees easy access to information without having to make major changes to our environment."
"By taking advantage of Netscape's Internet technology, NASD now has products that are easy to use for its employees and easy to administer for its technical staff," said Mike Homer, senior vice president of marketing at Netscape. "Netscape is committed to providing high-performance enterprise products based on the open standards of the Internet to allow companies such as the NASD to reduce costs and improve communication."
A major incentive for the NASD to develop a company-wide Intranet was the need for a more efficient and cost-effective system of communication than paper-based communication. By making company information such as employee guidelines, policy manuals and copies of internal publications available online, the NASD can save time and avoid the production costs of thousands of paper copies. The NASD is also using Netscape server software to produce a section of the Intranet called "InfoNet" that includes Web pages for different departments throughout the company, such as corporate finance and advertising regulation. OASIS also includes a phone book, as well as HR policies and internal documentation on software products. In addition, the NASD is currently working on a number of database access projects.
Netscape server software is also the enabling technology behind the Internet sites for the NASD, NASD Regulation, and Nasdaq International Marketing Initiatives (NIMI), which are intended to improve customer service by providing better communication. Even though each site has a different URL, they link to each other. Visitors to www.NASD.com, the main Internet site, have a wealth of categories to choose from, including information about what's new, membership, investor affairs, public policy, market data and research and services. Visitors can also access a detailed calendar of NASD-sponsored events and a site map to guide them through the information-packed Web site.
Visitors to NASD Regulation's Internet Site, www.NASDR.com, can request information about specific firms and specific brokers, file complaints about brokers and actually resolve disputes online. When visitors click on the "What's Hot" button on NASD Regulation's Home Page, they can find information including:
NASD Regulation, Inc., is the independent subsidiary of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., charged with regulating the securities industry and the Nasdaq Stock Market. Created in 1938 by the Maloney Act amendments to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the NASD has been the securities industry's primary self-regulator for over 57 years.
Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on Nasdaq under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.
Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com or by calling 415/937-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/937-3777 (individuals).
Netscape, Netscape Communications, the Netscape Communications Corporation logo, Netscape Navigator, and Netscape Enterprise Server are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation. All other product names are trademarks of their respective companies.