SAN FRANCISCO, CA - November 2, 1999 - NetRead, Inc. - The Publishing Portal(SM) - today announced the expansion of its portfolio of publishing tools to include a Calendar and "How-To" section. NetRead's Calendar is designed to support the marketing efforts of writers, booksellers, and publishers, who typically promote themselves through local events. NetRead's proprietary "How-To" section provides comprehensive information about the entire publishing process.

In response to questions about a Barnes & Noble investment in online vanity press iUniverse, NetRead founder and publishing industry veteran Pete Alcorn drew a clear distinction between the two firms:

"We agree that the Internet and digital printing will change publishing forever. However, iUniverse and similar vanity press models are based on the idea that these technologies obviate the need for publishers, illustrators, designers, and editors.

"In fact, these "intermediaries" add enormous value to books. Technology can't change that. When video cameras became cheap, did directors, actors, and film editors become obsolete?

"NetRead's approach is not to cut out people who add value to books, but to provide the information, connections, and tools to help them work together more easily -- and to let new entrants to the publishing industry benefit from these valuable resources."