OFFICIAL VIA LINUX WEBITE LAUNCHED.

VIA Technologies, Inc., Austin, Texas, an innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, announced a new initiative to improve support for the Open Source development community.

As the first step in this initiative, VIA has opened its official VIA Linux website at http://linux.via.com.tw The site will initially host drivers, technical documentation, source code, and information regarding the VIA CN700, CX700/M, CN896 and the new VIA VX800 chipsets, with plans to add official forums and support for more products later on in the year.

Over the following months, VIA will work with the community to enable 2D, 3D and video playback acceleration to ensure the best possible Open Source experience on VIA Processor Platforms.

To further improve cooperation with the community, VIA will also adhere to a regular quarterly release schedule that is aligned with kernel changes and release of major Linux distributions. In addition, beta releases will be issued on the site as needed, and a bug report and tracking feature will also be integrated.

"This announcement is the first step in the implementation of our new initiative to better serve the needs of the Open Source community," commented Richard Brown, vice president of Corporate Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. "We are strongly committed to improving the levels of collaboration with the community and adopting a more consistent approach across VIA Processor Platform technologies."

"We are delighted that VIA has announced its commitment to enhance support for the Linux and Open Source community," commented Jim Zemlin, executive director at The Linux Foundation. "This action will open up exciting new opportunities for accelerating open source innovation around VIA platforms and ultimately delivering a better user experience."

About VIA Technologies, Inc.

VIA Technologies, Inc is the foremost fabless supplier of power efficient x86 processor platforms that are driving system innovation in the PC, client, ultra mobile and embedded markets. Combining energy-saving processors with digital media chipsets and advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon enables a broad spectrum of computing and communication platforms, including its widely acclaimed ultra compact mainboards. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA's global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world's top OEMs and system integrators.

For more information, visit http://www.via.com.tw or call 415/389-1700.