4 December 2001

SAN FRANCISCO, ORACLE OPENWORLD 200 -- ScanSoft, Inc. a global leader in paper-to-digital solutions, today announced that the company will offer a special edition of its PaperPort document imaging software for Oracle9i Database customers. This initiative underscores ScanSoft's commitment to helping businesses and organizations worldwide capitalize on the wealth of information that exists in paper-based documents.

"Our customers are telling us their paper documents need to be digitized and accessible from an online corporate repository," said Robert Shimp, vice president of Oracle9i Database marketing at Oracle Corporation. "We are delighted to partner with vendors such as ScanSoft to deliver a quick and simple way to move paper into the Oracle9i Database, where the information can be secure, highly available, and managed at a lower cost."

Despite tremendous advances in technology and communications over the last decade, a majority of all business information is still maintained in paper- based records, forms, documents, contracts and files. To help users bridge the gap between their paper and digital resources, ScanSoft will provide an imaging and document management solution that utilizes the strengths of the Oracle(R) Internet File System and ScanSoft PaperPort solutions. With the continued proliferation of high-speed scanning capabilities in devices such as networked digital copiers, businesses can now optimize their powerful document input capabilities with an equally powerful yet intuitive system to make paper documents available and searchable within an Oracle database environment.

ScanSoft will integrate its paper management solution, PaperPort Deluxe 8.0, with Oracle Internet File System, a feature of Oracle9i Database. Oracle9i Database consolidates company data into a unified repository, expanding the database platform to present electronic documents as files and folders that users can access across an enterprise. With the addition of ScanSoft's PaperPort software, users can now scan paper-based documents and manage their digital equivalents directly in Oracle systems.

"With the proliferation of networked digital copiers and high-speed scanners in the office, more companies have requested solutions to manage paper documents with their existing electronic documents," said Wayne Crandall, senior vice president of Sales at ScanSoft, Inc. "PaperPort provides users at every level of an organization with an easy and cost- effective way to convert paper to digital documents that can be searched and retrieved along with the electronic files already residing in Oracle9i Databases."

PaperPort and Oracle Internet File System

As the volume and complexity of corporate data continues to multiply, organizations constantly seek new solutions for integrating and managing all types of resources and formats. The Oracle Internet File System is designed to provide users with a secure and reliable file system, on a single server, that stores all types of data, from Web pages and email to spreadsheets and XML. With the addition of PaperPort software to an Oracle installation, users can now easily transfer paper-based documents to the file system and manage all resources through a single visual interface.

Used in conjunction with a digital copier, networked multi-function or scanning device, PaperPort software is designed to convert paper into organized, digital documents that can be used along with existing documents and shared across an enterprise. Highlights include:

Digital Paper

Saves scanned paper documents in a small file format that preserves an image exactly as it appeared on paper, analogous to photocopying paper directly into your computer. Its annotation feature allows users to add notes and comments - highlighting sticky-notes, arrows and stamps - without altering the original.

Visual File Management

Provides clear thumbnail images of scanned documents and photos, as well as PDF, Word, PowerPoint and other file formats that offer a 'preview' of documents without opening them.

Paper Tools

PaperPort makes it easy to work with paper on the computer with its simple tools to stack, unstack, rearrange, rotate, crop and clean the digital images of paper documents created during the scanning process.

Text Capture

PaperPort's accurate OCR makes it easy to turn scanned documents into editable text, without retyping, for use in other applications or documents.

For additional information on PaperPort software and its full range of benefits for Oracle9i Database users, please visit http://www.scansoft.com/oracle/.

MORE INFO

Headquartered in Peabody, Mass., with European headquarters in The Netherlands, ScanSoft, Inc. (www.scansoft.com) is a global leader in paper-to-digital solutions for desktop, network, Internet and mobile environments that enable users to leverage the power of their scanners, digital cameras and other electronic devices. ScanSoft's award-winning product line - OmniPage Pro, TextBridge Pro, PaperPort Deluxe, Pagis Pro, OmniForm, eOmniForm, and numerous software developer's kits - enables users to capture, recognize, edit, manage and share documents and photos electronically by taking advantage of ScanSoft's cutting- edge technology.

ScanSoft has established numerous strategic partnerships with the industry's leading scanner and multifunction vendors to deliver the most comprehensive and cost-effective solutions for its customers. Vendors who have chosen ScanSoft's cutting-edge products and technologies include Brother, Canon, Epson, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, IBM/Lotus, Mustek, Primax, Sharp, Symantec Corporation, Visioneer, Xerox and others. ScanSoft's leading technologies have been licensed by Microsoft for use in Office XP and other future products. ScanSoft continues to cultivate and develop strategic partnerships to deliver the most comprehensive and cost-effective solutions for its customers.

ScanSoft software is sold, marketed and supported worldwide through retail, dealer and OEM channels and the Internet, capturing the small to medium size business and corporate markets. There are more than eight million registered users of ScanSoft products. ScanSoft can be found on the Web at www.scansoft.com.

Trademark reference: ScanSoft, PaperPort, PaperPort Deluxe, OmniPage, OmniPage Pro, TextBridge, Pagis, OmniForm, eOmniForm, and Developer's Kit 2000 are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft, Inc., in the United States and other countries. Oracle is a registered trademark and Oracle9i is a trademark or registered trademark of Oracle Corporation. All other trademarks and trade names mentioned are hereby recognized and may be registered to their respective holders.

The Company notes that the statements in this release that relate to future plans, events, performance, including without limitation the projected shipment dates, customers' opting to upgrade to newer or more fully featured products are forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company's actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market acceptance, engineering delays, quality assurance testing delays, contractual negotiations, successful completion of beta site testing, the scheduling of orders, changes in operating systems, a significant change in the competitive environment, timely delivery by component suppliers and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports. Readers are cautioned not to place undo reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.