Palo Alto, April 10, 2001 — DevX.com, Inc., the leading provider of information and services for the corporate IT development community, today announced from SD West (Booth # 940) the launch of its Prisoner's Dilemma contest, hosted on the DevX Windows XP Developer Center (http://windowsxp.devx.com). Based on the classic game-theory exercise, Prisoner's Dilemma provides developers with a fun way to compete for prizes from Microsoft and Compaq while learning about building Web Services within the Microsoft .NET framework and hosting them on Microsoft Windows XP.

Prisoner's Dilemma involves two newly apprehended partners in crime trying to outsmart one another in order to minimize their own jail time. In DevX's adaptation, entrants create software robots that will play the game on their behalf, winning and losing points depending on how their strategies play out in competition. The running game is similar to a business exchange: Various independent agents communicating, cooperating and competing with each other to further their individual goals. Both the infrastructure of the game and the player robots themselves are implemented as "Web Services," an important part of the Microsoft .NET Framework.

"We continually look for ways to connect with our developer audience, and as we roll-out .NET and its components, we want to provide them with innovative and meaningful ways to learn about the products and the strategy behind them," said Joe Ternasky, Software Architect for Microsoft. "Now, developers can learn how easily Web Services can be built and consumed within the .NET framework, and how reliably they can be hosted on Windows XP in an environment that mirrors how they actually work and simulates the challenges of implementation."

"Our goal in hosting this game is to give developers a fun and easy way to learn about Web Services and Microsoft's .NET strategy," said Peter Horan, CEO of DevX.com, Inc. "We believe that a head start in understanding how to leverage new technology is critical in the fast-paced world of application development. Prisoner's Dilemma illustrates our continued commitment to providing corporate application developers with the crucial information and cutting-edge tools needed to lead technology innovation."

"Reaching developers in an interactive forum was a key objective in the beta testing of Microsoft Windows XP," said David Ohara, Manager of the PC Experience Evangelism team at Microsoft. "The DevX-created Windows XP Developer Center enables us to communicate with developers throughout the beta testing process and provides a focused resource where they can gain the technical expertise necessary to ensure that their applications work well and take advantage of the power of Windows XP."

As developers build their robots, they can utilize the resources on the site, which include articles, strategies, downloadable sample robots, links and other tools.

DevX launched the Windows XP Developer Center (http://windowsxp.devx.com) for Microsoft in November 2000 to meet the needs of both Microsoft and the beta testers of the new operating system during the beta phase of the product. The center provides developers with a place to download related software and documentation, access expert tips and advice, and discuss their experiences with the program. The Prisoner's Dilemma game expands the site's offerings and provides developers with an innovative way to learn about Windows XP and the .NET strategy.

Prisoner's Dilemma Background
Prisoner's Dilemma is a simple exercise employed by game theorists to illustrate concepts ranging from price wars to arms races. The game is centered around cooperation and competition and is personified by two criminals who have been apprehended by the authorities, leaving each with only two choices: to cooperate with the police, or to remain silent. Each prisoner's objective is to minimize his jail sentence. If both confess, each will go to prison for five years; if neither confesses, both go to jail for one year; and if one confesses and the other remains silent, the confessor retains his freedom and his accomplice goes to jail for the maximum sentence.

Prisoner's Dilemma FAQ available upon request.

About DevX.com
DevX.com, Inc. is the leading provider of technical information and services that enable corporate IT development teams to efficiently conquer development challenges and keep projects moving. DevX resources are available through three main channels: the category-leading public Website, www.devx.com; custom-built DevX Corporate Development Portals for corporate IT departments; and DevX Vendor Development Portals, which enable leading IT vendors to reach a large, influential audience seeking product and vendor-specific technical information. Each Portal offering is comprised of a tailored mix of "just in time" e-Learning, expert tips, code libraries, collaboration tools, project-management capabilities, and premium content and services.