Synopsys IP Catalyst Alliance Strengthened by Addition of ARM

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.----Sept. 27, 2000--Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNPS), today announced that ARM (LSE:ARM); (Nasdaq: ARMHY - ) has joined the company's IP Catalyst alliance program for independent intellectual property (IP) companies. Partners in the Synopsys IP Catalyst program evaluate the reusability of their soft IP core offerings using the popular Open Measure of Reuse Excellence (OpenMORE) assessment program. Using the OpenMORE assessment program, ARM will evaluate its PrimeCell(TM) peripheral products, a family of soft macro-cells. The results -- OpenMORE ratings of one-to-four stars -- will be published next quarter in the Synopsys IP Catalyst Catalog which can be accessed at no charge from the company's Web page: http://www.synopsys.com/ipcatalyst.

``Some important advantages for developers using PrimeCell peripheral cores are the ease of reusability and quality of the deliverable set,'' said Chris Jones, product manager, PrimeCell Peripherals, ARM. ``ARM is committed to supporting industry-standard programs that enable assessment of reusable IP. New users to third-party IP will find OpenMORE ratings helpful in understanding the importance of consistent and well-documented measurement of reusability.''

``As ARM, the industry leader in microprocessor IP, expands its soft peripheral IP offerings, customers who are designing embedded systems can benefit by understanding reusability through the common industry reference that the OpenMORE assessment and rating provides,'' said Laura Horsey, manager, IP partnerships for Synopsys.

ARM joins more than 40 IP companies participating in Synopsys' IP Catalyst program. Customers can view the OpenMORE star ratings of more than 100 soft IP cores in the online catalog and request the full 10-page confidential OpenMORE assessments from IP Catalyst partners.

About OpenMORE

OpenMORE is a practical easy-to-use reference guide and assessment tool supporting the industry's need for rapid adoption of the best design reuse practices for IP cores. OpenMORE was developed jointly by Synopsys and Mentor Graphics and is based on the widely-used Reuse Methodology Manual Second Edition co-authored by Michael Keating of Synopsys and Pierre Bricaud of Mentor Graphics, and the original MORE assessment tool introduced by Synopsys. OpenMORE also includes a cross-reference to the Virtual Socket Interface Alliance deliverables documentation. Synopsys and Mentor provide the OpenMORE assessment program to the industry at no charge from the Web site: http://www.openmore.com.

About Synopsys

Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNPS), headquartered in Mountain View, California, creates leading electronic design automation (EDA) tools for the global electronics market. The company delivers advanced design technologies and solutions to developers of complex integrated circuits, electronic systems, and systems on a chip. Synopsys also provides consulting and support services to simplify the overall IC design process and accelerate time to market for its customers. Visit Synopsys at http://www.synopsys.com.

Note to Editors: Synopsys is a registered trademark of Synopsys Inc. ARM is a registered trademark and PrimeCell is a trademark of ARM Limited. ``ARM'' is used to represent ARM Holdings plc (LSE:ARM and Nasdaq: ARMHY); its operating company, ARM Limited; and the regional subsidiaries: ARM, INC.; ARM KK; ARM Korea, Ltd. All other trademarks or registered trademark mentioned in this release are the intellectual property of their respective owners.