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MadCap Software Extends Cutting-edge Webhelp Functionality to Users of Legacy Browser-based Help Systems


MadCap Search Optimizer and Toolbar for Internet Explorer Add Optimized Web and WebHelp Search, Screen Capture and More to Provide a Rich Customer Experience

La Jolla, CA, USA – November 3, 2008 — MadCap Software, the leader in multi-channel content authoring and a showcase company for Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Visual Studio 2005 and Microsoft XPS, today announced the launch of its MadCap Search Optimizer and free MadCap Toolbar. The Search Optimizer extends MadCap’s cutting-edge WebHelp search to legacy browser-based Help systems. Now authors that continue to build their Web or intranet documentation using legacy tools—such as Adobe RoboHelp, ComponentOne Doc-to-Help, WebWorks Publisher and Author-It—can still provide their users with the most advanced WebHelp search in the industry.

The MadCap Search Optimizer automatically creates a WebHelp search database, which is then downloaded and accessed by users via the free MadCap Toolbar. This enables the return of search results almost instantaneously. With the MadCap Toolbar, users can also conduct wildcard searches—an industry first—in which only part of the search term is known. Other advanced search features include the ability for users of legacy browser-based Help systems to receive search results based on relevance instead of simply by alphabet, expand or collapse the WebHelp table of contents and all dynamic Help effects, and freely remove search highlighting, all with no additional programming required.

In addition to these advanced, industry-first search experiences, users of the free MadCap Toolbar enjoy several other productivity features, including:

  • Screen Capture using some of the more basic features from MadCap Capture.
  • Personal Vault for securely storing and easily accessing confidential data, such as credit card information, passwords, and form data.
  • Easy Web Search via a drop-down menu for single-click access to Google, Yahoo!, and MSN.

“The value of WebHelp is in the total customer experience that it delivers. It’s not enough to have thorough, well-written documentation. How readily users can access that information and get the relevant search results they are looking for is equally important.” said Anthony Olivier, MadCap co-founder and CEO. “With our new MadCap Search Optimizer and Toolbar, WebHelp authors can give their readers unprecedented speed and flexibility using search features previously available only with MadCap Flare. As a result, authors relying on legacy applications no longer have to subject customers to slowly searching through excess content to get the answers they need.”

Availability and Pricing

Both the MadCap Search Optimizer and MadCap Toolbar are immediately available for download. The MadCap Toolbar, which runs on Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher, is free for all users. The MadCap Search Optimizer is available for $449. Flare users do not require the Search Optimizer, since all of the advance search and toolbar functionality is available when using Flare and the MadCap Toolbar together.

About MadCap Software

MadCap Software is a trusted resource for thousands of companies around the globe for single-source, multi-channel authoring and publishing solutions designed to streamline the process of developing and delivering training content, learning and development programs, technical documentation, online Help, knowledge bases, and more. From authoring, publishing and translation, to cloud-based content management system, to contribution and review in the cloud, you can streamline content delivery and manage the entire content development lifecycle with MadCap Software. MadCap Software’s services include product training, consulting services, translation and localization, and an advanced developer certification program. Headquartered in San Diego, California, with offices in Austin, TX, MadCap Software is home to some of the most experienced software architects and product experts in the content development industry.

MadCap Software, the MadCap Software logo, and MadCap Flare, are trademarks or registered trademarks of MadCap Software, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries.