In The Press
MadCap Software Launches New Version of MadCap Feedback server—a Web 2.0-enabled Content Feedback System
MadCap Feedback Server 2.0 Enhances Author and Reader Collaboration with Simplified Installation, Customizable User Profiles, Email Notifications, and Context-Sensitive Help ID Tracking
La Jolla, CA, USA – FEBRUARY 2, 2009 – 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 that the MadCap Feedback Server 2.0 is now available.
The MadCap Feedback Server is the industry’s only server-based feedback system for content development teams that provides Web 2.0 features—such as blog-style comments and topic rating—to enable collaboration among team members and the readers of their documentation. It is part of the MadCap Software documentation family, the only suite of products designed to provide a complete content workflow solution, from authoring and casual contribution; to multi-channel publishing of high-end print, online and multimedia content; to content analysis, localization, and collaboration.
With version 2.0, the MadCap Feedback Server adds several new features for enhancing collaboration and interactions between authors and their readers, helping to optimize both the value and ease of accessing critical information:
• Customizable user profiles allow authors to customize the information that is required when users register their user profile, depending on the user’s preferences and relationship with the company. Additionally, users can edit their profiles once they have been created.
• Email notifications with version 2.0 let end users choose to receive email notifications when certain events take place with online content. For example, users can receive emails whenever replies to their comments are posted.
• Context-sensitive Help (CSH) ID tracking lets authors track how many times each of their CSH identifiers have been invoked, providing better insight into how readers are using online documentation and Help systems.
• Performance and scalability enhancements at the application and supporting database level have optimized the Feedback Server’s responsiveness.
In addition to enhancing interactions for authors and readers, the MadCap Feedback Server 2.0 also provides enhancements to facilitate management and reporting. The ability to separate the Microsoft SQL Server underlying the Feedback Server from the Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) machine means documentation teams are no longer limited to having the database on the same server that is hosting the Feedback Web services. With version 2.0, authors can now reset the topic view, topic rating, and search statistics when they want in order to view only the new statistics. Finally, two filtering options—one for filtering out irrelevant IP addresses (such as those for PCs used in testing) and another for filtering topic statistics by dates—help authors to fine-tune their reporting.
Version 2.0 builds on the proven success of the MadCap Feedback Server in revolutionizing how enterprises get live user feedback on documentation, whether Web-based or on the desktop. Expanding beyond functionality for viewing and tracking reader activity, the Feedback Server offers cutting-edge Web 2.0 capabilities that allow readers to post immediate, blog-style comments—for example, clarifying or updating information in the documentation—and the comments can become part of the page that future readers see. They also enable readers to rate published information using a standard five-star system, so authors can find out what information readers truly find beneficial. Readers’ topic ratings are tabulated, providing an overall community average score that
all readers can then see on a page-by-page basis. At the same time, content teams retain full control of which features are used and by whom through rules-based access.
“Using our MadCap Feedback Server, growing numbers of companies are increasing the value of their content by moving beyond static information delivery to enable dynamic interaction between authors and readers—whether they are customers, partners or other employees,” said Anthony Olivier, MadCap co-founder and CEO. “With version 2.0, our Feedback Server takes collaboration to a new level by allowing readers to customize their experience, providing authors with greater insight into readers’ usage, and ensuring the rapid system response that encourages Web 2.0-enabled community interaction.”
Pricing and Availability
The MadCap Feedback Server 2.0 can be deployed onsite or is available as the hosted MadCap Feedback Service. The MadCap Feedback Server 2.0 is currently being offered at an introductory price of $1,799 per server product license (each product license includes multiple Feedback target licenses for authors to use). The MadCap Feedback Service is offered in increments of 3, 6, or 12 months, with prices starting at $399 for a 3-month subscription. Fees for support start at $799 per year.
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.
