18 January 2007USA.gov Goes Live with Next-Generation Government Search PortalVivisimo and MSN Search Power the Backbone for Re-Launched Public PortalPittsburgh, PA—Vivisimo (vivisimo.com), a leading provider of search software and expertise, today announced that USA.gov (www.usa.gov) has launched using Vivisimo's Velocity web search platform. The re-launched portal is the official Web portal of the U.S. Government. It leverages Vivisimo Velocity's search capabilities, combined with expanded results from Microsoft MSN Search. Vivisimo's solution serves as the technology backbone for Kids.Gov, GobiernoUSA.Gov, and Consumer.Gov, which are sister sites designed for specific audiences. Formerly known as FirstGov.gov, USA.gov delivers a superior, streamlined experience for the millions of citizens that visit the government portal every year. Public users can search government documents and Web pages, meta search government resources, and cluster all of the results into thematic categories. These capabilities, combined with an MSN search index deliver a comprehensive and feature-rich search for the user. As a result, users spend less time navigating the vast bureaucracy of government information, and spend more time finding information relevant to their search and exploring relevant topics in depth. The Vivisimo search platform selectively crawls and indexes a variety of government sources including frequently asked question documents (FAQs), government forms, government job postings, audio podcasts and consumer product reports, to return value-added sources and combine them with Web results at USA.gov. A search on "tax returns" returns FAQs addressing questions such as "Where do I get a tax return?" and "How do I get a copy of a previous year's tax return?" USA.gov offers clustering capabilities that sorts search results into thematic folders for easier navigation. The most ambiguous queries result in clearly defined themes. For example, a search on "Congress" returns folders of results related to the "Library of Congress," "108th Congress," "Senate," and "Representatives," and "Address to Congress." "Since Vivisimo first introduced our search platform in the intelligence community in 2004, we have worked with other top organizations such as the National Library of Medicine and the Department of Defense MilitaryHOMEFRONT portal to allow users to easily find their information. We have also made large reports such as the 2006 Federal Budget, 9/11 Commission Report and Iraq Study Group Report searchable to the public," said Raul Valdes-Perez, CEO and co-founder of Vivisimo. "Vivisimo's work with the GSA and MSN is a demonstration of continued commitment to provide better search and discovery for consumers of U.S. government information. It shows what can be achieved when technology and government work together." "Microsoft's goal has always been to better enable the government to serve its citizens. The evolution of Firstgov.gov to USA.gov is a great example of technology better enabling government to put relevant information in context." said Michael Donlan, General Manager, Technology and Programs, US Public Sector. "Today's announcement is an excellent demonstration of Microsoft's holistic search offering, meeting the needs of citizens and government enterprises. Microsoft is excited to continue our partnership with both Vivisimo and GSA in support of this effort." The Vivisimo Velocity platform provides large organizations with innovative search solutions that allow users to find, access, explore and manipulate all available content, regardless of location. It combines the simplicity of consumer search with the flexibility and control of enterprise software to help organizations reap the benefits of increased user adoption and satisfaction without compromising on performance, scalability, security or the ability to configure a solution specific to its business environment. About MSN and Windows LiveMSN attracts more than 465 million unique users worldwide per month. With localized versions available globally in 42 markets and 21 languages, MSN is a world leader in delivering compelling programmed content experiences to consumers and online advertising opportunities to businesses worldwide. Windows Live, a new set of personal Internet services and software, is designed to bring together in one place all the relationships, information and interests people care about most, with enhanced safety and security features across their PC, devices and the Web. MSN and Windows Live will be offered alongside each other as complementary services. Windows Live is available at http://www.live.com.
About VivisimoVivisimo does search right by combining the simplicity and innovation of consumer search with the flexibility and control of enterprise software. The company works with customers to understand their goals and quickly deploy solutions that maximize the business value of information—with an interface users love. Vivisimo serves its global client base through headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA, and Paris, France, and partners throughout the world. Please visit vivisimo.com to learn more about us and visit our Search Done Right blog to learn more about enterprise search. ### |
