February 24, 1999

MetaQuest enhances Automated Technical Support with Triage 2.0 Toolset New capabilities create best-of-breed diagnostics tool for software publishers Triage Client supports Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer for use on interactive Web sites Expanded data collection extends OEM potential to Call Management, Help Desk and Asset Management Systems among others MONTREAL, Canada, February 24, 1999 -- MetaQuest Software Inc. today announced Triage 2.0 - a technical support toolset that enables software publishers to bundle a customized diagnostics tool with their software applications. Triage automates technical support by collecting the configuration information vendors need to accurately diagnose software problems, without involving the customer in a lengthy Q&A session. Expanded data collection extends the number and types of software applications that can benefit from Triage. Automated data collection - such as network information, hardware resources and software inventory - make Triage 2.0 ideal for integration with a broader range of third-party products, including Help Desk, Call Management and Asset Management systems, etc. In addition to Microsoft Internet Explorer, new support for Netscape Navigator enables vendors to promote automated technical support via their Web sites. Triage 2.0 runs on Windows 95, 98 and NT. It can be purchased standalone or licensed on an OEM basis. Quantity-one list price is USD$795. General availability is planned for early Q2, 1999. Contact MetaQuest directly for more information. "The technical support crisis facing software publishers is reaching critical proportions," said Ralph Akhras, president of MetaQuest. "Reducing support costs is essential if vendors are to stay profitable. Tools emerging to meet this need range from complex automation systems costing thousands of dollars to simple troubleshooting utilities. With Triage, MetaQuest is automating a specific, yet critical, part of the support process - data collection and problem diagnosis - which represents the most time-consuming and costly activity for vendors." "Triage 2.0's expanded capabilities make it the most comprehensive data collection and diagnostic tool in its class," he continued. "It provides software organizations an affordable solution to reduce their technical support costs, while at the same time offering a best-of-breed, customizable diagnostics component for OEM systems integration. Given its robust functionality and low cost, Triage offers perhaps the best cost-effective, no risk option for vendors to take a proactive approach to technical support." Key Features in Triage 2.0: More complete and accurate data collection, including: - Network information: security, domains, adapters, protocols, clients and services - Hardware resources: DMA, IRQs, I/O ports - ActiveX controls: file version information, in addition to other attributes - Running applications and loaded modules: file version information, in addition to other attributes - Installed and startup applications - Displays, drives, printers: security and capabilities The information collected by Triage 2.0 can be used to quickly solve a wide range of problems, including: - File conflicts: missing or incorrect files (DLL, EXE, OCX, etc.) - ActiveX controls: failure to register an OCX - Registry: invalid or missing keys - Disconnected shortcuts XML-based input/output format supported for profile and audit reports Support for wildcard selection of files in the wizard Netscape now supported for the Triage Client web package Template items now displayed in separate tree format in the client and analyzer Supports command line arguments for easy integration with vendor applications Triage Client is fully integrated with e-mail applications Custom templates can be built for reuse across product lines Same executables work on Windows 95, 98 and NTPerformance Improvements. Background Information: The Triage toolset contains three components that - used together - streamline the problem diagnosis process: 1) Triage Wizard: Vendors use the wizard to build an "application profile" for their product. This profile specifies the data vendors need to collect about a customer's machine configuration in order to accurately diagnose a problem. The profile is bundled with Triage Client, and distributed to the customer on the application CD or via the vendor's Web site. 2) Triage Client: Vendors use the client to prepare reference reports for all the configurations that their application supports, i.e., US English Windows 95, French Windows NT, etc. These reference reports represent working configurations that can later be used by the analyzer. When problems with an application occur, customers run the client to automatically perform an audit of their PC. Triage Client takes a "snapshot" of the PC system, which collects only the information requested in the vendor's application profile. From the vendor's Web site, customers need only click a single button to initiate a download of the self-extracting client package, which then automatically performs the audit and returns the report to the vendor. If the client is accessed from the vendor's distribution CD, customers are prompted to e-mail the audit report to the vendor for analysis. This is the extent of the customer interaction required to facilitate the data collection process. 3) Triage Analyzer: The analyzer works by comparing a customer's audit report (problem configuration) with the reference report (working configuration) for the application. The analyzer scans the report data, and displays any discrepancy found in a familiar, graphical-type browser. Problem areas are highlighted, and may typically include items like the wrong version of a shared DLL, a missing registry key, etc. With problems quickly identified, vendors can then move on to determine the best course of action to fix them. Triage Analyzer scans the report data, and displays any discrepancies found in a familiar, graphical-type browser. Problem areas are highlighted, and may typically include items like a missing DLL, the wrong version of a particular file, etc. With problems quickly identified, vendors can then move on to determine the best course of action to fix them. Motherhood MetaQuest Software, Inc. develops and markets solutions for software development and technical support. The Company's products are targeted at software development organizations that require the flexibility to customize tools to meet their unique development needs. Products include Census, a defect tracking system for the Microsoft Windows environment, and Triage - an innovative solution to reduce the prohibitive costs associated with technical support. MetaQuest, Census, and Triage are trademarks of MetaQuest Software, Inc. Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT and Access are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other company or product names mentioned are the trade or service marks of their respective owners. For More Information Contact: MetaQuest Software Inc. 416 de Maisonneuve West, Suite 401, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1L2 Tel: 514-341-9113 FAX: 514-341-4757 Internet: info@metaquest.com

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Last modified: November, 1999