AltaVista Shortcuts Tap the Invisible Web to Provide Instant Answers to the Web's Top Queries.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2002

2002 Olympic Winter Games is Newest Addition to Industry-Leading

Collection of Specialized Databases and Real-Time Resources

AltaVista Company, a leading global provider of search services and software and a majority owned operating company of CMGI, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMGI), today announced the official launch of AltaVista Shortcuts, an Internet search feature that assembles highly relevant results for the most common Web searches.

AltaVista(R) Shortcuts are unique result links that present users with precise data and current information resources in a clear and actionable interface. AltaVista culls these results from premier content providers, specialized indexes and proprietary databases, some of which are hidden in the deep layers of what is known as the 'Invisible Web.'

"Through its new AltaVista Shortcuts, AltaVista is making strides in revealing part of the Invisible Web to searchers. By providing links to relevant content that's hidden deep within timely and authoritative sites, AltaVista Shortcuts save the searcher's time and provide access to information that's often unavailable through many other search engines," said Chris Sherman, editor of Search Day and author of The Invisible Web.

AltaVista Shortcuts are integrated directly into the first Web search results page. Users can easily test the new feature by doing a search for their favorite large city (i.e. San Francisco) and then looking for the small blue arrow icons. The arrows will highlight AltaVista Shortcuts to key information on the selected city, including maps, directions, local resources, city guides, weather, yellow pages and more.

"AltaVista Shortcuts are the shortest distance between Internet users and the information they seek," said Jim Barnett, CEO of AltaVista. "We have partnered with key resource providers and have built specialized indexes to provide users with highly useful real-time information that reaches far beyond conventional Web search."

The newest addition to AltaVista Shortcuts is an array of real-time resources on the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Effective today, Web searchers on AltaVista.com can tap the power of AltaVista Shortcuts to instantly access news, profiles, schedules and statistics on their favorite Winter Olympic athletes and events. In addition, as gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded, AltaVista Shortcuts for the 2002 Olympics will direct searchers to news and other sources documenting the medal ceremonies. To try Olympic AltaVista Shortcuts, go to http://www.altavista.com/sites/search/avs_olympia Additional Olympic Resources can be found at http://www.altavista.com/sites/search/olympia_resources?q=Olympics

AltaVista Shortcuts provide Internet searchers with fresh and exceptionally relevant results in the following categories:

--  News                            --  2002 Olympic Winter Games
--  Local Information               --  Images
         City Guides                --  Celebrity Images
         Maps                       --  Downloads
         Directions                 --  Greeting Cards
         Weather                    --  Shopping
--  Financial Information           --  Recipes
         Stock Quotes               --  Auto
         Stock Profiles             --  WhitePages
         Charts                     --  YellowPages
         Company News               --  PeopleFinder
         Message Boards
         Analyst Estimates
         SEC Filings

For more information on AltaVista Shortcuts, please see http://www.altavista.com/sites/search/shortcuts_overview

About AltaVista Company

AltaVista is a leading global provider of search services and software. The company's patented technology continues to set the pace, making AltaVista a leading search engine among Web users and premier provider of high-powered search software to intranet, enterprise and e-commerce clients around the globe. AltaVista is a majority-owned operating company of CMGI, Inc. (Nasdaq:CMGI). For more information, see http://www.altavista.com and http://solutions.altavista.com.

Note to Editors: AltaVista is a registered trademark of AltaVista Company.

This release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events, and these statements are subject to important factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this release address a variety of subjects including, for example, the expected benefits of AltaVista Shortcuts. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: AltaVista may experience difficulties integrating technologies, operations and personnel in accordance with its business; AltaVista's ability to execute on its business strategy and the continued and increased demand for and market acceptance of AltaVista's products, services, web sites and the Internet in general; AltaVista's products and technologies may not successfully interoperate with those of third parties; and increased competition and technological changes in the markets in which AltaVista competes. For a detailed discussion of these and other cautionary statements, please refer to CMGI Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including CMGI's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the most recently ended fiscal quarter.