The Web Word Processor
...that's now part of Google.

Google Buys Writely

The search company strikes at Microsoft by acquiring a web-based Word competitor.
March 9, 2006

In an overt challenge to Microsoft, search giant Google said Thursday it had acquired Writely, an online word processing tool, for an undisclosed amount.

Writely, a project of Upstartle, functions much like Microsoft Word but in a web browser. The online environment allows for collaboration between multiple authors and the benefit of someone else hosting your document.

The four employees of the Portola Valley, California-based company, which has not disclosed any outside funding, will move a couple exits south to Mountain View, California-based Google.

In a post on Google’s blog, Writely’s Jen Mazzon said “many thousands of people” had used Writely, which debuted in a beta version at the end of August 2005. She said the software would not be available to additional users until it had been moved onto Google’s systems.

Upstartle CEO Sam Schillace said, “We’re absolutely thrilled,” but declined further comment.

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