Microsoft plans to beef up its collaborative software offerings by acquiring Web conferencing firm PlaceWare . PlaceWare services let companies run real-time meetings and presentations over the Internet.
PlaceWare is a private company, so financial terms of the deal weren't announced.
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Microsoft also created the new Real Time Collaboration Group business unit within its Information Worker business -- PlaceWare will become part of this group. The group will be led by Anoop Gupta, who's been with Microsoft Research for five years. Microsoft says this unit will provide a range of online business communication tools.
PlaceWare will run as a separate company until Microsoft gets regulatory approval and finalizes the acquisition, which is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2003.
Among other work in the collaboration space, Microsoft plans to include new capabilities for SharePoint Team Services in its upcoming Office 11. SharePoint Team Services give workers a central Web site where they can share documents and information.
Microsoft is also closely aligned with Groove Networks. For example, Groove is offering an integration toolkit that ties together Microsoft SharePoint Team Services with Groove Workspace desktop collaboration software -- see Advisor
