Jotspot Finally Revived as Google Sites

When Jotspot was acquired by Google, I was obviously waiting and watching for them to make something out of it.  Rob Hof reports that it is launching tonight as Google Sites.

Ever since Google bought the wiki-based online application startup Jotspot in late 2006, people have been wondering if it had disappeared forever inside the bowels of the search giant. Tonight, Google’s launching Google Sites, using Jotspot’s technology to create a free group collaboration service that will be part of its online software suite Google Apps.

He goes on to compare it with Sharepoint and Lotus Notes, which is a stretch of the imagination.  I have no doubt that Google Apps is a great long term bet, and Sites will raise individual awareness of a simpler way to work together. 

And with a lot of retrospection I have tremendous respect for Joe and Co.

All I can really say for now is welcome back to our party.

Comments

[Sean Murphy]

It's not clear to me that any value was created by "Joe and co." I would really like someone to point me to a Jotspot customer who feels good about their decision to put a business wiki on Jotspot. At one point they commented that they had looked at your business plan and decided that they could do better. It's emphatically not the case as measured by business adoption. Whatever has emerged "from the bowels of Google" bears no resemblance to what was swallowed in the acquisition.

[Jeremiah Owyang]

Ross

Nearly every industry has been impacted by Google, from social networks to widgets to email, enterprise software is just the next next.

In most cases, while Google provides a very easy to use service for the masses there's always a need for a deeper and more rich utility.

Great attitude to welcome new players.