Microsoft acquires PlaceWare to serve enterprise web-based HR market

With customers like Gap Inc., PlaceWare Inc. is increasing its offerings in web-based collaboration for employee training and other corporatewide applications. Now that`s it been acquired by Microsoft Corp., its online collaboration technology will offer higher levels of accessibility and security, PlaceWare says.

PlaceWare`s web-conferencing is used to support widely dispersed work forces with real-time collaborative access to product information as well as other material in company documents. For example, a retail sales manager at headquarters and a remotely located sales rep might use PlaceWare to simultaneously view and modify a PowerPoint presentation on new products and market strategies.

As part of Microsoft, PlaceWare will develop online conferencing applications designed to more easily connect additional people in real time, a spokesman says. Its applications will also be geared to operate with the new Microsoft Server 2003, raising levels of accessibility and security, he adds.

Microsoft will operate PlaceWare as part of Microsoft`s recently formed Real-Time Collaboration Business Unit, which is headed by corporate vice president Anoop Gupta and a team of managers from PlaceWare and Microsoft.