Microsoft Corp.'s planned acquisition of Web conferencing service provider PlaceWare Inc. and the realignment of its Real-Time Collaboration Group are the first steps in the company's grand plan to expand its collaboration technologies.
The PlaceWare acquisition, announced last week for an undisclosed price, is expected to close later this quarter. It will be integrated into the newly formed Real-Time Collaboration Group, which is being pulled out of the Windows group.
Also coming under the Real-Time umbrella is the Redmond, Wash., developer's Exchange Conferencing Server and forthcoming Real-Time Communications Server instant messaging software, code-named Greenwich, which is expected by midyear.
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