Google actively supporting OpenOffice?

When Google and Sun announced their partnership last month, it looked like a fairly small-scale deal, designed more to boost Sun's profile than to actually do anything specific to benefit either company. But now it looks like Google may be doing a little more to help its new partner, and in particular to help OpenOffice.org, which is closely aligned with Sun. According to CNet, Google is hiring programmers specifically to work on OpenOffice. "We want to hire a couple of folks to help make OpenOffice better," Google's Chris DiBona told CNet. While Google has supported open-source projects in the past, hiring programmers to specifically work on the office suite — seen by many as a potential challenger to Microsoft Office — is a new tactic, one sure to draw attention in Redmond. For now, however, Google remains mum on any long-term plans to do anything other than help Sun, and OpenOffice users. According to DiBona: "We were looking for ways to work with Sun and ways to help users. This is a good place to spend some resources."
 

Tags: opensource