Why did google shut down etherpad?

rolf

http://etherpad.com/transition.html

For those of you who dont know, etherpad was a really nice site where you could instantly create a shared text document, and then collaboratively (in real time - that is you could see others type) work the document, and also chat with other users.
It was a great collaboration tool for programmers - very light and responsive (there was no formatting). I think there was a simple implementation of document history (not sure though), and no registration was reqired whatsoever, either to create, edit or observe a document. To share it you would just pass the link to someone.
They could also be saved forever!!
They had a paying option, where you register and then you can set passwords on your documents.
Some time last year (I think) Google acquired them, and now their homepage shows the ugly white "empty" google style with the childish google logo. WTF?
The link above shows some "timetable", but with no indication as to why this got shut down.

Anyone has any ideas?

EDIT: this is a replacement, using the same code I believe, if you want to have an idea of what I'm talking about:
http://piratepad.net/

BashLogic

rolf wrotehttp://etherpad.com/transition.html

For those of you who dont know, etherpad was a really nice site where you could instantly create a shared text document, and then collaboratively (in real time - that is you could see others type) work the document, and also chat with other users.
It was a great collaboration tool for programmers - very light and responsive (there was no formatting). I think there was a simple implementation of document history (not sure though), and no registration was reqired whatsoever, either to create, edit or observe a document. To share it you would just pass the link to someone.
They could also be saved forever!!
They had a paying option, where you register and then you can set passwords on your documents.
Some time last year (I think) Google acquired them, and now their homepage shows the ugly white "empty" google style with the childish google logo. WTF?
The link above shows some "timetable", but with no indication as to why this got shut down.

Anyone has any ideas?

EDIT: this is a replacement, using the same code I believe, if you want to have an idea of what I'm talking about:
http://piratepad.net/

because it competes with google docs! it was clear that when google bought out etherpad that it was going to shut it down to kill competition.

crazy

Its weird that they shut it down, but they made the code open source. I guess, not really sure about that, but the fact that you can find it in google code made me think in this direction.

edit

My post came just after yours bash, kill the competition by making the code open source?

I just checked again, it is open source now --> http://etherpad.com/

rolf

Yeah, taking away from people their favorite tool isnt really "do no evil", but I got a possible explanation on their mailing list:

Google bought the company to acquire its team for the Google Wave team.
They had no desire to run EtherPad.com, so they shut it down. Luckily,
they converted the code to open source before winding things down.

BashLogic wrotebecause it competes with google docs! it was clear that when google bought out etherpad that it was going to shut it down to kill competition.

Well, you cant save bash scripts in google docs (some security feature I think). it is also not realtime yet.
Shutting it down before there is a real alternative is only making users angry.

rolf

I found a replacement btw:
titanpad.com
They even forgot (?) to change the logo in some places and it still says EtherPad..

wollyka

google wave offers the same function.. that's why.. but it is till in beta..