Google acquires rights to Everything2 database and code

HOLLAND, Michigan and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 1, 2005 – Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG), the world's largest search engine, announced today the acquisition of the Everything2 database and technologies from its founder, Nate Oostendorp, and the Everything Development Company. The site and its content will be rebranded "Google Communities" and added to the stable of Google services.

“Google is pleased with the addition of the Everything2 database” said Bill Brasky, Google’s executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. “We value our user community, and look forward to providing them with this new method of creating and sharing rich and personal web content.”

"Becoming part of Google's offering is tremendously exciting," said Ryan Postma, Everything2's editor-in-chief and general manager. "I look forward to utilizing the services of Google's professional development team to realize our plans for improved content management. It'll be a welcome change from the volunteer team of drop-outs, burn-outs, and Jeopardy! champions."

Before the new Communities section is added to Google's main pages, a thorough review of the Everything2 database is in order to remove any postings which violate Copyright laws. "This review underscores Google’s commitment to the importance of intellectual property rights," said Brasky. "We felt that the time to purge the database had come," added Postma. "We're raising the bar for future content and making the new Communities site a welcoming place for new and established writers alike."

About Everything2

Everything2 is a user-driven, collaboratively filtered database. Featuring hundreds of thousands of articles in over a million "data nodes" Everything2 brings a personal, first-person perspective to the information stores of the World Wide Web, mixing fact, fiction, and personal experience into a compelling web of hypertext.

About Google

Google is a global technology leader focused on improving the ways people connect with information. Our innovations in web search and advertising have made our website a top Internet destination and our brand one of the most recognized in the world. We maintain the world's largest online index of websites and other content, and we make this information freely available to anyone with an Internet connection. Our automated search technology helps people obtain nearly instant access to relevant information from our vast online index.

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