Google Wave

Google Wave, later known as Apache Wave, is a discontinued software framework for real-time collaborative online editing. Originally developed by Google and announced on May 28, 2009, it was renamed to Apache Wave when the project was adopted by the Apache Software Foundation as an incubator project in 2010.

Wave is a web-based computing platform and communications protocol designed to merge key features of communications media, such as email, instant messaging, wikis, and social networking. Communications using the system can be synchronous or asynchronous. Software extensions provide contextual spelling and grammar checking, automated language translation and other features.

Initially released only to developers, a preview release of Google Wave was extended to 100,000 users in September 2009, each allowed to invite additional users. Google accepted most requests submitted starting November 29, 2009, soon after the September extended release of the technical preview. On May 19, 2010, it was released to the general public.

On August 4, 2010, Google announced the suspension of stand-alone Wave development and the intent of maintaining the web site at least for the remainder of the year; on November 22, 2011, they announced that existing Waves would become read-only in January 2012, and all Waves would be deleted in April 2012. Development was handed over to the Apache Software Foundation which started to develop a server-based product called Wave in a Box. Apache Wave never reached a full release and was discontinued on January 15, 2018.