Corel To Buy SoftQuad

Corel said Tuesday it plans to buy SoftQuad Software in a stock deal estimated at about $37 million.

Toronto-based Softquad specializes in XML technology that will be used to enhance Corel's current WordPerfect line, the company said in a statement.

Corel has been on a bit if a buying binge of late. On July 16, it revealed plans to acquire Micrografx, a Richardson, Texas-based maker of technical illustration software. Corel had competed with some Micrografx software. That deal was worth about $32 million in stock.

Corel, which made a name for itself in drawing and illustration software for Windows, has tried to reposition itself as a Linux player. At one point, under former CEO Michael Cowpland, the company had even dabbled in the hardware business.

Last October, Microsoft bought a 24 percent stake in Corel, investing $135 million. Ironically, Corel's WordPerfect suite had suffered from intense competition with Microsoft's market-leading Office suite. As part of that investment deal, Corel agreed to develop applications for Microsoft's .Net strategy. And, since that time, Corel has de-emphasized its push into Linux, the open-source operating system that competes with Microsoft Windows. A Corel spokesman says the company is trying to sell off that business.

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