Disney's Go.com To Stay

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgWalt Disney Co. has announced that its past decision to scrap its Go.com portal has been reversed. However, the Go.com portal will be a much more pared down version with Web searches handled by former rival GoTo.com. The Go.com home page now serves as a low maintenance starting point for the Walt Disney Internet Group's other sites like Disney.com, ABC.com and Movies.com. In the formation of Go.com, Disney purchased Infoseek and their search engine. Currently, Disney is looking to sell off assets associated with Infoseek. An ironic twist to this story is that Disney and GoTo.com a year ago were embroiled in a copyright infringement suit over the two companies' stop light logos. In May 2000, Disney settled the lawsuit, paying GoTo.com US$21.5 million and terminated the use of the confusing symbol. In January 2001, when the decision was made to close down Go.com, 400 employees were laid off. This move to keep Go.com will not effect any staffing. As part of the original announcement, Disney said it would stop trading the Walt Disney Internet Group stock and recombine it with the parent company's stock. This will still occur as planned on March 20, 2001.