If you've dreamed of starting your own Web site, Google has made it easier than ever. It has expanded the availability of its Google Sites service -- originally only for Google Apps users -- to everyone. There's no limit on the number of pages you can create, nor what you can share with the WWW.

When Google first made sites available to Apps users, I took it for a spin. It was fairly easy to register a site and use Google's tools to crease some basic Web pages. No advanced knowledge of HTML or other Web technologies is required. I also was able to set up user accounts, e-mail accounts, and make it really official. At the time, it was only for registered businesses with Google Apps accounts. Now every Jane and Joe can have at it.

Google writes in its blog, "We've made it easy for anyone to set up a website to share all types of information -- team projects, company intranets, community groups, classrooms, clubs, family updates, you name it -- in one place, for a few people, a group or the world."

Sites isn't just for one person to set up and manage a Web site. It's a collaborative tool that lets anyone (who you've invited) view or edit content. Setting up access for others is as simple as e-mailing them.

In the spirit of Web 2.0, the ability for many to contribute, change, and collectively alter Web documents can be truly powerful ... or utterly annoying. Either way, launching your own Web site just got a little bit simpler.