As discussed here earlier this week, Google has announced a site where programmers can host their software projects.

The site: code.google.com/hosting is intended to further the open-source programming movement.

News.com reports: “Google’s hosting service, which accumulated dozens of new projects on its opening day, features mechanisms to store software, discuss it with mailing lists and track bugs. Google permits projects under a variety of open-source licenses–but not the full range.”

A Google spokesperson said: “We’d like to see projects standardize on the most popular, time-tested ones. The selected licenses offer diversity to meet most developer needs.”

Google’s service uses hosting software called Subversion. That start-up, which still oversees Subversion development and sells hosts distributed programming projects for its clients, welcomed Google’s move.

“I think it’s a great thing,” said CollabNet co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Brian Behlendorf, who added that Google still contributes to the Subversion project. “It’s not too often that Google can deploy something they didn’t entirely write.”