[majani]

I think alot of the angst that comes towards people who sold their companies, is simply using the term "sell." That gives the impression that you went out and shamelessly hawked your product to the highest bidder.

I personally find that if you instead say that so and so was "bought out" by a bigger company, then that's much easier to come to terms with for most people. That phrase gives the impression that a bigger company saw much value in your company and just had to have it for themselves, leaving you little choice in the matter.