] So why would Google buy Pyra Labs, developer of the
] widely-used Blogger and Blogspot web self-publishing
] system? Is Google "selling out" to the urge to become a
] portal? Are they morphing into a content provider? Are
] they losing their laser-like focus on search? No, to all
] of the above.]
] This isn't the first time Google has purchased a web
] "community." Google purchased the Deja Usenet newsgroup
] archives in February 2001, and now runs them as "Google
] Groups." The interactive, often self-referential nature
] of many weblogs has many similarities to newsgroup
] postings.]
] Yet Google has said little about the Pyra deal, issuing a
] sparse 77 word statement to the media with few clues
] about the rationale behind the purchase:]
] "Google recently acquired Pyra Labs, developers of
] Blogger -- a self-service weblog publishing tool used by
] more than one million people. We're thrilled about the
] many synergies and future opportunities between our two
] companies. Blogs are a global self-publishing phenomenon
] that connect Internet users with dynamic, diverse points
] of view while also enabling comment and participation. In
] the coming weeks, we will report additional details.
] Blogger users can expect to see no immediate changes to
] the service."

SearchDay - Puzzling Out Google's Blogger Acquisition - 18 February 2003