Google Buys Blogger

Google last week purchased Pyra Labs, maker of the Blogger software that powers many thousands of weblogs. Dan Gillmor of the San Jose Mercury News has a 00802> good overview in his weblog, which includes multiple links to other opinions about what this purchase portends. I'm not prepared to speculate much, butI would say that Google's technologists repeatedly have demonstrated their ability to make the Web more accessible and useful. So this purchase is an indicator of the growing importance of self-publishing -- both as a form of content and as a way to help guide users to relevant online information.