I think the reason things like this just don't die is we all long for the days (long past) when Google was a leading force in making the web nicer, and having a

I think the reason things like this just don't die is we all long for the days (long past) when Google was a leading force in making the web nicer, and having a very positive reputation, from making search a thousand times better than [Yahoo|Ask Jeeves|etc.], making maps amazing (compared to MapQuest/etc.), building a good, free email service (we've since learned the cost of 'free'), and building products everyone knows and loves like Reader.