Here is something closer.
Google went to University and read all books and created the worlds largest filing cabinet with an amazing index of the worlds information.
They decided to allow other students to use the index to help track down the information they need for their assignment. They ask Google, where do I find information about X and Google tells them they will find it in some obscure corner of the library they would never have thought to look.
The index becomes so popular that some business people show up and suggest to Google that if people are looking for information about X, they might also want to buy some Y. Google shrugs and says, sure I'll tell them about your product as I send them off to find what they are looking for.
Then Google notices that email sucks (and they fix it), and maps suck (so they fix it). Then they buy the local video store and make it really popular.
But by this time Google is so huge its a mostly out of control monster.