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FriendFeed wasn't taken out back and shot either -- it's still running, albeit with some broken features. It doesn't hurt Facebook to leave a service running.

With Instagram, I think it's a case of user acquisition trumping product strategy. If lots of people are joining Instagram, Facebook wants to own it regardless of how it fits with their main brand.

That Instagram would turn out like FriendFeed would be my major fear. I mean, who uses it any more?

+1. It really is nice and the news coming from acquirer than the acquired makes it sound better. That just makes it that much more difficult for them to say "it is no longer a service that interacts with other social networks" without a public backlash among user community. Good to see the commitment coming from Zuckerberg.

wait - you think this is actually true?

Is your question about the acquisition itself or that service will be continued?

"the product is valued enough to not be summarily taken out back and shot"