[adventured]

Did Google win because users were able to easily switch the default search engine in IE to Google? No.

I remember the first times I used Google. It was like magic compared to AltaVista, Yahoo (Inktomi), etc.

DDG has no edge to offer, no 'magic.'

[ernesth]

I remember the first times I used Google, there was no default search engine, hence a far more open situation.

[adventured]

Switching search engines is ridiculously easy. There aren't many things related to tech so easy; no sign up, no user names or passwords necessary, no network effects required, no need to share your FB or Twitter account. Just go, type, and search.

Firefox managed to severely dent IE in a similar default situation, despite needing to be downloaded and installed, which is a huge effort wall compared to using a search engine. Ditto for Chrome.

If you build a superior engine I have no doubt users will type the address in manually or bookmark it or even go through the couple clicks it takes to switch defaults.

[jiggy2011]

Well Chrome is the most popular browser and I have no idea how I would change my default search engine in it.

This is important because I almost never search by going to google.com and typing a search term. The location bar does this automatically using google.

[magicalist]

the easiest way is to right click on the location bar, but, I hope unsurprisingly, you'll find the setting for the default search engine in Settings, under "Search".