[Alex3917]

"Google was successful through technical merit."

According to PEW Research, 5/6 search users can't tell the difference between the search results and the sponsored links, so the idea that Google won based on "technical merit" is pretty much wrong. To 95% of people Google was just another search engine but with better marketing.

[stanleydrew]

This is silly. If your sponsored links and search results are indistinguishable but extremely relevant you still have the best search engine. And then there's the speed factor, which you've completely ignored. And better marketing? You can't be serious.