This article leaves out the big "D": Distribution. Google was a far superior product at the time they launched. They captured lightning in a bottle and partici

This article leaves out the big "D": Distribution. Google was a far superior product at the time they launched. They captured lightning in a bottle and participated in - and accelerated - a big inflection point of internet adoption; the web went from nerds to mainstream as the younger, web-native generation grew up. The technology is relevant insofar as it gave them an insurmountable lead at the time they had it. Re-creating the initial search technology itself pales in comparison to re-creating the initial conditions that allowed Google to reach millions, and then billions, of internet users in a relatively short timeframe.