I remember when Google was the new kid on the block, and I deliberately chose to use it as my primary search engine, simply because Google was the underdog. (Does anyone else remember AltaVista?) Well, no more. Now, I'd gladly eschew Google simply because the company is so powerful. But I can't.
Because Google is the best. Hands down. (Bing's not bad, but there's no point in avoiding one big company just to support another.)
When my husband has a question about one of his company's products, and searches the official company sites, sometimes we'll race: Usually I can find more information, faster, through Google. More and more often, if I need help on an issue I'm having with a particular piece of hardware or software, I skip the product's manual and official "help" feature and go straight to Google—because it does a better job.
Today we wanted the address of a friend from a previous church. We had been told that there was a directory online, but after a frustrating, fruitless time on their website, I resorted to Google, which quickly led me to the needed information.
It's not a comfortable situation, being so dependent on one, powerful company, be it Microsoft or no-longer-the-underdog Google. Mac and Linux users are a vocal and proud "we few, we happy few, we band of brothers" against Microsoft, but who provides a similar challenge to Google?
We need a paradigm shift, if only to provide some competition.
