Google was also technically better when it released and importantly there was no way to buy ones way to the top.

Back then I think people mostly agreed that the results that ranked on top in Google generally were there because of criteria that benefited the end user.

I mean, even as crazy as Google results has been the last few years they have still managed to be better than Bing and DDG who both manages to have worse ranking and also like Google completely ignore my doublequotes.