Search Engines as Star Wars Characters
Google | Darth Vader / Anakin Skywalker
Both hero and villain depending on what chapter you’re on, like Darth Vader, Google is a powerful presence that we’re all trying to defeat. Turns out, he’s the father of the internet. With up to 90% share of the search market, we’re better off joining the dark side than trying to work against it.
Bing | Princess Leia
Capable of defeating Darth Vader and destroying the Death Star, and probably the most aesthetically pleasing, Princess Leia, like Bing, is a fierce competitor and a force to be reckoned with. Launched in 2009 by Microsoft, Bing has up to 15% of the search engine market.
Yahoo | Chewbacca
Named “one of the greatest sidekicks” in history, Chewbacca is a loyal number 2 on the Millennium Falcon. Similarly, Yahoo has always been a great supporting character, but doesn’t quite speak our language. Plagued by hackers for user details and passwords, Yahoo has up to 7% of the search market.
Baidu | Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a powerful Jedi, and Baidu is a worthy opponent. While we may be able to learn something from Baidu, it is isolated by geography and the rest of our cast of search engines. Founded in 2000, Baidu is the most popular search engine in China.
AOL | C3PO
Once the go-to internet browser, AOL’s technology was great in its heyday. It still does the job today, but might be in need of some oil at the joints and a willingness to change with the times.
Ask.com | R2D2
Formerly Ask Jeeves, many fondly remember this quirky search engine concept. The only problem with Ask’s platform might be clunky build and limited index reach– and by the numbers it just doesn’t have legs to stand on anymore.
Deep Web search engines | Yoda
All-knowing and also a bit of an enigma, using this method of search to find otherwise hidden internet content really reveals more about your inner self than anything else. But this peripheral search method helps us understand the true scope of the internet and reminds us that we can take internet matters into our own hands. Thought provoking it is.