Google and the Power of Myth

What if Google(GOOG Quote) hadn't happened? Would the world be much different?

One year after the highest-profile tech IPO since Netscape hit the market in 1995, the stock remains one of the most closely watched in the tech sector. It's attracted $80 billion from investors lured by the company's promise to organize the world's information. That in turn has generated countless hours of debate on the stock's proper value.

The IPO itself had far-reaching effects beyond Mountain View, Calif. It cleared out much of the stench keeping investors from the tech IPO pipeline. Eventually, it invited speculative trading back into tech shares -- first into Google, then into other stocks like Baidu.com(BIDU Quote). And it woke the world to something that Google had known for years -- search is a very big, very influential business. ...