re: 330 etc.
Dear Fritzi,
You are correct. However, don't forget the 300/310 series and the fact that the 747 in one form or another has been around for over 30 years.
The 330/340 and 777 are direct competitors. In fact I believe Boeing designed the 777 because Airbus was already off the mark with the 330/340.
My above query relates to the fact that Boeing hasn't been able to catch up to Airbus in the big twin category based on the numbers from the respective websites. I find this somewhat surprising since the 777 seems to be a very good airplane, at least according to reviews on the prune.