Web 2.0 has been coined and used all over the internet, but what is it? FIrst, let me say that is not a technology… There is no reason to put it on your resume, throw it around in meetings and call yourself a Guru in Web 2.0.
According to Wikipedia, the ultimate source of knowledge in the universe next to The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Web 2.0 is a term coined by O’Reilly Media in 2004 for one of their conferences. Since then, the term has stuck and everyone is using it. So, what exactly does it mean? Web 2.0 refers to the “new” Internet where more services are offered than before. Basically, this means the social websites, the blogging, the Internet video websites, etc. It also refers to the designs people are using these days (surprise!) since the graphics are far better than what was around in the past. To borrow from Wikipedia, the original talk about Web 2.0 included the following predictions:
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* the Web as a platform (Google and several other companies are doing this now)
* data as the driving force (Social networking, Wikipedia, etc.)
* network effects created by an architecture of participation (ie: Slashdot Effect)
* innovation in assembly of systems and sites composed by pulling together features from distributed, independent developers (a kind of “open source” development) (Open Source in general is a good example, but systems like SETI@Home fall into this too.)
* lightweight business models enabled by content and service syndication (There’s no better business model than working from home typing on a blog…)
* the end of the software adoption cycle (”the perpetual beta”) (This still hasn’t come to an end, most of Google’s top facing products are still beta.)
* software above the level of a single device, leveraging the power of The Long Tail.
Technically speaking, this means that almost every website, including personal homepages, blogs, etc are all Web 2.0 compliant. So, why is everyone using the Web 2.0 buzzword and why are there websites dedicated to all of the Web 2.0 websites on the web? There is even a Web 3.0 page on Wikipedia (note: Its currently being considered for deletion.) Even Businessweek is getting in on Web 3.0 and its drawing a few comments about how Web 3.0 isn’t needed. Although, I do like one comment: “No web 2.1 bug fixes, gosh, well that was quick.”
Whats The Big Deal
The main thing about this buzzword is that people are trying to stay popular, trying to stay on top of the newest technologies, etc. Technically speaking, my blog is Web 2.0 compliant due to the graphics and AJAX it uses (note: front end is a little boring since it mainly stays in the CSS and Javascript domains, but the back end has AJAX and all that shtuff).
But other than being a buzzword, there isn’t much else. Oddly, Nokia announced that they’re releasing a web 2.0 compliant phone. To top this, there are now websites that want you to sign up for accounts so “Web 2.0″ phones can look at your blog… People - this technology has been around for awhile in the form of WAP. Oddly, I can remember one of my past hosts telling me that Wireless access on Cell Phones would die off and that I shouldn’t be concerned with such rubbish - I kid you not. There was a reason I ran away from them very fast.
When Will It Stop?
Unfortunately, I don’t think the Web 2.0 phenomenon is going to stop. There are too many people throwing the term around like its the newest technology (kind of like how AJAX is one of those newest things, but the technology has been around for years…)
Google is quickly adding to the Web 2.0 fame by allowing Google Spreadsheets to hit the web. There’s also the Google Calendar and Google Page Creator - all are starting to get more and more popular.
What really gets me is that recent news says that Boeing shutting down Connexion is a blow to Web 2.0. If you just glance through the article, Boeing and Connexion have pretty much nothing to do with Web 2.0 - its been a popular Tag over the last few days (at least, according to Technorati), so I’m guessing they just wanted to throw a story out that might interest the crowds. Well, it annoyed me then the 15 (15 people!) ads on the page annoyed me even more (DMX’s “Make me lose my mind” pops in my head…)
The Web 2.0 term will die out over the next few years, after its replaced with the next “neat thing” that describes the new version of the Internet and life as we know it. Until then, we’re still stuck with articles like mine……
Tags: web 2.0, web 3.0, blog, open source, internet, ajax, software, lost
