To first understand what it is that people are calling Web 2.0, you should know a little about what is Web 1.0.
The first version, what went through the initial Internet Bubble, was a process of sending out information in a one way format. It allowed for users to interact on a singular platform, but didn’t allow information to move between systems, or even between users of the same system.
Web 2.0 is often referred to by a series of technologies; AJAX, Flex, Flash, and more. Others will refer to it by the style of the design of the web site.
While in reality, many of sites defined as the second generation of the web utilize these technologies, it is not what defines them.
Wikipedia, which we will discuss in greater detail later on, defines it as a series of “…web-based communities and hosted services such as social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies, which aim to facilitate creativity, collaboration, and sharing among users. …[I]t does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software developers and end-users use webs”. This general definition came from Tim O’Reilly in 2004.
Were Web 1.0 was more of a one-way street, Web 2.0 is more of a two-way street allowing communication between initial author/publisher and the community, and then between the community and itself.
By allowing the users to share and comment between themselves, it allows people to gain additional insights, allow mistakes to be corrected, and share additional points of view. This is the strength of Web 2.0. Next we’ll look at how companies can use some this to help build and expand their customer base and get buy in from their employees. It is sometimes harder to see when being looked at from a non-Internet based company, but we’ll see examples.
If you have experience in using the Web 2.0 in your company, feel free to contact us, or add a comment.
About Walter Wimberly