Web Development

OK, so what is Web 2.0?

October 2, 2008 October 22, 2008 For starters, the correct pronunciation is "Web 2-point-oh." If you're around the Web you've probably heard this buzzword, and maybe you've used it. But what is Web 2.0? Tim O'Reilly's definition (feel free to skip over it): "Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the Internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform. Chief among those rules is this: Build applications that harness network effects to get better the more people use them. (This is what I've elsewhere called 'harnessing collective intelligence.')" My definition: the application of existing technologies to facilitate and improve socialization through the Internet. Or simply, making the Internet cooler. Some examples Flickr.com: Different users upload pictures from all over the world and they are plotted on a searchable map. Users can comment on other people's pictures, they can upload their own, and they can do a lot of other cool things like make stuff from posted pics. Google Docs & Spreadsheets: Utilizing the equally ubiquitous buzzword, Software as a Service (SaaS), documents can be created online without needing to install a "fat client" piece of software. You can share the documents so people can view them or even make changes. Collaboration is a big piece of Web 2.0. Wikipedia.org: Encapsulates many Web 2.0 features. Users are able to create new articles, update content and discuss pages. There are also detailed rules to follow in order to maintain the integrity of the site. Notice the highlight of "discussion," "edit this page" and "history." Which two of those three make Wikipedia Web 2.0? Some people disagree that Web 2.0 is a "real thing" because the underlying technologies are merely being used in new ways. As people continue to build cooler socialized sites with improved interactivity, we all benefit, whether or not Web 2.0 is just a buzzword or "the real thing." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Few Common Web 2.0 Technologies AJAX: Asynchronous JavaScript and XML Adobe Flex Microsoft Silverlight RSS /Atom for syndication