What Is Web 2.0
A few weeks ago I carelessly mentioned Web 2.0 to a client who promptly asked me what I meant. And in order to give myself breathing space in an already overloaded schedule I said I'd get back to him, but with no time scales. I mean, how do you explain Web 2.0 to someone with no technical knowledge.
Even worse, how do you explain the opportunities and threats to his business? I suppose it's this last question that has stumped me.
But events have overtaken me, because in about 14 hours I'm delivering a presentation to a dozen non-technical teachers on what Web 2.0 could mean for them.
In the meantime, take a look at the man, Tim O'Reilly, who is credited with coining the phrase... now back to my powerpoint presentation.
Read more at www.oreillynet.com/pub/...
posted by Richard Williams at 4/20/2006 12:07:00 am
2 Comments:
Hi Richard
Ironically, one of the seminars I attended at Internet World last week answered this question what is Web 2.0. And in the speaker's professional opinion (and one long shared by myself), Web 2.0 is hype.
A lot of the so-called functions of Web 2.0 are merely covering what has already taken off. Blogs, RSS, forums etc. Anything designed to give a more interactive experience to the web user.
Yes this is a new phase and can be great for business if you invest the time and the effort, but to say its new is well, nonsense.
I'd agree with you partially in that Blogs have certainly been around for a while. But the figure I've come across for RSS uptake is only 4% - probably in the main techie uptake.
Totally with you on the forums. This has been around since goodness knows when, and is one of the best examples of what Web 2.0 calls "collective intelligence".
And I think what will mark out Web 2.0 from web 1.0 is the "collective intelligence" aspects.
Also, we're seeing consumers becoming more savvy, sharing their experiences, good and bad, so that Enterprise can no longer control brand and image through slick marketing PR. but it's moving out, in part, from the forums into blogs. And in turn these are being picked up or will be picked up by the likes of del.icio.us and Squidoo to name but two of the Web 2.0 tools.
There are many applications/tools of Web 2.0 some of which will fade away, but other truly technologically innovative tools will, I think, have the potential to change business models and the way we do business/interact with business, which I find both scary and exciting.
But yep, there are those who are saying the bubble will burst - me? My money is on the development of tools that will stand the test of "usefulness", which will ultimately see widespread adoption.
Just don't ask me to get it 100% right for all of them! :)
Like the point you make in your last paragraph - take for instance the "Long tail"; this has been around as a theory for years, but these things do get dressed up in fancy/cool nomenclatures for reconsumption by folk who think they've discovered the phenomenum.
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