What Is Web 2.0?

Wed Jul 19, 2006 6:59AM EDT

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I had the same question when I first heard the term. To simplify things, Web 2.0 is what people consider "the second generation of services available on the World Wide Web that lets people collaborate and share information online." Ok, I took those exact words from Wikipedia, which is a good example of this new Web 2.0 era. In the past we had encyclopedias; these days we also have wikis or wikipedias, which are updated more frequently.

O'Reilly has a much more extensive review on the matter, and it is an excellent resource because the group pretty much coined the term during a brainstorming session. Unfortunately, O'Reilly Media is also in the process of registering the term Web 2.0 as a service mark, so it can continue to use this term for its annual conference. I'm sure this will cause a lot of confusion for everyone in the future if we choose to adopt this name; then again, we may already be too late.

Aside from being a buzzword, Web 2.0 also refers to this exciting exchange of ideas where everyone plays a part. Whether they choose to do it via social networking sites like MySpace, blogs, video/audio podcasts, social bookmarking, photo communities, and wikis, to name a few, users are encouraged to create, contribute, or participate in these online communities. With all these applications comes a new language we must learn and a new way of designing web sites.

Just take a look around the web, and you will notice a lot of great companies out there that offer easy ways to share video and bookmarks, create personal or business blogs, or even make phone calls over the Internet. You'll recognize Web 2.0 web sites by their tag clouds, rounded corners, gradients, and short punchy names with elements of English words—well, at least that's what Reddit's how-to-video says.

While many have a problem with the label of this new phase, there is no denying that the web has certainly changed in the last few years and will continue to do so. Believe it or not, the term Web 3.0 is already out there. Since I couldn't possibly explain Web 2.0 as a whole in this post, I will leave you with a few great links to help you learn more about it or just have fun with it.

So what does Web 2.0 mean to you?

Comments on What Is Web 2.0?

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  • 2 Posted by anyulled on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    are there any website that explain you about web 2.0 graphic design? or kits?

  • 3 Posted by adidassoccerjames on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    Web 2.0 is not about the World Wide Web and it is not called 2.0 because of all the new web sites. Web 2.0 refers to Cell phones and the ability they have for connecting to the web and what sites can be seen on those particular handsets. It is software on Cell phones such as are with Verizon and not for actual computers. -James

  • 4 Posted by great_value_2006 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:12PM EDT Report Abuse

    James, I think you have gotten confused between Web 2.0 and WAP. Web 2 is a collective term, or a buzzword used to describe the new technologies and concepts the WWW has evolved to. Blogs, Social engineering sites like Facebook etc, also new ideas like Yahoo's spreadsheet are all part of Web 2. The WWW has changed to a much more diverse beast than its original form, we can now run application in a web page using Java etc. Web 2 is used to describe this new experience, and will also include new and yet undiscovered technologies until such a time as a radical leap is made once more. James is just plain wrong.

  • 5 Posted by michaelholien on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    Is this an attempt to control the alternative media? The NSA was involved in the illegal wire tapping, will web 2.0 make it easier for them to watch us here too?

  • 6 Posted by rendermanshader on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    It's my understanding thea the web 2.0 moniker really refers more to the newer technology approaches being used on these websites - AJAX in particular. Graphidcdesign isn't affected in any large way, although most "2.0" sites use a modern look - lotsa subtle gradients and OSX style shiny buttons :-)

  • 7 Posted by farhad_massoudi on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:58PM EDT Report Abuse

    What is the coolest Web 2.0 site out there? http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApR0EThT8bmIzxMmFGyDQyDsy6IX?qid=20060620001604AATtzmD

  • 8 Posted by frankduran2001 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:02PM EDT Report Abuse

    The concept of Web 2.0 is very interesting, because people have interpretted this to mean several different things. The real Web 2.0 is the dynamic exchange of data through the web. This is being done mainly by XML, AJAX, and other data technologies. However this new level of data exchange is also giving birth to a new level of intuitive design that leverages the new abilities of dynamic data. A good example of this is wefeelfine.org.

  • 9 Posted by randfish_seomoz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    Gina, how about a little link love for http://web2.0awards.org while you're on the subject? :)

  • 10 Posted by bff_lostcause on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    Whenever I am asked about web2.0 and the 'old' version of the web, the only thing I can answer is this - Web2.0 is a buzzword that refers to a site working more for you, than you for it. google.com/ig, live.com, myspace, flickr, etc., all work for a user, instead of you searching out every conceivable piece to put it together. The idea that Web2.0 is any large technology and more than a buzzword makes it seem so much more than what it is. Web2.0 is based on these few fundamentals: 1)Allow users more flexability 2)Pages, and by extension, navigation must work for the user 3)Inline and dynamic actions using iframes and AJAX are present including data changing without a page reload, inline file uploading, dynamic for validation, async communications(emailing, guestbook and forum postings, basic chat systems), widget/portlet design, etc. Applications using these ideas are googleMaps, YahooMaps, flickr, myspace, live.com, google.com/ig, basecamp, etc. They are what the old Mapquest,geocities, msn.com and MSOffice were. Now, many users can use MSOffice capabilities without owning Office. Now, there are inline form validators, making page loading completely a historical act thereby saving and cutting time from a user's experience. Now, where messenger was a grand communications tool, myspace and inline chat systems can allow a user to not be forced to install ANY software, but get the same look, feel, flexibility and functionality of those apps. It also allows users on mobiles to only open a browser, rather than download even more software on small mobileHDs. Web2.0 can also be a historical mark where web entities are actually making MS nervous enough to start adopting some technologies as 'their new thing'. Google and Yahoo now have MS trying to run advertising services similar to them, as well as being in bidding to attain certain web apps for integration in their family of sites. Just my take on it all. Web2.0 is a keyword, and a mrk in the history of the web. Looking back, our kids will laugh and sy it was more of a public interest in AJAX than anything, but, as for now, it seems to be an escalation in the version of certain business, social and entertainment areas on the web and of applications competing against those web entities.

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