What Is Web 2.0?
Pretty surreal but immersive video here which does a better job of explaining what Web 2.0 is than any of the hype machines I've seen on the web to date.
Also interesting is that this comes from a professor, but then again, who else would have the time? With the internet becoming more of an ever-evolving online discussion between anyone who wants to join, the wall between the business and academic worlds starts to crumble. Looking forward to hearing more and more from the educated educator "monitors" we have now watching us and putting new conceptual frameworks around every word that goes on in the 'verse.
A pretty enjoyable video. But, let's not forget what Web 2.0 is REALLY about - trendy design that will look outdated 5 years from now.
Posted by: Matthew Mamet | September 13, 2007 at 05:10 PM
Agreed: the hype around the term "Web 2.0" is a little over the top, easily surpassing other technomarketing buzzwords of the past. The real problem, however, is that few seem to know exactly what it means. Does it mean just a lot of Flash? Does it mean your site features RSS and advergaming? Do you have to have a blog to be Web 2.0-compliant? Very people you talk to seem sure, yet every RFP in the past two years seems to have had "focused on Web 2.0" listed as one of their chief objectives.
The best and -- as is always the case -- most simple definition of Web 2.0 I've heard in the past year comes from Tim O'Reilly, the man who claims to have coined the term: "Web 2.0 is defined by applications that harness network effects to get better the more people use them."
Simple? Yes. Outdated in five years? Perhaps, but the point of it all is that when people *say* "Web 2.0", what they should *mean* is a site or network which allows its users to make it better.
Posted by: Charlie Ballard | September 19, 2007 at 09:34 AM