Web 2.0 - Info Evolution
Web 2.0 is a concept which began with a brainstorming conference between O-Reilly and Media live international. This term refers to a perceived second generation of web based communities and hosted services which aim to facilitate collaboration, people network and sharing between users. Although the term suggests a new version of World Wide Web, it doesn’t refer to an update to web technical specifications, but to changes in the way software developers and end users use web as a platform.
Web 2.0 has been harnessing collective intelligence, turning web in to a kind of global brain.The blogosphere is equivalent to that of constant mental chatter in forebrain the voice we hear in our heads, the equivalent of conscious thought.
Long tail:
Internet is composed of a number of big sites like google, yahoo, etc whose data is not restricted to a single topic. Small sites make up the bulk of the internets content; narrow niches make up the bulk of internet’s possible applications. Here niche refers to the field of specialization. Leverage customer self-service and algorithm data management to reach out to the entire web, to the edges and not just the center, to the long tail.
End of software release cycle:
In the past these internet sites were used as packages that can only be viewed, which was a degrading factor. But now the significance of web2.0 is that these internet sites are no longer restricted and are offered as service. So the later was known as info ware.
Co-operate, don’t control:
There should not be any force or control over the users, where users must be treated as co-developers in a source of open door development practices. Each and every user acts like a server and is been given an opportunity to add his views on certain topics.
Software above the level of single device:
The pc is no longer the only access device for internet application. Web 2.0 allows us to design application to integrate internet services with hand held devices and so on.
Thus the rich user experience and interoperability with other devices made Web 2.0 a evolution.
References:
1. http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2
3. http://www.paulgraham.com/web20.html