Web 2.0

What is Web 2.0?

Web2.0 describes the next genera­tion of web appli­ca­tions. These programs assist with inter­ac­tive infor­ma­tion sharing, inter­ope­ra­bi­lity, user-centered design, and part­nership on the Internet. Web-based commu­nities, hosted services, social networ­king sites, video sharing sites, wikis, and blogs are all examples of Web2.0. These sites let users interact with other users to alter or change site content, the polar oppo­site of sites that limit user inter­ac­tion to passi­vely reading words on the page.

Who Benefits from Web 2.0?

Tradi­tional industry bene­fits from web 2.0. The first reason is that sites that utilize web 2.0 tech­no­logy allow users to interact with a company’s products. Websites that allow custo­mers to shop an online catalog, order items, and pay for their purchases are utili­zing one of web 2.0’s basic func­tions. Compa­nies or websites that utilize group­ware are also an example of web 2.0.

Compa­nies further benefit from Web 2.0 by utili­zing remote desktop soft­ware for repla­cing face-to-face meetings with web confe­ren­cing or an online meeting. Going one step further, busi­nesses can use similar remote access soft­ware to create a company remote computer support team and there­fore assist custo­mers and employees with tech support issues via remote assi­s­tance.

Educa­tion and acade­mics benefit from web 2.0 because students can better iden­tify with the plat­form than they can through passive book lear­ning. Because today’s children grew up with the inter­ac­ti­vity of video games and the audio-visual stimu­la­tion of tele­vi­sion, inter­ac­tive web appli­ca­tions, distance lear­ning soft­ware, e‑learning soft­ware are natu­rally the next step towards educa­ting future generations.

The public as a whole bene­fits from web 2.0 because they have a wider smor­gas­bord of infor­ma­tion readily avail­able already from the Internet, and web2.0 appli­ca­tions really make them a part of deve­lo­ping the world they live in. Whether it is writing a poli­ti­cian directly from that representative’s webpage about a poli­tical concern, or doing their Christmas shop­ping from the comfort and conve­ni­ence of their own homes, the public really has a role in using content they like while leaving behind old tech­no­lo­gies they no longer need. Or enjoying your favo­rite webcast speaker as they deliver the latest news to your desktop.

How Does Web 2.0 Work?

Web 2.0 really is not a “thing” that can readily be explained as to how it operates. Instead, web2.0 is more a concept, an idea; it is the realiz­a­tion that by brin­ging users into the web expe­ri­ence, more people will become involved and shape the way our world thinks about each other and how they use tech­no­logy. Social networ­king sites where users can ask ques­tions and receive answers is a great example of how users across the globe interact with each other; how they learn from one another without consi­de­ring race, gender, age, reli­gion, and all types of inter­per­sonal hang-ups. Others look to interact in real time via free web confe­rence or free online meeting software.

Web2.0 “works” by all Internet users coming toge­ther to contri­bute. It exists because web users want to be more connected; after all, isn’t that what the World Wide Web is all about? Being connected?