Web 2.0 mainly refers to the second generation of applications that let people collaborate and share information via the World Wide Web. It's everything that spells fun, convenience, and usage flexibility in the Internet – from social networking, blogs, online forums and classes, IMs to infoware like file-sharing, podcasts, wikis, and RSS feeds.
From this we can say that Web 2.0 is not an upgrade but a diversion from the isolated and application-centered information silo that Web 1.0 was. Web 2.0 has remarkably increased the social and economic value of the Web in ways more than one:
User-centered
The core element of Web 2.0 is the users, while its driving force is the information shared through the Internet.
Being a user-centered resource, Web 2.0 does not require anyone to be a drop-dead techie in order to enjoy the Internet. Web 2.0 spoon-feeds the users with everything that makes their online experience worthwhile.
Ownership
Users can create and edit data at their own pleasure and convenience. Blogs, being the most popular form of online diary, have become a way of putting one's thoughts, opinions, and experiences into writing.
Anyone can update his blog anytime he desires, and he is pretty much free to customize the appearance of his blog to suit his preferences. Most blogs are offered for free, like
WordPress and
Blogger, that's why millions of online users are now into blogging. Paid blogging sites like
TypePad have additional features which may not be present in free blogging services.
The Web has also become a space for storing your files online. One such website is
Multiply - it allows unlimited space for storing your documents, photos, music, video files, and even recipes.
Information-sharing
Infoware such as wikis, online dictionaries, and language translators have emerged with the advent of Web 2.0. Wikipedia is now the most widely-used online encyclopedia. Wikis do not only feed information to users, they also allow users to contribute relevant information to the system. This is pretty much different from Web 1.0's Britannica which does not support user contributions.
Some people also use P2P programs such as www.bearshare.com to share or obtain files for computer programs, software, music, or video over the Internet.
Many websites allow streaming of TV networks and radio stations in real time. Other sites such as
YouTube offer storage space for music and video files. So in case you need a re-run of an episode from the David Letterman Show, all you need to do is search for a video file from YouTube.
Multimedia
Multimedia has a priceless role in Web 2.0. Information is relayed through different means – from regular texts encoded in websites (like the one you're reading right now), to PDF files, video streaming, or other forms of media players. That's how they have made online classes and tutorials possible with just a few clicks, and learning has never been this easy before.
Social Networking
With Web 2.0, the cyberspace has become a means of social interaction among people from different walks of life. These days, almost everyone has one or two accounts from
MySpace or Friendster.. Most of these sites exist for recreation and for everyone's enjoyment in being able to meet a lot of people via the Internet.
Some social networks allow file or information sharing. Multiply, for example, is not just a storage device but a file-sharing network in which you can invite your friends and other people to be a part of your network.
Blogging also gives users the option to allow a particular network or group of people to read their blogs. Users may post comments and opinions on the blog of another, or vice-versa.
The Web as a Market
Online Marketing is, by far, the most cost-efficient form of selling products and services. Most people now resort to the Internet to look for items to purchase. Or before they do so, they look for information and product comparisons online. eBay, for example, is marketing website where small-scale to large-scale buyers and sellers participate.
With the advent of Web 2.0, we can pretty much do any thing over the Internet at the tip of our fingertips.
Learn more about Web 2.0.
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