What is web 2.0?

Web 2.0 is a broad term that describes many different types of websites, websites that provide a platform where end users have control over the content on the sites. Web 2.0 includes social networking sites, wikis, sites like Squidoo.com and MySpace.com, folksonomies, blogs, RSS feeds, and other sites that emphasize collaboration and sharing among users.

Web 2.0 is not a NEW Internet, but a new way of communicating using the World Wide Web. It focuses on building communities where people come together to share their ideas, passions, and interests. Collaborative and community-based sites have been used by some people since the dawn of the Web. Only recently have people other than consumers begun to realize the true potential of collaborative networks.

The “old” way of doing things focused on individual users creating applications from which they presented information to visitors. For example, one person sat down at his computer, created a website, and provided information to visitors. They sold products to visitors. They allowed feedback, usually in the form of a one-way communication via email, web form, or other application. Web 2.0 fosters an approach to the Web where people form communities and collaborate to provide information on the Web. Instead of one person sitting at the end of a computer terminal, there are several people at many terminals, all capable of accessing the same information, such as a list of your bookmarks that you bookmark on the Web.

Consider, for example, Wikipedia.org. This is an ideal example of how the web is being transformed. This modern information encyclopedia is a collection of ideas and information collected from people around the world. There is no “publisher” or author, rather people share and collaborate to create a resource that includes information from all walks of life. The technology behind this site allows users to collaborate and edit information using some formal and informal guidelines. The community works to approve or disapprove new information, but in general almost anyone can post information on the site.

To understand Web 2.0, it will be helpful to explore some of the common sites and terms used in conjunction with this new web platform. In the next post, we’ll spend some time exploring the different sites that make up Web 2.0 and how you can use them to your advantage.