Receive a short intro to web 2.0, learn the difference between Web 1.0 sites and Web 2.0 sites, and a short history of Web 2.0.
Many people have heard the term "Web 2.0" thrown around over the last few years without knowledge of what it means or how it differs from Web 1.0. Although the term suggests a new version of the Internet, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software developers and end-users use web sites.
Essentially, Web 2.0 is an innovative, interactive way at creating and administering web sites.
The term Web 2.0 first originated in when it was used at the first O'Reilly Media conference in 2004. Web 2.0 is essentially a participatory web experience, whereas Web 1.0 was a read-only experience.
Interactivity
The main qualifying factor of Web. 2.0 is that it allows you to interact on a site – sites like Wikipedia that allow the user to add data, or sites like Facebook that allows users to interact with each other. There are also many “2.0” news web sites that offer moveable widgets that users can change to customize their news to their liking.
In a May 26, 2006 blog entry entitled "Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0" by Darren Barefoot, the technologist breaks down the main differences between the two different Web versions.
So what’s the difference between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0?
* Web 1.0 was about reading, Web 2.0 is about writing
* Web 1.0 was about companies, Web 2.0 is about communities
* Web 1.0 was about client-server, Web 2.0 is about peer to peer
* Web 1.0 was about HTML, Web 2.0 is about XML
* Web 1.0 was about home pages, Web 2.0 is about blogs
* Web 1.0 was about lectures, Web 2.0 is about conversation
* Web 1.0 was about advertising, Web 2.0 is about word of mouth
Just a Theory?
Web 2.0 is more a compilation of innovative ideas than a concrete site. It’s basically the new generation of web sites as opposed to the old, information-only sites.
Many people believe that Web 2.0 is more a theory than anything else. Stephen Fry, a columnist for the British Guardian newspaper, describes Web 2.0 as:
“…an idea in people's heads rather than a reality. It’s actually an idea that the reciprocity between the user and the provider is what's emphasised. In other words, genuine interactivity, if you like, simply because people can upload as well as download.”
While it’s nearly impossible to pinpoint which web sites are Web 1.0 and which are Web 2.0, the dividing factor is innovation. Sites which are aimed at creativity and interactivity can usually be defined as Web 2.0. Sites that are read-only and have little or no interaction with users can usually be identified as Web 1.0.
