FridayBlowout

Web 2.0 is used to describe websites and applications that have taken their services to the next level. If that’s too vague then just think of Web 2.0 as the improvements you’ve been enjoying for the past few years, the significant differences between Yahoo Mail (Web 2.0) and Hotmail (Web 1.0), Wikipedia vs. Encarta, and Google vs. AltaVista just to name a few.

Objectives of Web 2.0

Innovation – Web 2.0 developers are continuously looking for ways to improve their services. That’s why Web 2.0 is often characterized as something in a state of perpetual beta:
it’s constantly undergoing changes meant to improve its current features and services. Instead of placing all new features in one brand new package or version for their websites, Web 2.0 developers just add the features to the current line as soon as they’re created. Users become real-time testers and because of this, web developers are also able to have a more idea of the effectiveness and popularity of the latest batch of improvements.

Multiple Device Accessibility – Another important goal of Web 2.0 developers is to make its website or application accessible for as many devices as possible. Aware of the ever-increasing need of people to stay connected and the continuous use of mobile devices, web 2.0 developers sought to create a link between other devices beside the computer and their products and services. Their efforts have paid off in the end. Now, you get to see many people preferring websites or applications that they’re able to access and
operate even with just their mobile phones or personal digital assistants.

Web 2.0 developers also strive to make as many features available across devices. If in the past you could only use your mobile phone to read messages in your email inbox, today’s gadgets and mobile technology now let you do more than that. Besides viewing messages, you can also compose formatted replies and attach images and other files with it.

Focus on Users – Web 2.0 seeks to improve user experience with their products and services. This goal thus requires the power of control to shift from software developers to the end-users themselves. Web 2.0 lets end users take command and contrary to past expectations, they’re able to benefit rather than suffer from it.

Web 2.0 lets users create their own data. They also let users manage their own data: control how they’re presented as well as when and where they’re visible. Web 2.0 also lets users share their data in as many ways possible. They can be syndicated through RSS and blog feeds and podcasting. They are also allowed to use different formats for their data.

There are numerous examples to show how Web 2.0 allows this to happen. With Wikipedia, users create and add wikis to the website. With Digg, users are allowed to bookmark the websites they personally favor. With MySpace, users are allowed to create their own networks.

Interaction – One more objective for Web 2.0 is to make users and the website or application itself benefit from user interaction. A blog entry which receives many comments can help increase the popularity of the blog owner and the website itself. Bookmarks offer the same benefit as well.

Information – Last but not the least, Web 2.0 does its best to find more creative uses for information. Data is now the most important commodity in the Internet and Web 2.0 does its best to make data work for users such as how it does in Wikipedia and Google.

Here is where this lesson ends for today. We really hope you enjoyed this lesson too.

You will receive the next lesson in 7 days. Next week’s lesson will have the following title:

“Pros and Cons of Web 2.0″

Copyright(C) 2008 by John Delavera & Reimund Lube

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