May 16 2008
Pros and Cons of Web 2.0
Web 2.0 has been around for quite some time already but it was only with the birth of its term that people started paying attention to it and, yes, squabbling over it. Maybe, some things are better left unnamed. Nevertheless, Web 2.0 is evidently here to stay and whether that’s good or bad depends on which side of the fence you’re standing on.
SECURITY
In terms of security, Web 2.0 may still have a few things to learn from its predecessor, the aptly named Web 1.0. Web 1.0 applications and websites may have far more than dos and don’ts with regard to who gets what kind of access to which information but at least it was effective in keeping the bad guys away.
Web 2.0 on the other hand thrives on hackability. That doesn’t mean it wants to be hacked by the wrong people but rather, it is the way it is because it lets end users not only take control of their content but it even lets them modify the codes being used for the application itself.
ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF DATA
Most of the criticisms for Web 2.0 center on these two attributes of data. The biggest problem many academics have with Web 2.0 would be none other than Wikipedia. The latter is a website best known for being a free online encyclopedia made up of user-generated entries. Academics consider Wikipedia as poor reference because its data has been provided by users without the necessary “scholarly
qualifications” to do so.
There is a grain of truth in their accusations but it is of course unreasonable to taint all entries in Wikipedia with the same brush. There are numerous entries, in fact, that have been credibly researched on and supported with verifiable and reliable sources.
Another part of Web 2.0 that has drawn criticism would be blogging. Some people are disturbed with how users may use data they have found in blogs and consider them as factual or accurate.
ACCESSIBILITY
In this case, Web 2.0 thankfully has something positive to offer. Unlike Web 1.0 applications, Web 2.0 offers products and services that are designed to offer as much functionality and convenience as possible even when being accessed with devices other than the computer.
Web 2.0 allows users to not just access but manage as well the products and services they commonly come across with their computers at home or work. Web 2.0 seeks to incorporate features that would make their websites and applications user-friendly even if smaller than usual screens and limited navigation options are utilized.
SYNDICATION
Web 2.0 also takes accessibility to the next step by letting users have the power to determine how much of their content they wish to share and in what ways. Web 2.0 lets users choose if they wish to upload content using audio, video, or text files. Moreover, Web 2.0 lets users choose how they wish to advertise about it on the Internet:
would they want to make use of a RSS field or would they rather use a podcast for it?
EXTENSIBILITY
Web 2.0 applications are created with the idea of possible improvement in mind. Developers know and already accept that there’s a chance they could add more features or enhance the performance of a given application and that’s why they’ve made the design extensible. And when there are new features to enjoy, they’re immediately added instead of waiting for them to reach a certain number before
repackaging the entire application as version 2.0.
Here is where this lesson ends for today. We really hope you enjoyed this lesson too.
You will read the next lesson in 7 days. Next week’s lesson will have the following title:
“Live and Loving It: Are Web 2.0 Sites Useful?”
Copyright(C) 2008 by John Delavera & Reimund Lube
I read similar article also named d Cons of Web 2.0 | FridayBlowout, and it was completely different. Personally, I agree with you more, because this article makes a little bit more sense for me
Are people still going to use this, its virtually obsolete now isnt it ?