No Such Thing As Web 2.0
There is no such thing as Web 2.0. It doesn't exist any more than does New Years Eve, Midnight, or any arbitrary designation used to define an intangible. What is meant by the term Web 2.0, is simply an assertion that the Web, as it exists today, is different in many ways from that which we used in the early days of its evolution.
There is so little agreement on the definition of what's referred to as Web 2.0 as to render the very word meaningless. What is generally agreed upon however, is that Web has become more interactive.
Collaboration is the word that best defines this new state of the Web. The Web has become a giant joint venture. It's become like a painting, ever changing, painted by a multitude of brushes and artists.
As the Web matures, static pages are being replaced by dynamic content and content that is geared toward and created by the very people who utilize it. The technology used to produce the content is becoming far more powerful and far more personalized.
Blogs are a perfect example of this new technology. Blogs are interactive through comments and collaboration and are dynamic by their very nature. Blog content is ever changing and very personalized.
Video hosting sites are another example. Here content is created by the viewer and, through comments, re-created and expanded upon by other viewers. Again this is a far more personalized, self-perpetuating, dynamic and powerful experience then had been available in the days of static content created by a select few and viewed passively by an audience.
Websites can be managed now, as a collaborative effort by many, not just by the original site author. Sites can grow on their own.
Simplicity is another characteristic of this period that we refer to as Web 2.0. Easy navigation is paramount and user experience is the primary consideration.
Directories are becoming a thing of the past as users define Sites with personalized tags instead of traditional keywords, and link lists are being replaced by social bookmarking sites. Spiders are taking a back seat to live viewers.
While there is no real second generation of this thing we call the World Wide Web, it is obvious that the Internet has evolved into a far more personal and dynamic experience than most would have imagined in the early days of the Web. We can refer to this period as Web 2.0 if we like, or we can just see it, as I choose to, as an ever evolving testament to collective human genius.
About the Author: Jeff Wild is the founder and President of Artitude Inc. and has been creating business success on the Web since 1994. His latest enterprise, Strategic Web Success offers an SEO (search engine optimization) service to businesses as a way to enhance Web Site performance and compete in the new world of Web 2.0.
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