What is Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 is a technical term that describes the new Internet environment. Perhaps some may ask ‘Is there an old version’ and the answer is yes. In fact, Web 2.0 was developed in 2004, and it is a continuing of the old Web 1.0 version where it was all about text and line graphics. In my perspective, the main goal of development was to add value to the Internet world by opening the chance of participating, managing and handling web contents by people and users from different cultures and places. Obviously, these improvements on the Internet’s applications have created many new approaches, which truly changed the concept of the Internet.

In this blog, I would like to show the main three key elements of Web 2.0:

1. A Uniform Platform for All

It was a dream in the Web 1.0 environment that many electronic devices can work and interactive with each other. Simply, Web 1.0 was dealing only with computers; Web 2.0 has made this dream come true. Today, we can see how the convergence of various computers, laptops, PDAs, iPhones and many other devices work and share information within the same platform. Moreover, Web 2.0 has different channels, connections, services and protocols, such as voice over IP, broadcasting, live video and chatting.

2. Create a Social Network

We all know how technology has changed our social relationship. Web 2.0 has made the Internet environment more social and communal. The definition by Journal of the Canadian health library Association is “Web 2.0 is about the architecture of participation. And by using web 2.0 applications, we provide a service, not a product. We encourage user contribution, we create collective intelligence, we make it easy to reuse and remix content, and finally we create a feeling of belonging to a community.” Google, Facebook and Wikipedia are such examples of great social Web 2.0 networks.

3. Availability of Data-Transferring and Data-Sharing

In the past, sharing and transferring data took several hours to be completed, and nobody dream to upload home videos because of the low speed bandwidth, time spent, and resources required for uploading. Compare that to today’s Internet where the broadband is fast and available everywhere through different communication channels such as wireless connection. Moreover, many Internet websites provide uploading features for direct audio, video and graphics files. Therefore, Web 2.0 made the Internet more sharable and available with less effort and time.

Previously, I explained the main three key points of Web 2.0 in general. However, Web 2.0 can be described in business as specific term to define business cooperative tools. Web 2.0 in business is used to enhance the internal and external human communication. For example, internal blogs and wikis are used to increase the level of communication within the organization. Personal blogs and group project wikis describe the internal relationship. At the same time, the external blogs and wikis are used to find an outsider relationship with customers and dealers.