Today’s successful web use demonstrates a fundamental shift in web application development and business model. Web sites that are used, that are relevant, and that generate revenues are those sites which have adapted to the new design patterns and business models dubbed “Web 2.0”.
What strikes me mostly from the article is how the web has moved from merely a new media into being the actual software platform. Instead of all software and user activity being dominated by software release platforms such as Microsoft’s Windows, the new model of business views the web as the platform and strives to develop services on that platform to deliver user-relevant content. This new model has profound impacts to business model, including the elimination of “software release cycles”. Web 2.0 shows continuous improvement, even daily updates transparent to users.
Sites which also provide the most relevant content to users are also the most successful. What is key to providing that content is in tracking and allowing control to users. Amazon, Wikipedia and others demonstrate how user modifications, user content, and user linking with new technologies, such as RSS feeds, drive the most successful sites.
Another key power in Web 2.0 is chasing the “long tail” instead of going only after the “head”. In other words, because there are so many small individual users and niches, those who cater to these many small end and fringe users will over shadow just a few end users in the large obvious markets.
Since service and user content are the drivers in Web 2.0, it also follows that being a data provider, and being able to deliver that data well, are characteristics of Web 2.0 sites. Instead of attempting to provide a controlled software application, these successful sites provide information; information that is useful and available to meet users needs. How better to meet that goal than to monitor and involve users themselves in selecting that data?
A side thought to me is how this move in Web 2.0 corresponds to the flat world concepts presented in the previous module. Because users drive Web 2.0, and now the flattening of the world levels the playing field to many cultures, future Web 2.0 development will very clearly be heavily influenced by users from around the world and not only from Western cultures. Service providers who can best meet the global user needs, will be the most successful over the coming years.
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Darcy Crowell- I also find it very captivating just how far the web and its applications have come in today's industry. These sites provide the most relevant content to users and are most successful by providing information that is useful and available to meet users needs. For example, Google Maps (compared to MapQuest) provides living labatory for the competition between application vendors and their data suppliers. It links Google Maps with other internet-accessible data sources providing more relevant information.
Joaquin Chapar- I think is very interesting how one idea leads to the next and the next and next. For example, how website like craiglist can be combined with google maps in order to orient people where the stuff is located. In my opinion the more developed the internet gets the better it is, specially when it deals with demanding users who want their stuff and they want it now. We as the new generation might be lucky to see this next jump maybe web 2.1 or even something more radical as web 3.0. Who knows at the rate technology is growing a lot os possible.
Fahad Algahtani - What I like the most is addressing the long tail issue as one of web 2.0 advantages, because I believe that it is one of the most important factors in a website's success, such as ebay and Amazon.
Max Schoenrock- I think web 2.0 is very interesting in that technology has become far more advanced in the last 5 years. The fact that web sites like wikipedia allow users to comment and interpret their own opinions on a topic makes the information a lot more credible in my eyes. Daily updates and new news notifications are very helpful when tracing the most recent activity. Soon web 2.0 will take over the web, but then what will be next?
Joy Faerber - The main part of my job here at WSU is working on websites, so I deal with the WSU IT restrictions on a daily basis. What I find interesting is how difficult it is for institutions, like WSU, to let go of the control they are used to, in order to let their entities create websites that are even close to Web 2.0. It is happening, but in VERY slow motion.
I found it very interesting that web sites today track what information is most relevant to people either using RSS feeds or newer technologies. It is amazing to see the different adaptations companies are making to their websites in order to make things more convenient for the users.
Kim McNeely- I find it interesting how much the internet and what we can accomplish on the internet has progressed in just the past few years. Before Web 2.0, we were only able to retrieve information from certain websites. We can now retrieve and edit that information all within a certain point. In order to edit information in the past, a person would have to remove the information, edit it, and then send it back to the server. We now have social networks such as myspace and wikipedia which allows everyone to edit information pretty much whenever they chose at little hassle. Web 2.0 made networking on the internet possible.
Bryce LiaBraaten - It is very interesting to see the changes in the internet and related technology in the past few years. I like that movement away from a few people having control over the development of new technologies to many people adding to and modifying whats there. The thing I found most interesting or exciting is the use of the internet as a publisher. I think everyone has a voice and the the right to have their voice heard. The internet and the Web 2.0 movement have given the user much more power to be heard.
Bryan Adams – I think its interesting how the web has become sort of its own software. the fact that the web is driven by its users more so over time is indicative of innovation. Additionally I think that there is a relevant democracy of ideas that creates a balance of thought.
Alex Zsbel - The new ideas that are pushing the use of the web are very interesting. The most interesting idea is that the programs and services that grow more useful with more users will be te strongest. On the surface it seems pretty simple. But the underlying point that makes it most interesting is how important the users are in developing the program. I remember doing some beta testing for a video game. It was fun because we got to play the game before it was realeased, and give our ideas for development. If that number of people is increased it could only make the end result better.
Its strange to read this article; it is almost as if my experience with the web and internet is being reviewed and shown to me in retrospect. I've seen the first home internet use, when I would dial up my 1200 bod modem and connect to a bbs, or Prodigy.
I've experienced the evolution from 1.0 to 2.0 and it really has changed from the days of Netscape vs Explorer.
I think the 2.0 companies have the right idea, especially in a time where rules aren't static and where there is almost complete freedom. 2.0 Companies are smart to harness the collective power, to build databases and to give the user what they like.
I enjoy the internet how it is right now, we're free to explore, to access information, it is a great place to meet people and exchange ideas and commonalities.
I wonder what is in store for us in web 3.0. More regulation? A crack down on information exchange?
2.0 is a great age for the internet we should enjoy it while we can.
Sara Supple-I also found the pace of web development and technological advances since the startup of the internet to be quite remarkable. But what I really think is important in today's industry is the realization of how fast everything we know that is currently associated with the internet, and Web 2.0, could change. Companies should be focusing on what they can do now (in terms of evolving their products/services) in order to stay successful down the road when that change eventually does come.
AS one of the students who is studying developing web, i thought the biggiest difference between web 1.0 and 2.0 is way to contact to user too. Of course i could figure out from this article web is flat world and the difference between web 1.0 and 2.0 is web 2.0 is using custumers as much as they can and that's the way to success.
And Actually Whenever I decorating or developing web(i don't have many experiences but), usually think more about "how" than "what". Especially visual things first. But after i read this article, I think contents, (ex. linking) is also important. and it was pretty interesting.
I think that the most interesting thing about Web 2.0 is the large amounts of user created information that is submitted. It was also interesting to find out that Google Maps is designed for "hackability" so that users can take data and creatively reuse it.
Chantelle Venezuela - I found it interesting as to how much our technology and our dependence on our technology has dramatically changed in the past five years. For example, when reading, the information and content that we, as consumers, put on websites like Amazon and eBay are the most sucessful because they can narrow down to cater to certain consumers interests. It was something that I never really spent time to realize before. Another example is Facebook.com. I had always thought it was just used for networking and socializing, but after reading this artical I realized that our information that we are willingly putting onto our pages are being used by companies to market products and services.
I think the article was an excellant overview of business objectives/principles for any web based company or any business that uses a web-platform on a familiar basis.
The question that comes to mind is 'why hasn't strong platforms such as Wikipedia, Itunes, Mapquest, etc made everything truely connected?' We were talking about inegrating 'all aspects of life' last century yet were, to an extent, still just talking about it. Yes, Itunes and Google have done a great job connecting portable devices and online apps.
Although were on the borderline it doesn't seem to be as commonplace as it should. Why haven't they fully connected to all aspects; in essence why isn't 'google' my ultimate source for school research, entertaining videos, cell phone connectivity, my email, news stories, tracking people via their car or phone, to make my next online purchase, and more?
In essence businesses may need to expand into other dominated markets or team up w/ the leaders of those niches...
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