The Basics of Web 2.0

Sophia Guevara, MLIS

SLA Annual Conference | June 6, 2007

“Web 1.0 was commerce. Web 2.0 is people.”

Ross Mayfield, CEO of Social Text

Web 1.0

In this version, the author controlled website content. These sites were used primarily for commerce and information.

Platform focus was on computers instead of the Web.

Could the Web grow to be more than a collection of author controlled pages?

What would that look like?

The Power of Innovation

Why not give people the power to create content instead of just consuming it?

Could we create social networks within the virtual environment?

Web 2.0: Expanding Possibilities

- Network as platform

- Software improved as a result of more people using it.

- “Architecture of participation”

T. O'Reilly. “Web 2.0: Compact Definition? October 1, 2005

The Virtual Life

Blogging Vlogging Social network sites Wikis Virtual Worlds

Along came the Blog

Instead of reading news, they were busy creating it.

Blogging provided people a venue to post their thoughts online for the world to see.

Vlogging

YouTube became a sensation, allowing people to share ideas in an online video format.

Some vloggers have become wildly popular for their entertaining video posts.

A Place For Friends

Social networking technology such as MySpace and Friendster allow members to keep in touch with friends online.

Creating meaning

Wikis allow users to “freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser.”

Wikipedia is one of the most popular wikis.

http://wiki.org/wiki.cgi?WhatIsWiki

...in a Second Life

Residents engage socially with each other using avatars.

With its increasing popularity, many organizations have established a presence.

Web Economics 2.0

Virtual Currency

- Second Life Linden Dollars

Hof, R.D. “My Virtual Life”. BusinessWeek. .May 1, 2006.

Viral Marketing

-YouTube and video share.

-MySpace and friends list

ConclusionSocial networking and Web as platform are two prominent characteristics of the new Web.

The Web is no longer just a collection of author controlled pages.

With Web 2.0, you have a greater impact in the online environment.

A thriving virtual economy has been created with the presence of virtual worlds.