Now, I am not the biggest fan of fitting the whole online world into one slot or a category. Like, for example, announcing that it is now Web 2.0 without even defining it. When I first heard the term Web 2.0, I thought it was there just to make the subject line of an executive summary describing of “what on earth is going on out there” more inviting. I still think that, so here is my attempt at defining it…
Past
Web 1.0 was about reading whatever the content was, on the web. There was and has always been a lot of content online. During the 1.0 era, most of the content was created by companies and organisations. The typical personal page was poorly written, had screaming colours and flashing pictures. Pages whose hit counters reached four figures (in their lifetime) were considered to have “made it”. The shared content was in newsgroups and we talked only on IRC (Internet Relay Chat). A lucky few had the ability to go online at home, but only for a limited time, as online time was charged by the minute.
Present Past
Web 2.0 is about people stuffing their own content online. Posting messages, pictures or videos from low-cost always-on, fairly fast internet connections coupled with easy-to-use, free publishing systems. There are way too many to go into, but sites such as Facebook and Twitter are usually mentioned around about now.
Internet is available in most households, a vast number of people can go online wherever they are, and most companies have a broadband connection and a webpage. Some teens are actually suffering from withdrawal when you take away their internet and mobile phone privileges.
Future Now
Web 3.0 is about us all collaborating, networking, talking and laughing, searching, citing, criticising, learning, studying, sharing and showing, mind-melding and creating together. Exactly which sites we use is not be all that relevant anymore, though I believe sites such as wave.google.com or foursquare.com will become strong players. Users have various devices and different applications to enable their connection to the online society.
Online societies are very intensively involved in projects, realising the scrum master’s wet dream of super-productivity when collaborating on their personal projects. The companies that have jumped on this train form pacts with their developers and users, promising to listen, respect and reward. Products will thus be developed according to the actual needs and wants of the users. Those companies keeping these promises will thrive.
Internet access will be a constant, with no extra cost. (We’re not quite there yet with this one.)
