The problem with Web 2.0
This may seem a strange first post, but I was just reading an article about Web 2.0 in the Enterprise in 2008, and the definition of Web 2.0 made me laugh out loud:
I don't like to be rude, and appreciate the difficulty in trying to put a definition together, but what the hell does that mean? Sheesh. The further we get away from the coining of the term then the less relevance it seems to have. Personally I only seem use the word these days to talk to people who don't really know what they're talking about.
I'm sure anyone who works in this field would agree that the concept of defined iterations of the web is ludicrous, that this field is about evolution not revolution. I think that's where the problem of defining Web 2.0 starts - you're trying to define something that doesn't really exist. Web 2.0 was a moment in history, not something you can pull out of a box.
Trouble is as business types get their heads around this they start asking "where are my Web 2.0 bits?" as if it's something that can be just dropped in to an existing site in chunks without thought for it's spatial and temporal interaction with the rest of the site.
As for Web 3.0 ... don't get me started!
"A set of technologies and applications that enable efficient interaction among people, content, and data in support of collectively fostering new businesses, technology offerings, and social structures." (Forrester Research)
I don't like to be rude, and appreciate the difficulty in trying to put a definition together, but what the hell does that mean? Sheesh. The further we get away from the coining of the term then the less relevance it seems to have. Personally I only seem use the word these days to talk to people who don't really know what they're talking about.
I'm sure anyone who works in this field would agree that the concept of defined iterations of the web is ludicrous, that this field is about evolution not revolution. I think that's where the problem of defining Web 2.0 starts - you're trying to define something that doesn't really exist. Web 2.0 was a moment in history, not something you can pull out of a box.
Trouble is as business types get their heads around this they start asking "where are my Web 2.0 bits?" as if it's something that can be just dropped in to an existing site in chunks without thought for it's spatial and temporal interaction with the rest of the site.
As for Web 3.0 ... don't get me started!
Comments
Post a Comment