The Web is now moving from 2.0 to even Web 3.0 and we can expect Web 4.0, Web 5.0 and so on in the near future. Lot of changes is coming to the web and the internet in such a great pace.
What is a Web 2.0 website?
The websites in the olden days provide static content. The user can just only view the information and comment on it. He actually cannot digg it, stumble it, or write a blog about etc. Web 2.0 offers all these features. It allows us to create dynamic WebPages, and allow the users to interact with these websites in a different way. It allows online collaboration, and sharing of information among users. It gives users the ability to control data. A Webpage is not just a static html document, instead it is a dynamic application in which contents are added dynamically and the users not only can read the content on the website but also interact with it like an application either by adding and editing the content, or bookmark it in a social bookmarking site etc.
The interface of a Web 2.0 application is also dynamic. It is highly customizable. So we do not have to worry about the content while changing the look and feel of the website. The data is highly independent from design. This gives more flexibility in designing web applications.
The Web 2.0 not only allows the creation of dynamic websites. It also helps users to create content. The users can upload and share their photos, videos, documents, create their own websites etc. So Web 2.0 adds a social networking aspect to the web. It allows the users to become the consumer and the creator. So the users can efficiently participate in the creation of the largest medium in the world- the Web.
The content in a Web 2.0 environment is created in a collaborative environment. So Web 2.0 is more versatile and content rich. The content is shared between users. The applications used to create the content are web based and this allows more participation. Web 2.0 actually accelerated the growth of internet and the web as the ultimate entertainment and information medium.
What are the services provided by Web 2.0?
Web 2.0 allows the creation of dynamic content. So what are the kinds of services provided by Web 2.0 that we can use to create and share information? The most common types of Web 2.0 applications are the following:
1. Blogs: Blogs are one of the most dominant services provided by Web 2.0. The popularity of blogs comes from the fact that they allow the users not only to read content but also allows them to share what they know by posting their contents. A person who blogs is called as a blogger. A blogger can publish his thoughts online through blogs. A blog allows users to select templates and customize them. They can then add contents to it by just pasting it on these templates. It also allows a high level of interactivity because the users can comment about a blog, they can bookmark it online, subscribe to it etc. There are a lot of blogging website like blogger, wordpress, typepad etc which allow users to publish their thoughts online easily.
2. Social Networking: Social networking sites are another type of dynamic web applications which allows users with similar opinions to share their thoughts, and make friends with each other. These sites allow users to invite friends, join online communities, discuss current issue etc. So using the web as a medium for social activities is a new trend and is a part of the Web 2.0 revolution.
3. Social Bookmarking: Social bookmarking allows collaborative bookmarking of websites. If you find a website informative and useful you can bookmark online. There are some websites that allow online bookmarking. Almost all Web 2.0 websites allow online bookmarking. This allows users to share information about good websites they come across while surfing the internet. They can also use it for future reference. It intends to make your surfing more collaborative and productive. Digg, stumbleupon etc are examples of some popular social bookmarking sites.
4. Video sharing: Video sharing sites are a new boom in the world of web. There are lot of popular video sharing sites like YouTube through which you can share your videos with others. You just have to upload your videos to a video sharing site and then others accessing the site can view the video you have uploaded. They can also comment and rate the videos you have uploaded.
5. Photo sharing: Photo sharing websites allows you to share your photos online. You can upload your photo collection to these websites. Then others can view and comment on it. Many photo sharing sites allow you to edit and tag your photos. You can also sent photos as e-mail to your friends and many more. There are lot of popular photo sharing sites which offer these services for free like photobucket, flicker etc.
6. Wikis: Yet another popular and one of the most useful and dominant service provided by Web 2.0 is Wiki. If you have visited a site like Wikipedia you know what a wiki is. It is a very popular way of sharing your ideas and knowledge. In a wiki you can not only read content but also edit it, write your own content etc. Wikis are a very popular medium of sharing information now. The wiki Wikipedia is one of the most visited sites in the web. This underlines the popularity of a wiki. The information contained in a wiki is free and can be edited by anyone. So wikis can be considered as user contributed knowledge houses.
7. File sharing: Online file sharing is another service provided by Web 2.0. Users can upload videos, pictures, music, and other digitized content online and share it with other users. There are a number of online file sharing websites. They allow users to upload and download files. The most popular file sharing site is Rapidshare. There are also other filesharing sites like Megaupload, Mediafire etc.
Conclusion
To conclude Web 2.0 allows users to determine the content of the web. Websites act as the interface through which users share their content. So a Web 2.0 site is just like an application than just serving information. There are certain concerns about this open structure of the web too. Because it may lead to illegal sharing of files, content etc. But ahead of these the benefits offered by Web 2.0 is so immense that it is definitely the future of the web and can rightly be called as Web 2.0.
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