Behind the Hype: Web 2.0 Revealed

In the age of Information Technology we are constantly bombarded with acronyms and confusing lingo. Acronyms like ISP (Internet Service Provider), HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language), XML (Extendable Mark-up Language), AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript & XML) and lingo like Web 2.0 are constantly ringing in our ears. Which leaves us to one question, what exactly is Web 2.0? Computer software has versions in order to differentiate between its features. Web 2.0 represents the next generation (or version) of the web.

In the 90s, dial-up brought us to experience a new form of technology that would enable us to communicate across the globe. Dial-up had its limitations. Its slow connection speed didn’t allow for an abundance of pictures, streaming audio or video. Graphical website design was virtually unheard of due to the inability to display these sites quickly.

Today, broadband (High Speed Internet) has enabled a new experience on top of the existing technology. The web, combined with the blistering speed offered by broadband, has broken the limitations of dial-up internet. This change is what forged the Web 2.0 era. With the acceleration of the internet, streaming audio and video, dynamic content, and graphical designs are found in abundance across the World Wide Web.

Streaming Music and Videos have created a number of community sites, which have enabled amateur artists to showcase their work to a global audience. Movie sites can now host multiple full length trailers. Bands can showcase their music on their site and even allow fans to watch their music videos online. Even radio stations are using Web 2.0 to their advantage by streaming their broadcast live worldwide.

Dynamic Content on sites allows for a customized web experience. Search features are more common on sites, so we can now access information quicker. With the addition of AJAX, we can now experience more from the internet. Web Applications (Programs Hosted on the internet) now give the same user experience as a Desktop Application (Programs installed on your personal computer) as information can be sent, received and updated ‘behind the scenes’. This has started a large wave of Web Applications to be developed. Web Applications are very useful as they are much more portable and affordable than Desktop Applications (as Web Applications are accessible worldwide, and without the need of multiple user licenses).

Graphically designed sites such as Flash sites (interactive animated websites) and Image heavy layouts are more accepted in today’s internet (even though approximately 25% of internet users still use dial-up). Interactivity is further promoted through the use of tools such as blogs and wikis that allow web site operators and guests to have a more active role in the content that is displayed and shared. This helps promote the web site as a community instead of the traditional web site as a “billboard”.

All of these things: high speed internet access, enabling web sites with interactive features such as streaming video, dynamic content, web applications, Flash based sites, blogs, wikis, and countless other innovations, fall under the broad umbrella of Web 2.0. Expect to see more from the web in the future, as there is already talk of Web 3.0 which is supposed to be an even faster internet, with connection speeds up to 100 times faster than today’s Cable (i.e. Rogers) and DSL (Digital Subscribers Line - i.e. Sympatico) internet connections. The new technologies that will be enabled with this boost in speed will provide an even richer web experience and continue to improve the internet in ways that are, at this point, beyond imagination.

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By Cory Fowler
Cory is a developer at Platypi Designs, a web design and
development firm in Guelph Ontario.