The Facade of Web 2.0 - Part 1
Written by ED on October 6, 2007 – 7:22 pm - Tags: hypebeast, internet, social media, trend, web 2.0Posted in Blogosphere, Singapore, Society, World |
When Tim O’Reilly said, “Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform.” What did he mean specifically? And what foresights did he perceived for the future of internet?
Ever since the term Web 2.0 has been termed as the second generation of internet usage and interactive, the world seems to have been taken by storm. Software developers began working differently and internet users also began using the internet in a way never seen before. Through this boom of the Web 2.0, we have seen countless social communities and utilities being unleashed across the entire World Wide Web. It seemed as though the various functions of the world have suddenly become primitive overnight.
Singapore is no different when it comes to chasing technologies. While the general web-based industries are still lapsing behind other countries in many aspects, the drive to influence the local communities into embracing Web 2.0 appears a little frivolous at this point. Once in a while, exchanges with my associates and online acquaintances threw up more doubts about the Web 2.0 phenomenon than actually being convinced of why we should start implementing it in our lives.
Is Web 2.0 just another fashion statement?
According to most definitions, Web 2.0 has shaped a new level of how information is being produced online and shared. It has also enhanced communication and interaction over the World Wide Web beyond what Web 1.0 can provide for. In addition, Web 2.0 was made easy to be picked up by starters and independent developers, and this is commonly understood as the “open source” development. What’s more, the surfacing of weblogs that millions of internet users are using right now does not points specifically to any form of success even though the trend of citizen journalism has emerged.
Understanding these characteristics of the Web 2.0 platform, will be helpful in determining if Web 2.0 is indeed nothing more than a façade like the dot-com bubble that burst several years ago.
As much as the whole deal sounded gloriously promising, the true potential of Web 2.0 doesn’t seems to be anywhere visible. Or at least, the results Web 2.0 has produced today barely scratched the surface of what the initial intention was. That’s what I observed as a Web 2.0 end-user in some ways and not in every way. After all, the true verdict should come from the eventual end-users of how Web 2.0 has helped in improving our online activities in both social & corporate usage.
To do that, I will need to explore and examine several factors and effects that span over this series of posts, constraining them to be more relevant to Singapore’s Web 2.0 fanatics.
Many events have been organized in Singapore, directly and indirectly related to the Web 2.0 phenomenon. The most recent being PopOut, Nexus and Blogout organized by The Digital Movement, among the likes of Web 2.0 Seminar by Sun Microsystem or even the larger scale Asia Web 2.0 Conference by Zenith Events Management. To be frank, I have never attended any of them and I do not even forsee putting myself in these events when Web 2.0 hardly made life any easier for me and my work. (Example 1 & Example 2)
When I started off doing a little research on the various Web 2.0 utilities, I began asking myself how heavy the changes in my online activities were. Also, I took a little effort to re-examine the way Web 2.0 has changed or possibly could have changed the way I work. On top of it all, it took me quite a while to re-assess my acquaintances with various individuals in their respective industries, either leisurely or corporately.
Over the span of the next few days up to a week or more, I will begin my road-trip into uncovering the optional significance of the Web 2.0 platform, instead of riding on a possible second self-manufactured bubble. The only ironical thing is, this road-trip is started within a weblog powered by none other than Wordpress, a common name in the Web 2.0 arena.
For now, let Part 1 be an introduction of where I am coming from, and where I am heading.
Stay tuned for Part 2.
October 7th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Web 2.0 and its accompanying term of “social media” describes a wide array of technologies which allow people to better connect with each other without being geeks themselves. Some have termed it a “democratisation” of the Internet - a process which makes online communication much more efficient and easy for the everyday user.
I believe that Web 2.0’s greatest value is in making people share more about each other’s thoughts, lives, dreams and wishes to a wider audience, and being plugged into various social networks on a regular basis without going through tremendous hassle. It isn’t about just launching community platform after community platform which are similar to each other except for minor tweaks, improvements and upgrades.
In this game, just like any other business game, the rules of marketing still apply. First movers will still have an advantage over latecomers. In other words, you will never get another Youtube or Google. Ever.
October 7th, 2007 at 10:54 am
In the context of Sg, I have yet to see how web2.0 has benefited the masses in an economic sense.
However, I do agree with Walter that it has make connecting with people alot more easier, then it was with static web pages and animated GIFs.
October 7th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Walter:Interesting comment you have, I’m reading it. On a whole, the Web 2.0 drive is very much like what you said - launching communities after communities. To me, everything was conducted under the pretext of developing the Web 2.0 here which in actual fact, they’ve achieved little other than meeting one another sharing handshakes and small talks.
The social media is coming next. Probably will be touching on whether Web 2.0 is really that effective and who’s eventually the true winner. The developer or the users.
Jym: Welcome to my blog. Feel free to share anything you like. Like above, it will be interesting to see whether Web 2.0 is really that versatile as the geeks are proudly proclaiming.
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