So what is this Web 2.0 thing?

When I first heard about this Web 2.0 concept I thought it was some kind of concrete thing, like a new version of Windows OS or a new browser. Having read a little wider about it I’ve realised it is an abstract concept. According to the Wikipedia

Web 2.0 can also be called the

…”Participatory Web”, emphasizing tools and platforms that enable the user to tag, blog, comment, modify, augment, select from, rank, and generally talk back to the contributions of other users and the general world community

I don’t really know if we have had that much of a revolutionary step happen. I do think however, that organisation of the Internet has become more complex but I don’t know that has become any more useable. I am certainly interested in the development of collaborative tools and the so called ‘architecture of participation’.

The development of decentralised, collaborative tools will hopefully boost communication and interactivity both in corporate intranets and between organisations and their users. Already wikis are widely being used by companies for this purpose. However there is always the problem of ‘knowledge as power’. People who are worried about maintaining their postions in the organisational hierarchy may be unwilling to share their knowledge for the greater good. Also many people have domineering personalities and may only be interested in sharing a wiki if they control the way content is delivered.

However, on the whole I think these lightweight content management systems (CMS) are very useful and I am interested to see how they will be further developed.

Trying to get more of an idea about Web 2.0 I read an article called The amorality of Web 2.0 which I have highlighted interesting ideas out of below.
Rough Type: Nicholas Carr’s Blog: The amorality of Web 2.0

‘perpetual betas’ (one of the Web 2.0 articles of faith)

This is one of the things that annoys me about the use of technology having to constantly update to the next big thing. I remember reading a humourous book about computers I think it was by Dave Barry and he said that computers are great for people who like to tinker and fiddle. The idea of being able to control and filter information is half of the attraction for me of customising my GUI with new browsers, plug-ins, and extensions.
Rough Type: Nicholas Carr’s Blog: The amorality of Web 2.0

Without a rigorous editorial process they will never achieve encyclopedic greatness, but on the other hand, it’s still a handy reference. It’s not as if they’re spreading disinformation on a mass scale, there’s just a general quality problem.

I thought this quote captures some of what is wrong with Wikipedia.

I also think there is more than a grain of truth to the idea that perhaps Web 2.0 is just an aesthetic movement. Here’s an example of the Web 2.0 school of graphic design.