The Internet, Intranets, and Extranets - Principles of Information Systems - page 279

Web 2.0 and the Social Web
Over the past few years, the Web has been evolving from a one-directional resource where
users only obtain information to a two-directional resource where users obtain and contribute
information. Consider Web sites such as YouTube, Wikipedia, and MySpace as examples.
The Web has also grown in power to support full-blown software applications, such as Google
Docs, and is becoming a computing platform on its own. These two major trends in how
the Web is used and perceived have created dramatic changes on the Web, so that the new
form of the Web has earned the title of Web 2.0 . 10
The original Web, now referred to as Web 1.0, provided a platform for technology-savvy
developers and the businesses and organizations that hired them to publish information for
the general public to view. The introduction of user-generated content supported by
Wikipedia, blogging, and podcasting made it clear that those using the Web were also in-
terested in contributing to its content. This led to the development of Web sites with the
sole purpose of supporting user-generated content and user feedback.
Web sites such as YouTube and Flickr allow users to share video and photos with other
people, groups, and the world. With social networking Web sites such as Facebook and
MySpace, users can post information about their interests and find like-minded people. Using
microblogging sites such as Twitter and Jaiku, people can post thoughts and ideas throughout
the day for friends to read. Social bookmarking sites such as Digg and del.icio.us allow users
to pool their votes to determine what online news stories and Web pages are most interesting
each moment of the day. Similarly, Epinions and many retail Web sites allow consumers to
voice their opinions about products. All of these popular Web sites serve as examples of how
the Web has transformed to become the town square where people share information, ideas,
and opinions; meet with friends; and make new acquaintances.
The introduction of powerful Web-delivered applications such as Google Docs, Adobe
Photoshop Express, Xcerion Web-based OS, and Microsoft Maps have elevated the Web
from an online library to a platform for computing. 11 Many of the computer activities tra-
ditionally provided through software installed on a PC can now be carried out using rich
Internet applications (RIAs) in a Web browser without installing any software. A rich In-
ternet application is software that has the functionality and complexity of traditional
application software, but runs in a Web browser and does not require local installation. RIAs
are the result of continuously improving programming languages and platforms designed for
the Web.

Web 2.0
The Web as a computing platform
that supports software applications
and the sharing of information
between users.

rich Internet application
Software that has the functionality
and complexity of traditional appli-
cation software, but does not
require local installation and runs in
a Web browser.

iCloud from Xcerion is a Web-based
operating system that runs in a
browser window.
(Source: Courtesy of Xcerion AB.)