Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Web 2.0 marks the evolution of more fully integrated access solutions.
The “browser wars” of Web 1.0 fame calmed, as proprietary formats gave
way to open standards. This is not to say that Silverlight versus Flash
arguments have left the IT shop, but users today can make use of both as
they choose.
Tip:
When building Web-based solutions, it is best to pick a standard
methodology and avoid content that involves downloading unfamiliar
add-ons. Many forms of malware use this technique, and an increasingly
sophisticated consumer base is wary of downloading additional applica-
tions to view content. Common add-ons include familiar Flash players
and Adobe PDF readers. A custom-built applet called “FriendlyCursor-
Manager” might easily be mistaken for adware like the old Gator Cor-
poration (now Claria) suite offerings (eWallet, GotSmiley, Screenscenes,
etc.), spamware, or worse. Clients revisit sites with active, updated content
that they trust. Alerts about additional unknown downloads can rapidly
drive away customers.
Browser-specific issues in Web 2.0 tend to be in the mechanisms that
different browsers use to render displayed elements, such as padding varia-
tions, or between desktop and mobile browser variations. As one example,
the Apple Safari browser on the Macintosh desktop allows media content
delivery from popular sites such as Hulu and YouTube, while the mobile
Safari browser on the popular iPhone does not support Hulu's format
and allows only limited YouTube content through a secondary applica-
tion with a limited set of media from the full YouTube collection and not
available within the Safari browser itself.
Web 3.0
The emerging near-future World Wide Web 3.0 continues to include
static content from Web 1.0, dynamic content from Web 2.0, and adds
further personalization and “smart” content delivery to aid consumers
in filtering the enormous volumes of data into a manageable stream.
Current development of sites like the Amazon.com online marketplace
include early elements of this type of filtering, offering ratings derived
