| There has been much disagreement about what | | | | programming interfaces; weblog publishing |
| actually defines Web 2.0, a term coined by | | | | tools; RSS feeds; wiki software to support |
| O'Reilly Media in 2004. | | | | user generated content; and the use of open |
| | | | source software. |
| However, in the last three years something | | | | |
| approaching a consensus on what Web 2.0 | | | | While millions of websites today have some, |
| actually is has emerged. Most agree that Web | | | | or all, of these features, there are a few |
| 2.0 defines the internet as a platform where | | | | websites that are thought to have originally |
| developers build applications uniquely | | | | been the pioneers of Web 2.0. These include |
| tailored for the internet, rather than the | | | | Google, Yahoo, Amazon and eBay. |
| internet having to adapt to suit the features | | | | |
| of applications. | | | | Today, however, every blog you see and |
| | | | countless other websites can be defined as |
| Examples of this definition are wiki sites or | | | | Web 2.0 sites. The technology is growing fast |
| Google Docs & Spreadsheets which act like | | | | and certain websites are leading the charge. |
| desktop applications but actually work in the | | | | FaceBook, Wikipedia, Digg and YouTube are all |
| user's browser. | | | | providing popular services and are some of |
| | | | the biggest names in Web 2.0 development. |
| Under Web 2.0, the internet is also seen as a | | | | |
| two-way medium with increased interactivity | | | | Perhaps the most important piece of |
| and input for the end user. This can be seen | | | | technology in the development of Web 2.0 is |
| in blogs, wikis and social networking sites | | | | the use of AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and |
| where users can easily interact with each | | | | XML). This allows pages to respond to a |
| other and the website's publisher. | | | | user's actions without reloading the page, |
| | | | making pages more interactive and reducing |
| While the term Web 2.0 suggests a newer | | | | response times. |
| version of internet, this is not the case. It | | | | |
| simply refers to the web as we know it today. | | | | Web 2.0 offers some new and innovative ways |
| And as this will continue to change and | | | | for individuals and companies to promote |
| evolve-an exact definition of the term may | | | | themselves, both through marketing and |
| never be possible. | | | | advertising. You will now find multi-national |
| | | | companies using blogs and social networking |
| However, there are certain Web 2.0 | | | | sites to reach potential customers, while the |
| characteristics that many websites share. | | | | increasing interactivity of Web 2.0 websites |
| These include, but are not limited to, the | | | | is increasing consumers' power to voice their |
| use of html, xhtml and css; software to | | | | opinions. |
| support user generated content; application | | | | |