First it was Ajax. The hype Ajax carried along was – and still is – a big thing on the Web. What Ajax did was not engaging a revolution; it was practically about showing the “right“ way to use pre existing technology and means in the web applications market.
I believe Web2.0 is the same thing for the Web as a whole. While Ajax movement is all practically about proper usage of DOM and JavaScript, Web2.0 is all about using the Web (yes, the existing web) and all it’s properties the way it “should“ be used, the way we may want it to be yet we don’t know it can be (yet).
A metaphor to rule ‘em all
Imagine web as a kingdom. This kingdom has quite some properties and people tags in its territory.
Content tends to be the king and glue to unite them all, simplicity the queen and standards the laws to make this kingdom work in harmony and quality.
All in all Web is and acts pretty much as our non-web life; In this life, the real one, the more discipline we have as whole, the more quality we share.
So, what Web2.0 is?
Let’s get back to basics. What is really Web2.0? Is it a new version of the Web in the manner of Windows series? Is it a Web XP, or Web Vista kind of thing? (A short note here is that if Microsoft had its plans fulfilled with his MSN vision, I am sure we would have come to a Web Vista name pretty soon.)
My opinion is that it’s all about a new era. An era where interfaces, simplicity, usability and standards will prevail. An era where the Web as a kingdom will be accounted as the Internet kingdom. I am pretty sure the above sound too ideal and harmonic to your ears, believe me so they do in my ears too.
There are times though we should (as humans) fantasize the ideal – the divine – in order to achieve the acceptable. This makes me think and demand lots from this this new era arising.
In conclusion, Web2.0 is or should be all about:
- Content syndication (RSS & ATOM)
- Web as an OS
- Content and services Re-usability
- Plethora of APIs
- Free content thus information and knowledge for more
- Semantic web
- Remixing and reusing web assets
All in all it’s all about making the internet useful to the computers as Jeff Bezos said.
But hey, let me expand this to:
Web2.0: Internet useful to humans.
We already have debate, conferences and scenarios going on the Web2.0 movement. You probably think this post is another one.
The very true is that it’s all about declaring my hope and agony for a better Web.
Good Web – Good people
Aristotle: All men by nature desire knowledge.
Let’s work with this quote in combination with the ideal Web we all want and wish for. Let’s see this new vision as a social effect.
As Heraclitus said,
“Abundance of knowledge does not teach men to be wise“. This said, we having more content and knowledge in our hands will not make us wise.
Here come the standards (laws) and other tools to make this knowledge useful, thus truly making us wiser.
What being wiser means? I believe being wiser is close to being more human. Being more human results in more love, a less scattered and brutal world.
Being more human results in more love, a less scattered and brutal world.
Remember live8? I can’t recall how many sites were badged with the make poverty history sign. I do believe this is because the messages and the hype this event was channeled through the right web media the right and solid way. I also believe this caused a lot of people to believe there are still good people in the world/web.
In conclusion e-living in an “ideal” and useful web environment where we will have more opportunities to appreciate the goods we are given will ideally make us wiser and eventually more human.
To end this fairy-like post and to remind you the purpose it was written for, let me use the words of Carl Sandburg:
I’m an idealist. I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way.
