Web 2.0 - What is it? - Is there even such a thing?

The loose definition of what ‘Web 2.0’ really is, leads to the debate if there is really such a thing as ‘Web 2.0’ or is it simply just ‘hype’.
The internet, as what it is known as today, a two way medium, is simply an evolution of technology. The evolution of the internet is caused by rapid growth in three areas: broadband growth; web technologies; and non-web technologies (such as digital photography). The rapid growth in these areas has lead to consumer empowerment and as a result web technologies have changed to meet consumers’ needs and wants.

One characteristic of ‘Web 2.0’ is that users can interact with a website, yet Amazon.com customers have been able to comment on items since 1995. The interfaces and technology may not have been as well refined as they are today, though the simple features described in ‘Web 2.0’ are quite evident in the early days of the internet (known as ‘Web 1.0’)

Tim Bearners-Lee, director of the World Wide Web Consortium, quotes during a podcast interview with IBM about Web 2.0,

“Web 1.0 was all about connecting people. It was an interactive space, and I think Web 2.0 is of course a piece of jargon, nobody even knows what it means. If Web 2.0 for you is blogs and wikis, then that is people to people. But that was what the Web was supposed to be all along. And in fact, you know, this 'Web 2.0,' it means using the standards which have been produced by all these people working on Web 1.0.”

The web has always been about connecting people to each other, so therefore nothing has changed between ‘Web 1.0’ and ‘Web 2.0’. If anything it can just be said that it is done more effectively, due to evolution of technical advances. The web hasn’t changed versions, or changed perspective, just changed how things are done.

Works Cited
Andreessen, Marc. “Why there's no such thing as Web 2.0” 5 March 2009 http://blog.pmarca.com/2007/06/why_theres_no_s.html

Anderson, Nate. “Tim Berners-Lee on Web 2.0: "nobody even knows what it means" ARS Technica 5 March 2009 http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2006/09/7650.ars

Philippe. “Web 2.0? There’s no such thing!” 5 March 2009 http://badideaindeed.wordpress.com/2007/03/21/web-20-theres-no-such-thing/