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Web 2.0 Basics

Web 2.0 is a trend in the use of Web technology and web design that facilitate creativity, information sharing, and in particular, collaboration among its users. These concepts have led to the development and evolution of web, based communities and hosted services, like social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies.

In 2001 when the dot com bubble burst, the web reached its most significant turning point since its birth. In one word… FAILURE. Many thought the web was proved as a passing phase, a blip in the radar, but out of this failure the web was reborn. The companies that survived had a different fundamental approaches that set them apart from the companies that failed.
They approached the web as a platform and used the unique features and essence of the web for their success instead of trying to make the web change to a pre-existing business model or product.

The most uniqie feature of the web was that information went world wide instantly so companies that were successful used the power of the web to harness collective intelligence. Anthony D. Williams co-author of “Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything” refers to the difference between web 1.0 and web 2.0 as “Public Squares vs. Walled Gardens.” Web 1.0 was all based on a hierarchical structure much like you’d see when you look a set of Britannica Encyclopedia’s on your book shelf. In contrast Wed 2.0 is collaborative and relies on input from its users to create the story in contrast its Wikipedia. Which by the way has 10 times as many entries as Britannica which just 10 years ago was considered largest information resource in the world. What was found was that companies that embraced this “Public Square” grew exponentially and flew past their hierarchical counterparts.

Video by Michael Wesch, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University

Why?
The “Wikinomics” authors found that 65% of this new generation of online customers wants a two-way relationship with the brands they select, with the ability to provide feedback and direct input. While companies had to embrace the concept of having to take input on how and what they sell from their customers… the great thing about the relationship is “IT WAS TWO-WAY.” Patrons who embraced giving feedback also embraced getting it from the placed that browsed and shopped online. From Amazon’s recommendations to iTunes “just for you” and more recent “genius” features. This two way relationship was as beneficial to both parties and that is why it was so successful.

Web 2.0 is about efficiency. The the premise that because people can access each other…. they will access each other has changed the paradigm, and thus the costs of access, the friction created by the media, has dropped to almost nothing. The structural effects of the web 2.0 will not be merely a matter of making the economy more efficient.

There will also be social consequences large and small. Some will allow us to sell more tickets and make producers happy but on the other side web 2.0 is changing more than the culture of buying and selling.

Culture is changing in all aspects and in some anthropological circles Web 2.0 is looked at as something that is changing the very essence of our culture. Because of these changes will the future of Broadway need to be interactive.

Thoughts on Digital Media: ChicagoPublicRadio.org