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24 Part 1 Introduction

Web 2.0 also references methods of exchanging data between sites in standardized formats,
such as the feeds merchants use to supply shopping comparison sites with data about prod-
ucts offered and their prices. We include examples of Web 2.0 e-business applications
throughout the book and discuss them in more detail in Chapter 3.
The main characteristics of Web 2.0 are that it typically involves:
(i) Web services or interactive applications hosted on the web such as Flickr (www.flickr.com),
Google Maps™ (http://maps.google.com) or blogging services such as Blogger.com or
Typepad (www.typepad.com);
(ii) Supporting participation – many of the applications are based on altruistic principles
of community participation best represented by the most popular social networks such
as Bebo, MySpace and Facebook;
(iii) Encouraging creation of user-generated content – blogs are the best example of this.
Another example is the collaborative encyclopedia Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.com);
Mashups (iv) Enabling rating of content and online services – services such as delicious
Web sites, pages or (http://del.icio.us) and traceback comments on blogs support this. These services are
widgets that combine the
content or functionality of useful given the millions of blogs that are available – rating and tagging (categorizing)
one web site or data content help indicate the relevance and quality of the content;
source with another to (v) Ad funding of neutral sites – web services such as Google Mail/GMail™ and many blogs
create something offering
a different type of value are based on contextual advertising such as Google Adsense™ or Overture/Yahoo!
to web users from the Content Match;
separate types of content
or functionality. (vi) Data exchange between sites through XML-based data standards. RSS is based on XML,
but has relatively little semantic markup to describe the content. An attempt by Google
Widget to facilitate this which illustrates the principle of structured information exchange and
A badge or button
incorporated into a site or searching is Google Base™ (http://base.google.com). This allows users to upload data
social network space by about particular services such as training courses in a standardized format based on
its owner, with content or XML. New classes of content can also be defined and mashups created;
services typically served
from another site making (vii) Use of rich media or creation of rich Internet applications (RIA) which provide for a more
widgets effectively a immersive, interactive experience. These may be integrated into web browsers or may be
mini-software application
or web service. Content separate applications like that downloaded for Second Life (www.secondlife.com);
can be updated in real (viii) Rapid application development using interactive technology approaches known as
time since the widget ‘Ajax’ (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML). The best-known Ajax implementation is
interacts with the server
each time it loads. Google Maps which is responsive since it does not require refreshes to display maps.
Figure 1.7 summarizes the evolution of digital and web-related technologies.
Box 1.1 discusses the emerging concept of Web 3.0.

Box 1.1 Whither Web 3.0?

Web 3.0 concept Since the Web 2.0 concept has been widely applied, it is natural that commentators
Next-generation web would try to evolve the concept to Web 3.0, although the term hasn’t been widely
incorporating high-speed
connectivity, complex applied to date. We can suggest that as web functionality evolves, these approaches
cross-community which could be deemed ‘Web 3.0’ will become more important:
interactions, full range of
digital media (text, voice, Web applications. Usage of web-based applications and services (like Google
video) and an intelligent word processor and spreadsheets) using the web in this way is sometimes termed
or semantic web where
automated applications ‘cloud computing’ where all that is really needed for many activities is a computer
can access data from with a web browser, with local software applications used less widely;
different online services
to assist searchers Syndication. Increased incorporation of syndicated content and services from other
perform complex tasks of sites or a network into a site (using tools such as Yahoo! Pipes and XML exchange
supplier selection. between widgets). We refer to this concept as ‘atomization’ in Chapter 9;
Streamed video or IPTV. Increased use of streamed video from existing TV
providers and user-generated content (as suggested by use of YouTube and IPTV
services such as Joost);