What is Web 2.0?

As we all head for the dissertations and our master´s degrees I guess, you go over several job advertisements already now to get an idea where you could get your first working experiences. Well, I do so and I found a lot, some more, some less interesting, but there are some vacancies at all, which gives me hope finally!
But many of the job postings indicated “interest for media, affinity to internet and the know-how with the web 2.0.” Interest for media: yes, is given. Affinity to the internet: yes, is given too. Know-how with the web 2.0, well, maybe, if I would know what this means exactly!
Surely every one of you heard this expression and probably you have a vague imagination of what it could be, but a clear definition? Hopefully I can fill this lack of knowledge:



If you seek for the term web 2.0 you will find quite quickly the page of Tim O´Reilly with his article “What is web 2.0?”
“Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the Internet as a platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform. [O’Reilly]

He describes seven principles which are listed in the following and I will try to summarise them.

1. The web as platform
The web/internet has become omnipresent. Everybody knows it and uses it and not only about browsers but about many different services and practices.

2. Usage of Collective Intelligence
Data and sites in the web are linked among themselves and frame the knowledge. For example Wikipedia on which every user may write down his knowledge and another user may change the article.

3. Data is the next Intel Inside
The collected data while using an application are the basis for the web application. This huge amount of data is provided by an application to users.

4. End of the Software Release Cycle
Software is not used any more as a product but as a service. To keep a product actual is much more difficult than a service. Thus it is easier to run a service as it can be updated party without knowing of the user.

5. Lightweight Programming Models
To provide data and services to the public these “lightweight programming models” are implemented. That means that data can be offered easily by a HTTP or a web-service gateway.

6. Software above the Level of Single Device
Not only is the computer used as a terminal but also mobiles or other devices.

7. Blogging
Blogging itself is not new but the change to more active users to creators which can be seen also in the RSS feeds. To these pages can be subscribed and they underlie a permanent change. That means they are not static anymore but dynamic as they change content and links as well.

This is only a very brief summery but I hope I could give you a better idea of what is meant by web 2.0 and what different issues are related to it.