What People Still Don't Understand about Web 2.0

I choose to review the slideshow titled "What People Still Don't Understand about Web 2.0" as it was by a well known publisher Tim O'Reilly. His companycompany produces several books and reference guides in the computer industry. Just a few days ago he spoke at the Web 2.0 Expo in Berlin. This is his slide show that he presented.

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He believes that web 2.0 is becoming very competitive between the companies. The company that figures out how to collect and deliver applications will indeed be the winner. It is important to note that users are the one that will add value to the applications that these companies provide. And now-in-days applications are increasingly data-driven. He believes that if a company has a hard-to-recreate source of data, it will be like the next Intel, and have the competitive advantage.
In building a new web 2.0 company you need to ask yourself what data do you own or control? What user facing services can you build against this data? And how can you make these data sources better as customers use them?

Tim believes that the key to web 2.0 is the harvesting of data from multiple sources. If you can harvest data from multiple sources you will have an advantage. For me an example of this is Google. Google has become such the player that a lot of different applications interact with your google login. Blogger is a prime example of this when you can use your login to create a webpage. You can also import address's of your friends and family into your facebook account. That integration is wonderful and is what helps to attract people to their website.

He goes on to talk about phones as the next big thing. The pc is no longer the only way of accessing internet applications. He cites that perhaps iTunes is the most important Web 2.0 Application to study as it evolved from user participation, it utilizes both the ipod, personal computer and the internet. Apple controls the music industry in the form of online music sales. Their phone is next :-)

As people utilize these applications new ones are created as the use of sensors and collective intelligence increases. From phones to web applications to second life, companies learn what their customers want. Web 2.0 is an evolution of social interactive experience.

Web 2.0 & Language Learning

In this video Graham Stanley visits the use of emerging technologies to engage the 21st century language learners. He also visits Second life (what some people refer to as web 3.0). Web 2.0 emerged because the way in which people interacted with the web has changed. He believes that the same can be said about educators and the tools they use. Especially with the use of media. Now blogs, wikis, podcasts and videos can be created inexpensively at home or in the classroom.

Blogs can be used to keep track of what is happening in the classroom and can also include links and assignments. Students can use blogs to connect with other students in different parts of the world. Wiki's is a collaborative tool that can be used for classroom projects for posting assignments. The best part about wiki's are that you can reverse to previous revisions if there is a mistake. Podcasting is a way of using voice to connect to other students from around the world. It appeals to the "digital natives". Audio and video files can be downloaded and brought with you on portable music players. This appeals to foreign language classes where students can listen to conversation away from the classroom. Teachers are also now publishing podcasts of their work for students to review lectures.

He ends the video talking about second life which is dubbed web 3.0. This is a virtual world where the "avatars" create everything inside the environment. There are also universities within this environment. They are holding classes in this virtual environment. Most of all this is a social environment. This is a combination of text, video, audio and gaming which appeals to the youth.