Web 2.0 and You

I am sure you have heard the terms blogs, wikis, RSS, podcasting, instant messaging, and a long list of other technology buzzwords. So, let’s add Web 2.0 to the buzzword list.

Web 2.0 is a phrase coined by O'Reilly Media in 2004¹. It refers to a second generation of Web-based services—social networking sites, wikis, blogs, and communication tools—that emphasize online collaboration and sharing between users.

The phrase "Web 2.0" can also refer to one or more of the following:²

• The transition of Web sites from isolated information silos to sources of content and functionality, thus becoming computing platforms serving Web applications to end-users;
• A social phenomenon embracing an approach to generating and distributing Web content itself, characterized by open communication, decentralization of authority, freedom to share and re-use, and "the market as a conversation";
• Enhanced organization and categorization of content, emphasizing deep linking;
• A rise or fall in the economic value of the Web, possibly surpassing the impact of the dot-com boom of the late 1990s.

In simple terms, Web 2.0 includes a lot of the technology we are already talking about! You can learn more about Web 2.0 by viewing this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsa5ZTRJQ5w. The video is primarily based on the information included in the Web 2.0 description in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.

YouTube and Wikipedia are examples of Web 2.0 sites. They are based on decentralization of authority—anybody can add information to these sites. But remember, anybody can see information on these sites, so be careful what you post!

AJAX Programming

A term that often appears in discussion about Web 2.0 is "AJAX". AJAX is shorthand for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. Some have called in "JavaScript that works".³

Basically, AJAX programming is a Web development technique for creating interactive Web applications. The intent is to make Web pages feel more responsive by exchanging small amounts of data with the server behind the scenes, so that the entire Web page does not have to be reloaded each time the user requests a change. This is meant to increase the Web page's interactivity, speed, and usability.⁴

Another important element of AJAX programming and Web 2.0 is the separation of Web content and Web page formatting. An interesting video of this concept can be found on YouTube. The title is: Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us. It can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE.

Social Networking Sites

MySpace

• MySpace is an online community that lets you meet your friends' friends.
• Create a private community on MySpace and you can share photos, journals and interests with your growing network of mutual friends!
• See who knows who, or how you are connected. Find out if you really are six people away from Kevin Bacon.

However, go to http://www.myspace.com/ and select Browse. Do a search on your zipcode and see what comes up. Hopefully none of your children, or your children's friends included provocative photos. If you setup an account, you can access even more information. MySpace has added a number of security features, and many local police departments monitor the site to keep children safe. I still find this a scary site for teens and adults...and I don't have any children! (But then again, I am one of those "old" baby boomers.)

As I mentioned, several 2008 presidential candidates have MySpace pages in addition to their Web sites. (Please note that some of these pages are created by supporters of the candidates. Also, including them in this list is not an endorsement of the candidate.)

Here are a few 2008 presidential candidate MySpace pages:

Barak Obama
Bill Richardson
Mitt Romney

FaceBook

Facebook is a little more secure. You actually have to register to find out information about people.

This is what Facebook says on their About page(http://www.facebook.com/about.php)

• Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.
• Anyone can join Facebook All that's needed to join Facebook is a valid email address. To connect with coworkers or classmates, use your school or work email address to register. Once you register, join a regional network to connect with the people in your area.
• Discover the people around you Facebook is made up of many networks, each based around a company, region, or school. Join the networks that reflect your real-life communities to learn more about the people who work, live, or study around you.
• Keep it private At Facebook, we believe that people should have control over how they share their information and who can see it. People can only see the profiles of confirmed friends and the people in their networks. You can use our privacy settings at any time to control who can see what on Facebook.

Communispace

Communispace creates "Customer Communities" for businesses. This is what they say on their Web Page: http://www.communispace.com/

"Communispace helps global organizations change the way they listen to, and engage with, customers. We build, manage, and facilitate private, online communities making continuous customer conversations possible. The voice of your customer is virtually hardwired to every aspect of your business—generating critical insights, driving faster development, and increasing marketing effectiveness."

LinkedIn

• LinkedIn is an online network of more than 9 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 130 industries.
• When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients, and partners. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you.
• Your network consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know, linking you to thousands of qualified professionals.
• Through your network you can:
  • Find potential clients, service providers, subject experts, and partners who come recommended
  • Be found for business opportunities
  • Search for great jobs
  • Discover inside connections that can help you land jobs and close deals
  • Post and distribute job listings
  • Find high-quality passive candidates
  • Get introduced to other professionals through the people you know

On my LinkedIn page, I am connected to 6 people. These people have a total of 4,600 connections. Then, if you count the connections of my connections, I am 3 degrees of separation from 540,000 people. (LinkedIn provides this information, I didn't count them!)

Maybe as librarians we should develop our own social networking site.

Please feel free to contact me at penny.glassman@umassmed.edu

Penny Glassman, Technoloy Coordinator

¹Paul Graham (November 2005). Web 2.0. Retrieved on 2006-08-02.
² Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
³Paul Graham (November 2005). Web 2.0. Retrieved on 2006-08-02.
⁴ Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajax_%28programming%29. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.