What is Web 2.0?

After reading a bit about, it seems to me that Web 2.0 cannot be defined by a single definition, but rather, a set of characteristics. Web 2.0 is a step above what websites originally were. I feel that many websites were created to share news and information, but now, they have become so much more.

Most websites are becoming more and more user-centered, where the user is able to customize what they want to see. For example, a news site is loaded with the latest info, but maybe one viewer is only interested in the sports section. They would be able to customize the page so sports would appear first or be the only section they see. Creating websites that are user friendly can be extremely beneficial.

User centered could also be adding different ways to login using social media networks. Facebook and Twitter are the most popular and it allows users to login faster using their profile that is already put together.

Anybody can post something on the internet today, which has been how news has been broken. Websites like Twitter can relay information fast, allowing contributors to beat reporters to the punch. The one problem that arises from that is how accurate the people that post it are. They cannot always be trusted, which is why it's safer to learn it from actual reporters.

Contributors are the reason Wikipedia has grown so rapidly. Anyone can update and add to it, but it makes for a much faster process when everyone is working together. There are pages for pretty much anything, and the amount of detail on them continues to improve. Wikipedia may not always be accurate, as anyone can post, but it has definitely become a good place to start when researching.

Another thing that has really helped some websites take off is dynamic content. I feel that adding things more than text can really improve the appearance of a site. Whether it's photos, videos, polls or slideshows, users can interact more, allowing them visit more.

Web 2.0 is a sense of freedom, and it comes with great opportunities, but also some consequences. The information that users submit is not always safe, so people need to be cautious when entering data on a site.

Many websites are able to make profit off of advertisements and selling things. EBay and ITunes are just a couple of example of how the companies make money. Even if they are not selling things directly, they are able to collect a portion of the sale.

I think it's going to continue to improve. I'm not exactly sure how, but it will. Paywalls have been talked about for a while and I think you will see more and more sites begin charging people to read their material. However, the down side to that is if people can find your stuff anywhere else, or for free, there is a good chance they won't go to your site.

Web 2.0 has improved the internet, but it is causing many new problems that we are still trying to solve.