It Has to be Web 2.0 to Cut it

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By Craig Bullock

This new era of the Internet is a reflection of the technological period and even commercial period the world has recently entered the Age of Customization. Where once you chose between black or decaf, you now face more than 200 different coffee options at your local starbucks. Where at one time you might have gone to one or two websites for your information, it is now being passed, shared saved, and downloaded across millions of sites.

Those who dare to resist the new dynamic face of the internet will find their websites falling into the shadows just when technology has enabled even the smallest ebayer the ability to compete with the corporate megastructure. The call to action is simple and clear - Go Web 2.0 or go home.

How does it work?
Once you understand the major functions of what Web 2.0 can do, you"ll have a better idea of why it is so absolutely critical that your website include it. You"ll notice that the characteristics of Web 2.0 are very similar to those of a living organism.

First is the issue of Adaptability. Through the use of RSS Feeds, it''s now possible to have your favorite site automatically update you with any changes you want to know about. New products, Fresh News Reports, Latest Crazy Internet Video, etc.There''s less and less of you going to the information. You"re in the driver''s seat: the information is trying to get to you.

Next is Social Awareness. Web 2.0 supports a type of programming language called XML. This new language allows sites to communicate with one another! Yes they"re socializing. Why is that useful? What if you want to know who has the cheapest PlasmaTV. Hop onto the right site and it can "talk to" every other site that offers what you"re after and tell you which one has the best price or which one most people shop at or which one has the least Product Returns. The applications are infinite.

Web 2.0 seems like a small upgrade from the earlier Web 1.0, but the numbers are misleading. It''s actually an entirely new, approach an Internet that finds itself in a state of constant flux much like our own world, right?

Good Moves, but How does it Look?
Some people say you can"t define Web 2.0, or people have a hard time describing it. It''s really very simple to describe how it looks compared to Web 1.0. In one word: BETTER. On a Web2.0-enhanced site, you"ll see windows within that page that have rounded corners. They"ll have mini-navigation bars in them, as on Yahoo! You"ll be able to navigate only in that window, while never leaving the page.

You"ll also notice that the colors have a gradient-style. It''s not just red, blue, or white. It''s a deep red that turns lighter and lighter until it becomes white. It changes. Links are built into the text; not off to the side. The story, the information offers you more. When the story uses a word that you don"t understand, the story provides you with the definition if you need it - just click on the word.

My God, What does this Mean?
It means the web is becoming more and more alive. It communicates, it reacts, it makes decisions. With Web 2.0, the Internet is more equipped to take care of visitors. It can customize itself to each and every person. That''s what people want; that''s what people have come to expect in 2006 and anything less is no longer tolerated. That''s why it''s so important that your website be built with Web 2.0. Imagine, if this is the Internet in its infancy, just wait until it''s ready to stand up!

About The Author

www.jengnet.co.uk is a Camberley Web Design agency determined to bring Web 2.0 to the masses.