It
has become bigger and faster than perhaps anyone could have imagined. It is
constantly updating and providing us with more information than ever before. I
am talking about the internet. Since man created computers and the World Wide
Web, it has taken off and grabbed the attention of everyone in the world. We
have been so intrigued at how advanced we have become and the things we have
been able to accomplish or discover just at the click of a button or quick
search. The internet is simply amazing. From
the beginning of the internet and the creation of Web 1.0, things on the web
have come a long way. Web 1.0 was extremely dry and simple and did not provide
nearly as much information as Web 2.0. Web 2.0 has developed into a much more interactive
and user friendly internet. It has given us a platform that was unbelievable
from the start and made it much better.
Web
2.0 has provided us with much more than 1.0 could ever dream of. Now we can
jump from site to site, clicking links, and gather vast information on anything
we choose. This is a major positive because now there is so much out there to
explore it provides us with an easy to access device to locate it all. Whether
it is on a desktop computer, a laptop, or even a smartphone, the internet is
always readily available. How could it not be a good thing? How many times have
you been stumped on the name of a song, a recipe, or how to say something in a different
language, pulled out your phone and did a quick search and found the
information in seconds? That’s the beauty of it. I believe that was the purpose
of Web 2.0 was to allow users to access any information they choose whenever
they want. Web 1.0 was stepping stone to 2.0 as it provided a main website that
lacked a ton of information and did not really give the user a reason to go
back. With the advancements of 2.0 and into 3.0, its’ users the ability to be
more involved online and the information is constantly updating and can be
personalized just for you. There are now different tools available to keep
track of your favorite websites so you can get to them faster than ever.
With how
quickly the internet has evolved and become so important in our everyday lives,
there is no telling what might become of it in the future. Based on the
direction we are headed; I believe that we as a society will become so
dependent on the internet that it will completely take over our lives. Books,
magazines, and newspapers have already become obsolete in the world we live in.
Getting the news or reading a book is all done electronically now. In the
future I can see the world developing into a place where we are constantly
online, maybe wearing headsets, living in a virtual world developed and created
specifically for the individual user.
So what exactly is Web 2.0?
Today, if you go to almost any website you find a page
that has multiple tabs and pages you can click to and a search box to find
exactly what you are looking for. Or maybe, you’ve gone to a site one day and
the information was not the same from the last time you visited. That is an example
of how Web 2.0 has given its users the ability to be more involved with the
web. Is this how you would define it? According to Daniel Nations, Web
2.0 is a term that’s been used often and all over the place since the early to mid-2000s
and that there is not one clear definition of Web 2.0 and like many concepts,
it has taken a life of its own. Just like we as a human society are evolving each
day, so is the web. With the advancements into Web 2.0, it has essentially put
us in the driver seat. It is now a place where anyone can share whatever it is
they have to say. Users can use the internet to benefit themselves in many
ways. Businesses can now use it for free advertising through websites and
social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter. This is a major advantage because
obviously it is free, but also because it allows them to reach a wide range of
audience, giving them a better chance of spreading word of their business or
product.
One
of the most significant differences between Web 2.0 and 1.0 is greater
collaboration among users, content providers and enterprises. Anyone can have a
website or social media page giving them the opportunity to share their
thoughts and ideas with the world. Today, there are many different pages that
provide articles and videos, such as wikiHow, that lets users post
instructions on how to do various tasks. This is a great example of how the Web
lets us collaborate and personalize ideas with millions of people.
There
are many advancements in the Web that have all impacted every day society. How we
choose to use these advancements is what makes the internet so great. For
personal gain or simply for the joy of helping others, the World Wide Web has
given us the opportunity to do so virtually and freely.
