Web 2.0. Is it just a hype?

Web 2.0. Another Hype?

Om Malik, Contributing Editor for Business 2.0 and Founder/Editor of GigaOM.com, came to Denver to speak on the topic.  So what exactly is Web 2.0?

Well Om has a different twist. He seems to think it’s “Internet 2.0” not really Web. He says Internet 2.0 is all about:

Ø User Experience

o Really the ease of use of all the technologies we currently has as well as making what we have free/paid. Really living to the expectations. AS Om says: “Google has set the expectation that search is free, someone else cannot really charge for a search engine,” or can they?

o Perhaps if we find a way to boil the ocean and set another trend such as the iPod has, perhaps we can change the way people want to use the web? I wonder if Om’s had a chance to hear about Microsoft Expression and Windows Presentation Foundation Everywhere. Well perhaps he will ? Or Atlas?

Ø Connected Systems (Especially Mobile)

o Om seems to think mobile devices are the trend. There are several. Companies looking at this rout and several thousand more looking to add features and ways things are done. So we should expect more to come from our mobile devices. I must say this is when I thought about my new Treo. It’s a bit old (as it came out in March) but new to me with Windows CE 5.0. I am looking forward to “Crossbow” as I have seen what’s possible and coming. Om showed me his device which he claims is platform agnostic and he loves. Om we’ll see J

o Om also believes the new Internet 2.0 wave is not as PC centeric and is more Mobile and connected systems centric. Well maybe?

Ø Backend

o Om thinks Web 2.0 or as he calls it Internet 2.0 is really occurring in the back end, the font-end is flashy and pretty but the back end is where the chase occurs. So I asked him point blank, is this a hype? He said well, the marketing is good, and a few people stand to gain from it, but really it is the next generation of the Internet and he has been talking about it since the .Bom (The crash of the .Com).

I did ask if he thinks Web 2.0 is technology specific?

He thinks it is not though he did reference the open source.

I also wondered how Web 2.0 relates to SOA?

Om believes that companies have to do more in making SOA type applications user friendly. Perhaps open them up to office applications and available with technologies people currently use. Better User Experience overall. I wonder if Om’s looked at Microsoft’s UX story. Though he did mention he liked Microsoft’s Live idea.

Finally I asked about security and protection of personal data?

He said that is a good point. Though security is the same anywhere, when you go out you have to be mindful of your safety, it is the same with Web 2.0. However, it is a good point to remember safety and security are very important and there will be more coming soon. But at this point that is something to look at.