Towards a definition of Web 2.0 - a comparative study of the 'wiki', 'blog' and 'social network' as instances of Web 2.0
Date
2009-02-03T11:53:24Z
Authors
Lewis, Belinda Ann
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Web 2.0 was a phrase coined in 2004 to describe the characteristics of web sites
which survived the original Dot-com crash. Despite the discussion of this
phenomenon in a wide variety of both academic and mass media sources, itʼs exact
definition remains unclear. The relative contributions of technology and social
participation to this phenomenon are particularly confused. The primary aim of this
research report is to provide a clear and comprehensive definition of Web 2.0. This
definition is determined through a combined social and technological analysis of
blogs, wikis and social network sites, through their particular manifestations in Boing
Boing, Wikipedia and Facebook respectively. It is the finding of this research that
Web 2.0 is primarily the result of a natural evolution from Web 1.0 technologies and
attitudes, and that Web 2.0 is essentially a social phenomenon. This research
provides separate definitions for Web 2.0 technologies and Web 2.0 platforms. A
Web 2.0 technology is any technology that aids and encourages simple intuitive user
interaction through an architecture of participation. These technologies enable user
feedback, and are thus constantly improved and exist within the ethos of a perpetual
beta. Web 2.0 technologies embrace re-mix and mash-up philosophies. A Web 2.0
platform is a read-write Web platform designed to enable and encourage User
Generated Content and interaction. These platforms can be built with any set of
technologies, and their primary characteristics are social in nature, but the platforms
must allow users to interact with the technology at either an open-source, network or
appropriation level. These platforms become more powerful and richer the greater
the number of people using the platform, and ultimately result in the formation of Web
2.0 communities.
Description
Keywords
Web 2.0, social network, blog, wiki, Facebook, Wikipedia