Fall 08 - T05 - G2

Who are we?
http://www.e-archives.ky.gov/_govpatton/Dec_2003/gov.state.ky.us/cabinets/state.ky.us/agencies/envred/images/web.gif

Team Name: Wild Webbers

Team Members: Danielle Howlett, Chelsa Gamester, Brian Fung, Faiza Filali, Jacques Dippenaar

Technology and Issue
Technology: The Evolution of the World Wide Web: Web 1.0 and Web 2.0

Issue: Is Web 2.0 an improvement or a 'step up' when compared to Web 1.0

Introduction


The World Wide Web, which is a system of hypertext that is linked through the internet, connects people and information from around the world. Web 1.0, which is the original version of the World Wide Web, is limited compared to the 2.0 version that people generally use today. User interaction is essentially one way in that the webmaster publishes information onto a website that can subsequently be viewed by surfers of the internet. Web 2.0 is much more diverse. It brings an entirely new system of interaction to internet surfers through RSS feeds (really simple syndication) and social networking sites. It also allows the average internet surfer to contribute to websites in addition to the content published by the webmaster. Furthermore, Web 2.0 allows enhanced content to be published on websites with applications such as video, sound, and mapping as opposed to simply text, which is the case for Web 1.0. This presentation will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each to demonstrate that the enhancement of Web 2.0 ultimately makes this design a better option for today's society.

Argument
The advancement in technology that has improved the creativity, interactivity, efficiency, and accessibility of the World Wide Web is exhibited by Web 2.0, which has benefited society in numerous ways. People are now able to communicate and interact on an entirely new level, access more information more easily, and express themselves without many of the barriers that are imposed in Web 1.0. Web 2.0 has revolutionized the world to the point where people have become dependent on it in their everyday lives. It is one of the biggest contributors to the evolution of our world into what it has become today.

Basis of Web 1.0
The World Wide Web is a system of internet servers that support specially formatted documents. These documents are formatted in a HyperText Markup Language that supports links to other documents. However, not all Internet servers can be considered part of the World Wide Web. Web 1.0 does not have a specific starting date although most websites incorporated Web 1.0 between 1994 and 2004.

Advantages

 * Web 1.0 began as a place for businesses to broadcast information to people. It was another resource apart from books, magazines and newspapers.
 * In Web 1.0, a small number of writers created Web pages for a large number of readers. As a result, people could get information by going directly to the source. You would go to Adobe.com for graphic design issues, Microsoft.com for Windows issues, and CNN.com for news.


 * With Web 1.0 by not allowing just anyone to write on the internet the published content was deemed to be accurate information.


 * Web 1.0 was a way for the internet to connect people in a common search for information.

Disadvantages

 * Web 1.0 sites aren't interactive. Visitors can only view these sites and they can't impact or contribute to them. Most organizations have profile pages that visitors can look at but not modify or adjust.


 * The information on Web 1.0 was often disperse and not very effective at reaching out to people.


 * Web 1.0 sites are fixed or static. They contain information that might be useful, but there's no reason for a visitor to return to the site later. An example might be a personal Web page that gives information about the site's owner, but never changes.


 * Web 1.0 applications are proprietary which means that a party, or proprietor, exercises private ownership, over an item of property, usually to the exclusion of other parties. Under the Web 1.0 philosophy, companies develop software applications that users can download, but they can't see how the application works or change it.


 * Web 1.0 is heavily dependent on code from the first generations of HTML that were very browser dependant. This means that some stuff on web pages would work inside Internet explorer but using Netscape Navigator the page may not work.


 * Also in Web 1.0 there is not nearly as much freedom with what you can have a webpage do because of the limitations of the more basic languages.

Basis of Web 2.0
Web 2.0 is a trend in the use of World Wide Web technology perceived as the second generation of web-based communities and web design that aims to Facilitate creativity, information sharing, and social networking such as Social-networking sites, wikis and blogs.

A Descriptive Display of Web 2.0
Web 2.0 can be displayed by the internet and social capital.

Social Capital is The networks of relationships among persons, firms, and institutions in a society, together with associated norms of behavior, trust, cooperation, etc., that enable a society to function effectively.

While the Internet is a network of computer networks which operates world-wide using a common set of communications protocols.

The Internet + Social Capital = Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is all about connection. It is easier to use and makes it easier to connect the dots. Web 2.0 is a new 'link age' that allows online users to communicate with one another. Connectivity is key in Web 2.0.

Advantages

 * It offers products and services that are designed to offer as much functionality and convenience as possible.


 * Web 2.0 technologies tend to foster innovation in the assembly of systems and sites composed by pulling together features from distributed, independent developers.
 * Web 2.0 is an excellent way to reach to generation Y (our generation of today.)


 * Accurate sources are easily identifiable


 * The exponential growth in information is informative for the public


 * It allows users to not just access but manage products and services as well.


 * It seeks to incorporate features that would make their websites and applications user-friendly.


 * It takes accessibility to the next step by letting users have power to determine how much content they wish to share and how.


 * Web 2.0 websites allow users to do more than just retrieve information. They can build on the interactive facilities of "Web 1.0“, allowing users to run software-applications entirely through a browser.


 * Web 2.0 technology encourages lightweight business models enabled by syndication of content.


 * Web 2.0 applications were created with the idea of possible improvement in mind which makes the design extensible (add more features or enhance performance of a given application.)


 * It aims to enhance creativity


 * It changed the trend in the use of the World Wide Web technology.


 * Web 2.0 concepts have led to development & evolution (web based communities ,hosted services such as networking site ,video, sharing sites, wikis ,blogs)


 * Blogs/forums allows any person to discuss issues with other people around the world

Disadvantages

 * The amount of information increasing exponentially (expensive to keep enough storage for data.)


 * Web 2.0 thrives on hack ability because it lets users not only take control of their content but if even lets them modify the codes being used for the application itself.


 * The biggest problem many academics have with 2.0 would be none other that Wikipedia (free online encyclopaedia made up of users-generated entries.


 * Academics consider Wikipedia as poor reference because its data has been providing by users without “scholarly qualifications”.


 * People are disturbed with how users may use data they have found in blogs and consider them as accurate and /or factual data.

Direct Comparison of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0

 * Web 1.0 was about companies, Web 2.0 is about communities
 * Web 1.0 was about client-server, Web 2.0 is about peer to peer
 * Web 1.0 was about HTML, Web 2.0 is about XML
 * Web 1.0 was about owning, Web 2.0 is about sharing
 * Web 1.0 was about Netscape, Web 2.0 is about Google
 * Web 1.0 was about web forms, Web 2.0 is about web applications
 * Web 1.0 was about hardware costs, Web 2.0 is about bandwidth costs
 * Web 1.0 was about lectures, Web 2.0 is about conversation
 * Web 1.0 was about advertising, Web 2.0 is about word of mouth
 * Web 1.0 was about services sold over the web, Web 2.0 is about web services
 * Web 1.0 was about being centralized, Web 2.0 is about distribution
 * Web 1.0 was about content, Web 2.0 is about services
 * Web 1.0 was about transmission, Web 2.0 is about syndication
 * Web 1.0 was deliberate, Web 2.0 is spontaneous and emerging
 * Web 1.0 was static, Web 2.0 is connected and dynamic
 * Web 1.0 was about reading, Web 2.0 is about writing

Conclusion
The evolution of the World Wide Web has changed the way society interacts and exchanges information. Though there are advantages and disadvantages of each, ultimately the advantages of Web 2.0 outweigh its disadvantages and the advantages of Web 1.0. People are better off, for instance, having the ability to interact and exchange opinions with regards to news topics or other matters that grasp their interest, rather than being restricted to reading from a limited amount of sources. In addition, the enhanced content on websites and the ability for people to better connect with one another further adds to the advantages of Web 2.0 that have become invaluable in today’s world. Ultimately the advancement of the World Wide Web, as demonstrated by Web 2.0, has played a major role in the evolution of our society for the better.