Just what is Web 2.0? It seems there are almost as many definitions of Web 2.0 as there are commentators writing about it. In fact lots of people, particularly in the Microsoft corner suggest its all hype and can safely be ignored. Maybe somebody should tell Google they have got it all wrong, and Rupert Murdoch.
Generally people seem to agree Web 2.0 is about services which run on the web, not just shop fronts but entire applications. It incorporates processes and content – quite often managed by users. It supports collaboration between users who dont know each other – mostly evidenced in social networking. It uses new technologies which reduce the cost of software – all of it html based – including wiki, blog, Ajax and Ruby on Rails. It looks nice, its fun to use and its intuitive – no training courses, manuals or implementation. Its about My Space, You Tube, Wikipedia, Linked-In, delic.ious, Second Life, Google Mail-documents-spreadsheet-maps etc. Its about low cost, or free, services on demand, on the internet.
The one thing Web 2.0 isnt is Microsoft. No client/server, no complexity, no viruses, no eye watering costs, no ugly boxes and no need for ever more powerful machines to run it on. We can ignore all the good things to come out of Web 2.0. Its all worth it just to break the Microsoft tyranny.
If anybody doubts Web 2.0 is real they just have to read the Times today: Rhys Blakely reports:
Shares in Yahoo! jumped 18 per cent in pre-market trade in New York today on reports that Microsoft is once again weighing a bid for the embattled internet giant and has asked for formal talks to be renewed. The shares hit $33.16 ahead of the bell, valuing Yahoo! at about $45 billion . Shares in Microsoft, the world’s largest software developer, were down 1.4 per cent, at $30.53 valuing it just short of $300 billion. It is believed Yahoo! could fetch around $50 billion.
Now the really cool thing about this is Yahoo had the opportunity to buy the Google search engine before it came to market for $1 million, and they turned it down. If Yahoo had kept Google out of business even Microsoft couldnt afford to buy it today.
So, Web 2.0 is real and its going to change the way we all use systems and information. In the past no major software vendor has survived a fundamental change in technology. Will Microsoft survive this one? Well I would not bet on it.
Back to Front Office Box. Why Web 2.0 for us? Firstly, its very inexpensive compared with traditional technology. Secondly, we can mash other peoples great ideas together with ours. Thirdly we can build a compelling set of business services for a market that nobody so far has been able to get to -ref. Chris Andersons Long Tail – the micro and really small businesses. Up until now the enterprise lock on information systems has kept bright, ambitious people working in the drudgery of the corporate hierarchy.
With Web 2.0 and one bound, they can be free to create their own value for customers and collaborate with peers to compete with the big guys and win. Today, any budding entrepreneur can start a business with all the tools and process needed available on the web, for free. With Front Office Box, Google and an accounting system such as Quickbooks on line they can be operational this afternoon and Microsoft doesnt get a look in.
Of course we have to figure out a way to make money out of it somewhere along the line but we can get to that later. The software is built and paid for.
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