Andy Budd: What is Web 2.0?

• Web 2.0: definitely a buzzword, but it’s still a useful term
• Good for non-techies? Mmm. Not sure about that…
• Ajax – the coining of the term helped to speed its adoption
• “Web 2.0 isn’t a thing; it’s a state of mind”

Features of Web 2.0*
* Open data formats (e.g. RSS)
* No data lock-in or walled gardens
* User-created data

Architecture of Participation – buzzword alert!
* Provide a service, not a product
* Collective intelligence (PageRank, folksonomies, popularity)
* Re-use and re-mix
* Customer self-service
* Community & sense of ownership

Rich user experience
* Easy, pleasurable to use
* More like desktop app
* Device independence & cross-platform (my add)

Cool Web 2.0 apps
* OnOneMap
* Netvibes.com
* Backpack
* Meebo.com – web-based IM
* Writely – Online word processing

Core tech
* Open data – APIs & services

But…”where’s the revolution”
* We’ve been here before / “we can already do all that”
* Industrial Revolution – steam engine was a 1st century Greek toy, but was only used “in anger” in 18th C. UK.
* Use existing tech in new & interesting ways
* Renewed energy on the web – it’s fun to be a web developer right now

Warning Alert Achtung!!
* Mistakes of 2000 being made again
* Standards, usabilty, accessibility being thrown out for whizzy UIs
* Solutions looking for a problem
* Business models!
* Just another bubble? Andy thinks not; time will tell. People are prepared to pay for good-quality services
* “Forget the hype and build cool stuff”

The Web: from document delivery system to application platform
* Subs vs one-off payment

What next?
* Ajax
* Widgets (Dashboard, Konfabulator)
* Flex
* OpenLazlo
* XUL apps
* Smart clients / Avalon – goal of MS is to liberate web apps from the browser

Audience questions
* Where do Microformats fit in? They’re hacking XHTML to fulfil a need, because XHTML development has stalled somewhat
* How do I convince the client/boss? Just do it – build the best app you can. Show people the cool stuff – show, not tell
* Your data is stored on someone else’s servers – how do you feel about that? It’s a trust issue. Instill trust by show contact details; don’t put critical data into a company that’s only been around a couple of months.
* Should Ajax apps degrade gracefully? Absolutely – build a working app without scripting, then layer it on top. Same with CSS - should be an addition, not a requirement.
* From a manager’s perspective: the extra cost involved in (say) Ajax aren’t as easy to sell to clients as valid XHTML/CSS etc. It’s a bit unquantifiable, but the benefits to user experience are there.