Monday, November 24, 2008

Web 2.0

This is our first assignment in our Web Page Design. What should I say? It's about Web2.0? Honestly, I really have no idea at first what is it all about. But thanks to some resources, I understand it now.


I've learned that Web 2.0 describes the changing trends in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aim to enhance creativity, communications, secure information sharing, collaboration and functionality of the web. Web 2.0 concepts have led to the development and evolution of web culture communities and hosted services, such as social networking sites, video sharing sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies.Web 2.0 encapsulates the idea of the proliferation of interconnectivity and interactivity of web-delivered content.Web 2.0 websites allow users to do more than just retrieve information. They can build on the interactive facilities of "Web 1.0" to provide "Network as platform" computing, allowing users to run software-applications entirely through a browser. Users can own the data on a Web 2.0 site and exercise control over that data. These sites may have an "Architecture of participation" that encourages users to add value to the application as they use it. This stands in contrast to very old traditional websites, the sort which limited visitors to viewing and whose content only the site's owner could modify. Web 2.0 sites often feature a rich, user-friendly interface based on Ajax,Open Laszlo, Flex or similar rich media.
In addition, nowadays, Universities are using Web 2.0 in order to reach out and engage with generation Y and other prospective students according to recent reports. Examples of this are: social networking websites – Youtube, MySpace, Facebook, Youmeo, Twitter and Flickr; upgrading institutions’ websites in gen Y-friendly ways – stand-alone micro-websites with minimal navigation; placing current students in cyberspace or student blogs; and blogging which enables prospective students to log on and ask questions.
In addition to free social networking websites, schools have contracted with companies that provide many of the same services as MySpace and Facebook, but can integrate with their existing database. Companies such as Harris Connect, iModules and Publishing Concepts have developed alumni online community software packages that provide schools with a way to communicate to their alumni and allow alumni to communicate with each other in a safe, secure environment.I'm also thankful that I'm not really familiar with this, for it gives me the opportunity to learn more about Web 2.0.