Web 2.0-ness - Key Ingredients in the Sauce of Participation and Network Effects
Tim O'Reilly zeros in on what matters in Web 2.0 once more to clear up misconceptions. See his original piece on "What is Web 2.0?".
Web 2.0 is about a profound transformation in how we use and create the web. Web 2.0 isn't easy to define partly because it involves technology, user behaviours and network effects and trust. Tim O'Reilly notes that architectures of participation ultimately rely on trust and is optimistic that even is trust is sometimes broken, we try again to cooperate. This element of radical trust is a key factor in participating, creating, sharing, and collaborating online.To help define Web 2.0 more clearly, Tim O'Reilly created hierarchy of Web 2.0-ness. Not all web 2.0 sites/networks/communities are equal.
Tim O'Reilly identified 3 levels:
Level 3: The application could ONLY exist on the net, and draws its essential power from the network and the connections it makes possible between people or applications.
Think Wikipedia, del.icio.us, eBay
Level 2: The application could exist offline, but it is uniquely advantaged by being online.
Think Flickr.
Level 1: The application can and does exist successfully offline, but it gains additional features by being online.
Think Writely.
Level 0: The application has primarily taken hold online, but it would work just as well offline if you had all the data in a local cache.
Think MapQuest or Google Maps.
Jumping to Level 2 requires harnessing user contributions.
How can you reach Level 3 and grow large and successful?
Tim O'Reilly writes: "In the hierarchy of web 2.0 applications, the highest level is to embrace the network, to understand what creates network effects, and then to harness them in everything you do."
Dion Hinchcliffe tackles what you need to do to grow in the Web 2.0 in his piece, Creating Web 2.0 Applications: Seven Ways to Fully Embrace the Network.- Network Enable Your Application
- Enable Data Sharing and Data Defaults
- Linkify Everything In Your Web 2.0 App
- Syndicate Your Content
- Turn Your Application Into a Platform
- Open Up Inside Your Site
- Build a Viral Social Architecture
Tags: web 2.0
