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ABC's of Web 2.0
Author: ©Sharon Housley

Web 2.0 is a perceived transition of the Web to web-based applications. Web 2.0 is the next generation of technology solutions where interactive content is the norm.

There is no agreement on exactly what Web 2.0 means. Depending on who you are speaking with, you may receive different explanations. At it's heart, Web 2.0 is about the maturity of the Web. While many refer to Web 2.0 as companies that employ powerful web technologies, the key components of Web 2.0 are said to include: the Web as a platform, collaboration, and syndication.

Here are the "ABC's" of Web 2.0...

A - Ajax: Ajax is an abbreviation for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, and is a web development technique for creative interactive web applications. Many Web 2.0 websites use Ajax to interact with website visitors.

B - Blog: Blogs are web logs that are updated regularly, usually on a daily basis. They contain information related to a specific topic. In many cases, blogs are used simply as daily diaries about people's personal lives, political views, or even as social commentaries. The truth of the matter is that blogs can be shaped into whatever you, the author, want them to be.

C - Collaboration: Collaboration is a hallmark of Web 2.0. Building communities and developing content from multiple contributors is part of what is unique about these second-generation websites.

D - Dynamic: Content Dynamic content refers to content which is obtained from another source, and which is automatically updated whenever the source content changes.

E - ECommerce: Ecommerce comes from the phrase "Electronic Commerce", which basically means selling things over the Internet. Many websites now conduct financial transactions over the Internet. Ecommerce is simply a vehicle for collecting payments online.

F - Folksonomy: Folksonomy is a means of classifying and categorizing data on the web through collaborative efforts from the online community. While not strictly synonymous to the term, this is more commonly known as "tagging", where keywords are associated with items or links. The keywords are used to classify the items.

G - Global Navigation: Global navigation refers to a somewhat standardized navigational menu structure that encompasses all the main pages on the website. Regardless of the particular web page you are on, you can navigate to any other part of the website using the global navigation system.

H - Hosted Application: Hosted applications are typically interactive programs that reside on the Internet, and are designed to run on the Internet rather than being downloaded and installed on the user's computer.

I - Information Architecture: Information architecture describes the structure and methodology by which information (such as website content) is organized.

J - JavaScript: JavaScript is a cross-platform, object-based scripting language developed by Netscape for client and server applications. It is commonly used in web pages to add interactivity and to dynamically update content.

K - Knowledgebase: A knowledgebase is a collection of facts, rules, and procedures that are organized into a searchable format. In Web 2.0, website knowledgebases are usually interactive.

L - Long Tail: The phrase "long tail" pertains to search engine results. The "long tail" of search follows the thinking that the combined total results of multiple less-popular terms will exceed the results of a single more-popular term. Many webmasters have given up their hope of ranking well for the extremely popular terms, and instead are focused on ranking well for the less-popular but more abundant terms or phrases.

M - Mashups: Mashups are the result of merging content from a variety of different sources, and thus creating new content based on the merging and filtering of the resulting content.

N - Newsreader: A newsreader is a software tool or web application that is used to read and manage RSS feeds.

O - OPML: OPML stands for Outline Processor Markup Language, and is a standard for people wishing to import or export their RSS feed subscriptions.

P - Podcasting: Podcasting is online audio content that is delivered via an RSS feed. Many people equate podcasting to "radio on demand". However, in reality, podcasting offers far more options in terms of content and programming than radio does. In addition, podcast listeners can determine the time and the place of their listening, meaning that they decide what programming they want to receive and when they want to listen to it. Listeners can retain audio archives to listen to at their leisure. While blogs have turned many bloggers into journalists, podcasting has the potential to turn podcasters into radio personalities.

Q - Query: A query is a phrase or a group of words, possibly combined with other syntax, used to pass instructions to a search engine or a directory in order to locate web pages.

R - RSS: RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, and is a standard for syndicating content online. RSS feeds are used to provide real-time information to interested parties.

S - Social Bookmarking: Social bookmarking and social networks are collaborative efforts that use democracy and voting to influence the importance of items that are bookmarked.

T - Tags: Tags are descriptive keywords that are used to classify and categorize items or URLs on social networks.

U - User-Generated: Content User-generated content refers to website content that is created by the users themselves. It can be in the form of message posts on discussion groups, blogs, comments on blog postings, wiki entries, etc.

V - Vlog: Vlog comes from the phrase "video blog". This is a blog that mainly publishes video content rather than audio content. Video podcasting is sometimes called vodcasting.

W - Wiki: Wikis are a collaborative environment that is built around input from community users.

X - XML: XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language. XML is often used to update dynamic web content.

Y - YouTube: YouTube is a highly popular Web 2.0 video hosting website that allows users to submit, view, and rate videos.

Z - ZeeEnd