What is it? Web 2.0 is the term often used when describing the Web's second generation. Behind-the-scenes applications allow the end-user with little or no programming skills to create, change, and delete content. You might also hear it referred to as the "participartory Web." There is an expectation that the end-user will interact. Web 2.0 refers to all the new and evolving web trends that change the way we use the internet.
When did it begin?
Web 2.0 is usually associated with the Internet experience of the last several years. However, the technology that made it all possible was developed in the mid-1990's. You won't need to know the names of the different technologies or how they work but you might come across these terms in your reading. AJAX or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, Extensible Markup Language are two of the terms to keep in mind. Little known Amazon.com and Google were early users of this technology. It has been speculated that because of early adaption, these companies survived the dot.com industry collapse of 2001.
What was different?
These two sites allowed for user activity, participation and interconnection. For example, Amazon allowed users to post online book reviews plus books were suggested based on your previous selections. Google searched the Web looking for page relationships instead of counting terms as the way to rank your query results. A personal side of the Web was evolving.
After this, the Web could no longer remain static. It was undergoing a revolution which created great excitement among programmers and entrepreneurs. Tim O'Reilly, founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media, a book and web site publishing company was one of these early innovators. He is attributed with naming this "new" internet "Web 2.0" in 2003. The first Web 2.0 conference was held the next year.
How do I identify a Web 2.0 site or tool?
Here are the most common features.
1. Users can do more than just retrieve information from a Web page
2. No need to download software - you can access everything through your browser
3. The greater the number of users, the more effective the site
4. The tools are free!
Web 2.0 explosion
Web sites that use 2.0 technology continue to grow. There are now enough social networking sites to rank the top 50! (Social Networking is Thing #9. YouTube was the winner followed by MySpace in case you are curious.) On July, 2006, Technorati, a blog search engine, tracked the 50 millionth blog. In addition, 175,000 new blogs are created everyday. Of course during this time some sites have disappeared cluttering cyperspace and others have been bought and sold. Still the number continues to grow.
The first time we taught this class we were able to compare static Web sites to Web 2.0 sites as a way of defining Web 2.0. Wikipedia (Wikis, Thing 6) and Encyclopedia Britannica were used as one example. This is no longer possible. Encyclopedia Britannica now has its own blog where users can make comments and share videos. There is even an RSS feed (Thing 3). It is almost impossible to find a Web site that does not incorporate at least one Web 2.0 feature.
Controversy
No new concept is free from controversy. There is the argument that Web 2.0 is really not new. It is just another layer on top of the original idea. Another criticism is that some of the features of Web 2.0 were already in use before the term was coined by O'Reilly. For example, Amazon has allowed users to write reviews since its inception in 1995. Still another argument is that the internet's original intent was to increase people to people interaction; the precise function of blogs and wikis. To others, it is a buzz word or jargon. To them, it is a term in search of a good explanation. Whether you agree or disagree, it is difficult to use the Web today and not experience Web 2.0 in some way.
Web 2.0 in Healthcare
There are many uses of Web 2.0 in health care. Physicians and other health care professionals are blogging about their day to day activities. Wikis are being used almost like textbooks. Major medical journals offer table of contents services through RSS feeds and podcasts to broadcast article summaries. Medical educators have discovered that wikis are a great way to collaborate on course documents. Finally, patients are using these tools, to find and exchange health and disease information. Patients using Web 2.0 call it Health 2.0. (This will be covered in Thing 16.)
Already feeling overwhelmed?
There is no need! There are some really cool things you can do with these tools on both a professional and personal level. And as an added bonus you will boost your vocabulary. By the end of the class you will say blog, wiki, tag, ning, orkut, RSS, apps, twitter and tweet and more with confidence. Suddenly all those funny little words will have true meaning.
Assignment
1. How Web 2.0 is changing medicine from the BMJ
2. Read the latest entries on Stephen Abrams Blog, Stephen's Lighthouse. Stephen Abram is a librarian and keen interpreter of technology trends for the last 25 years. He offers great insight about many things. If you have the time, read some past entries.
3. Watch this short video on YouTube, Did you know 4.0.
Address the following questions in your blog
1. What is your reason for participating in Explore 8 Things? What do you hope to learn?
2. Go to this link on youtube and watch some of the videos about the definition of Web 2.0 to learn more about Web 2.0?
3. Go to the WayBack Machine and enter http://www.healthpartners.com/ in the query box above the "Take Me Back" button. Look at HealthPartner's Web sites prior to 2002. Look at the current site. Do you see the difference?
4. How much time did you spend on this Thing?
*Extra Challenge*
Perform a PubMed search using the term "Web 2.0". (Be sure to use the quotes.) Are you surprised at the number of citations? Did you think there would be more or less? Judging from the titles, there is a wide variety of ways that Web 2.0 is already being used in the health sciences. Did you read any of the abstracts or articles?
Additional Reading
Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing without Organizations by Clay Shirky. This an interesting read about the connective power of the internet. Real life examples make for an entertaining read.This book is available at the Medical Library or through your local public library.
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