Concepts & docs



:: Web 2.0 ::

What is Web 2.0?

Best introduced with a couple of videos and a SlideShare presentation:


[slideshare 13743 the-social-web-wikis-rss-blogs-flickr-and-more-19837]

:: General ::

  • Tim O’Reilly, “What Is Web 2.0? Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software”; and see also his April 2006 interview “People Inside & Web 2.0: An Interview with Tim O’Reilly” with OpenBusiness.
  • Web 2.0 Workgroup
    “… a network of premium weblogs that write content about the new generation of the Web.”
  • Web 2.0 Reference Center
    “Keeping you up to date with the latest on mashups and the new Web 2.0 APIs … Essential technologies and concepts for understanding the Web as a Platform.”
  • web20appz: Web Applications & Web 2.0 List, Free Web Based Tools
    “Web 2.0 applications are basically software/tools that run from a website without having to install any files to your computer. All computations are done through a web based web server (you connect simply with a web browser like Netscape, FireFox, Explorer, etc). Our online web application search engine contains over 5,000 web based applications, just type in a keyword for what kind of project you would like to make.”
  • WSFinder.com
    “The Wiki for Finding Web Service and Open APIs” — a compendium of open APIs listed alphabetically by application area (Advertising, Analytics, Auctions, … )
  • web20searchengine: Web 2.0 Search Engine Of Links, Online Applications & Web 20 Sites
    “Simply search for a keyword of what your wish to make or work with to see the tools & related Web 2.0 links available”.
  • web20toolbar
    “Save time and keep up on the latest Web 2.0 news right from one browser toolbar. The Web 2.0 Toolbar ‘hyperaggregates’ or combines the best of Social Search, Social Bookmarking, Social Pics, Social Video, Web 2.0 Jobs, Web 2.0 Blogs and Social News websites into one place – your web browser”.
  • Mike Del’s Web 2.0 Mind Map
    As the title suggests, a (useful) mind map representing Mike DelGaudio’s taxonomic overview of what Web 2.0 is all about. Split into technologies (CSS, Ajax, OPML, …), keywords (tag, folksonomy, mashup, …), concepts (platform, read/write web, …), examples (Flickr, Wikipedia, Google Maps, …), application areas, and business opportunities, it’s a handy pense-b??te for the Web 2.0 paradigm.
  • The Web 2.0 Show
    “The Web 2.0 Show is a podcast about emerging technologies commonly referred to as ‘Web 2.0′. We focus on interviewing the developers and entrepreneurs who are creating the next generation of web services and media delivery. Our goal is to help you figure out where the web is headed. Like you, we are hard at work developing our own cool projects. Maybe we can learn something together.”
    » http://www.web20show.com
  • Web 2.0 Central
    “Web 2.0 Central profiles companies and startups building web based applications using technologies like Ajax, Ruby on Rails, Flash, RSS, Open API’s and assorted web based application development tools.”
  • KillerStartUps
    There are dozens, maybe now hundreds, of sites listing and reviewing Web 2.0 startups. This one is generally up-to-date and generally informative.
    » http://www.killerstartups.com/all/Web20/
  • Dion Hinchcliffe’s listing of “The Most Promising Web 2.0 Software of 2006″
  • TechCrunch
    “… a weblog dedicated to obsessively profiling and reviewing new web 2.0 products and companies. In addition to new companies, we will profile existing companies that are making an impact (commercial and/or cultural) on the web 2.0 space.” One of many, but as good as any, and better than most.
  • Mashable
    “… a blog covering Web 2.0 startups, peer production, user-generated content, revenue sharing, social software and the web as a platform.”
  • Bokardo
    “… a blog about advocating and designing for users in an increasingly technological world, the world of Web 2.0″
  • SEOmoz’s Web 2.0 Awards

:: Web 2.0 site listings ::

  • Web 2.0 List
    An extensive (and possibly the most extensive? 775 at last count) listing of Web 2.0 apps, with comments, ratings, tag search. Go there and be mightily impressed!
    » http://www.web2list.com
  • categoriz
    … and maybe this is the most extensive alphabetic listing by category (Academic, Blogging, Bookmarking, …, Wiki) of Web 2.0 apps.
    » http://categoriz.com
  • Everything 2.0
    Categorised listings of web 2.0 apps and sites
    » http://bobstumpel.blogspot.com
  • NetWebApp
    Categorised listing of web 2.0 apps and sites
    » http://www.netwebapp.com
  • Listio
    “Listio is a community based directory of web 2.0 apps and services. You get to vote for your favorite applications and services. You can also leave comments for other members to read about your favorite features of any application. Build your own list of applications when you register and share them with friends and coworkers. Subscribe to RSS feeds so you can get notified when new apps get added.”
    » http://www.listio.com

… and finally … some long unclassified listings (with some inevitable duplication) of web 2.0 apps:

:: … and a bit about enabling technologies ::

:: The browser ::

  • Flock
    “A cutting edge Firefox-based Web browser … which integrates next-generation Web technologies such as RSS content feeds, blogs and bookmark and photo sharing”

:: … or is it all just hype? ::

  • Web 2.0? It doesn’t exist
    “Web 2.0 is bunk”, says Russell Shaw; a marketing slogan, “a contrivance, meant to imply a unified movement or wave toward a better Web”. So disparate a miscellany of elements “that they cannot be classified under a common umbrella”.
  • Have you updated your buzzwords?
    “You may think you’re appropriately buzzword-compliant, but this is internet time, baby, and last month’s 2.0 buzzwords are outdated (but not in that retro-cool way). If you’re doing a VC pitch and building to flip, it’s crucial that you sound as current as possible. Listen and learn …”

:: and (semi-)finally … the Web 2.0 Validator :-)

  • Web 2.0 Validator
    Hannah Dee of Kingston University reminded me of this today; and, I guess, it deserves a place on this page, if only as a footnote. Real the full story here.

:: and whilst in that kind of mood … ::

Some more that Hannah sent me today (thanks, Hannah!):