November 12, 2006
web 2.0 vs bubble 2.0
I’m often asked to speak about “Web 2.0″. I personally think that people are trying to build Bubble 2.0 on top of Web 2.0. Instead of becoming a platform for the future of the Web, it’s possible that Web 2.0 is becoming the platform for the short-term future of greedy people. However, I do think that it is important to understand that the recent success and surge in innovation on the Web is due to a semi-new set of principles. Part of the principles are a return to fundamental principles. The innovation on the Web and the Internet is driven by what David Weinberger has called “Small Pieces Loosely Joined” - a network created by small groups working together around open standards. It is and was a community of people and projects trying to connect to each other.
Differences between web 2.0 and bubble 2.0 ?
For me, the big thing about web 2.0 is the amateur revolution.
Easy to publish
2.0: anybody can publish its content text, photos and videos very easily, as easy as sending an email.
1.0: was too complicated, home page builders, hosting and too much html code. News is simplicity.
Discoverable
2.0 amateurs can get their content known easily and for some of them reach a broad audience thanks to the efficiency of search engines enabling the long tail.
1.0 search engines were sending most of of their audience to the mass news sites and already known brands such as CNN and the like. Now amateur content has the same voice or even a louder one in some cases.
Control of your own data
2.0 your content belongs to you (like in Second Life) and you can export it or get it back easily (like in Flickr, Typepad)
1.0 when you upload your data the sites own it and don’t let you get it back.
I wonder what Steve Gillmor would say? Or Doc, Calacanis, Arrington, Farber etc. N.B. Last night was the Gillmor Gang’s last broadcast. Kinda intense to be on it last night, I thought. Though I have to say, I loved being on it over the last few months. You can listen to it here. Rock on, Steve! And thanks to all the other guest for many months of very stimulating, spontaneous thought. I grew much richer from participating on it, and it will be sorely missed. Amen.
[Bonus Link:] What was the biggest news at the recent Web 2.0 Summit? “Web 3.0″, of course. Dan Farber reports.
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I agree with most of what your wrote about Web 2.0 — except for the part about your ability to “take your data back”. There are VERY few Web Companies that allow you to take data back — you may be able to delete it (superficially, although very, very few let you truly delete it).
True portability would be something like me being able to (with a simple click or two) move my blog from Blogger to MSN Space, or to WordPress. Or to completely remove it from all of them — including Search Engines.
Their isn’t a mainstream Web 2 site that I know of that let’s me decide, “I’m out of here, give me my data, and forget I ever visited you”. And they should — if the content I create is truly mine. But realistically it isn’t — not on “most” Web sites. Most of the Terms of Use policies require I give my content away — I give up my rights to it in exchange for “using the service”.
No — we are nowhere near to “controlling our own data“
Rob
Rob, this is why I have my own dedicated server for gapingvoid, even if it would me much cheaper if I hosted it on WordPress or whatever.
It makes me feel more in control.
OUTSTANDING post Hugh!
And thanks for the link to the book!!
I have full control over all the lenses I build at Squidoo (including “Who’s Hugh?”) If for some freakish reason, I decided I didn’t want them there anymore, I could delete every single one.
Someone else could build their own lens on the same subject of course, but what I have built is mine alone.
this the same loic running a conference called LeWeb3???
Hugh,
Great stuff. I would add versatility to this list as well. In other words, having the ability to contribute, view, edit, etc. any information from anywhere with any device. Isn’t this what really makes it special? Keep up the good work!