And I think to Myself... What a Wonderful Web!

Web Evolution.. Can I get an Amen?!

As first-world as it may sound, Tim O'Reilly and his World Wide Web shakeouts may be some of the best things to ever happen to me. Seeming as how I used Web 3.0 to further look up information on the topic of Web Evolution, viewed the class blog (Web 2.0), and observed several informational Web 1.0 sites, it is safe to say that I use the web as a platform in my everyday life.

After researching the topic on oreilly.com, I have a much better understanding of Web 2.0. My description of Web 2.0 would be any situation where I can control the information that is put on the web. With examples like blogging, social media, Wiki's, etc, Web 2.0 provides a much richer user experience and participation.

Web 2.0 absolutely has surpassed the hype of excelling past Web 1.0 via a user standpoint. No longer are we in the days of strict publishing, stickiness, and Netscape. With the accessibility of any user go to on the World Wide Web and share their opinions, photos, and videos, we have all become "publishers" on the Internet. Though some of the lines can be a bit blurred when it comes to Web 1.0 and 2.0, as evolution typically is, I know that Web 2.0 has allowed us to see how applications work and allow us to change the content, making the Web a better place to be.

So is this a positive or a negative thing? Though having content management systems on most websites during the Web 1.0 era may have been a good thing, there was much less freedom and interaction. I believe that the transition from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 is only positive. There are still admin controls on many websites (I.e. Wikis), and the world has the right to chip in.

Web 3.0 is also a beautiful, beautiful thing. I cannot imagine a day without my search engine, and have not been able to since I was introduced to the simplicity of Google in my elementary  school days. With the world at my fingertips, I can have the answer to almost any question I may have borderline instantaneously. Semantic intelligent computing (Web 3.0) is a gigantic milestone for education. With millions of devices to access the internet with, we can improve learning outcomes by giving several sources and options for a student.

I personally have a hard time fathoming which direction Web 3.0 will go into, because I see no need for improvement in what I already have. Upon further research, I believe Web 3.0 will develop into Web 4.0 will be the "3-D Web". Due to bandwidth power and storage of the internet these days, it may be here sooner than we think. I believe Web 4.0 is about intelligence, and a completely virtual personalized experience. Though having everything personalized may be an advantage, I could see people getting concerned with their privacy. The only real way to tell how it will affect the world is to have it put into effect.

Web Evolution - A Revolution.

The evolution of the World Wide Web has evolved the world respectively. From Web 1.0, the "Syntactic Web", to Web 2.0, the "Social Web", and to present day Web 3.0, the "Semantic Web", the World Wide Web has evolved from File Servers to Artificial Intelligence in less than two decades. So where did it all begin?

The idea of "putting content together" can objectively describe Web 1.0. With a typically read-only server, it focused on private user and company homepages. HTML was the translator between the website and the user. Content was produced and monitored by Content Management Systems and Administrators, published, and then consumed by users. Though Web 1.0 is still used by thousands today, it was surpassed in 2001 by the Web 2.0 shakeout.

According to an article by Tim O'Reilly himself, the concept of "Web 2.0" began with a conference brainstorming session between O'Reilly and MediaLive International. The Web would soon be viewed as a platform where users control their own data. Innovative companies such as Wikipedia, Flickr, and BitTorrent have optimized user control and have allowed "everyday people" to contribute to the World Wide Web. This social web connects people through the use of social media, networking, blogs, email, and conferencing. Introducing XTML, XML, and RSS to the mix, Web 2.0 has offered syndication and participation to the world, allowing users to choose instead of forcing them to use what is already made.

Web 3.0, The Semantic Web, is a Web of data retrieval. Rather than searching and categorizing web pages ourselves, Web 3.0 reads and sorts websites for the consumer. Using RDF (Resource Description Framework) and URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers), the Web is able use describe to represent information about resources, making it quicker and easier to be consumed by the user. According to g2techgroup.com's timeline, other highlights of Web 3.0 include Intelligent Collaborative Filtering, Artificial Intelligence, and Knowledge Management.

With increased processing power, bandwidth, and storage, Web 4.0 could develop sooner than we anticipate. Daniel Burrus, blogger at Big Think, explains that we are "creating a curve of exponential change". The "3D Web" could offer "inter-spatial places" and "showrooms". Burrus also describes the up and coming Web 4.0 as personal and ultra-intelligent, customizing each experience to the every particular user.

Since the World Wide Web has been used on the Internet, we have seen astronomical technological advances. The way we communicate and live our lives is impacted every day by Web. Whether we are speaking of Web 1.0, Web 2.0, Web 3.0, or dreaming of Web X.0, there is no doubt that the World Wide Web will continue to evolve, and change our lives forever.