Thing 4 and 5 Assignment

This week we learned about the web the way it used to be (Web 1.0) and the way it is now (Web 2.0). Check it out here: http://vbpl2point0.blogspot.com/2007/11/thing-5-share-you-thoughts-with-friend.html.

So, what do I think about it? When I talked to my friends and coworkers, what came out of it?

Web 2.0 means new online tools/toys to use/play with. It’s strange to think that the way we used the internet several years before is considered old fashioned. It makes all this buzz about 2.0 seem like a fashion trend, and maybe it is rather true. Up to 2 years ago, I didn’t even know of myspace, and I just signed up about half a year ago. Even now, I hear that people are bored of it, don’t have time for it, and are ready for something else. Like my cousin, who started off on myspace and was thrilled to find us finally on it, has deleted her account and switched to Facebook. Word of mouth is an amazing way of spreading info on new trends, and it’s more user friendly I think than this in-your-face campaign about Web 2.0 and Library 2.0. People writing on these topics get too caught up in the jargon and technical language---what is this “long tail” that is often referred to but never quite made clear?? I was shopping on eBay at least 4 years ago, and now it’s a prime example of Web 2.0 at work.

A lot of these tools people discover or hear about and may eventually incorporate into their lives. Labeling it and pushing it on people doesn’t change that.It seems like we’re being inundated with new toys. I finally created a myspace account, but now I’m feeling pressure from friends who have a Facebook account but no myspace account to create one. And MSN has a MSN Space profile, too, and Amazon.com has plenty of ways to encourage participation (reviews, forums, discussions, customize your Amazon). I still use email regularly, but I hardly use instant messenger anymore, though my email and myspace now include instant messaging. I guess it’s like how Amazon has an auction feature, but it is nowhere near as robust or active as eBay. There is just so much out there, and I’m glad there’s a chance to find out more about it.

I’ve talked with several coworkers. We found our opinions didn’t really change. There seems to be too much hype and labeling. We also found the material discussing Library 2.0 to be tedious, boring, and too full of jargon. What might work better is to see examples of 2.0 vs. 1.0 tools or use more user friendly articles.