Web 2.0 = people

For the last several months I've been busy implementing social web applications in organizations. The tools we use are based almost exclusively on open source software. Funny, right now on cnbc, the "Hot Topic" is about web 2.0 and social networks. Everyone it seems is defining web 2.0 and social networks.

One of our mantra's is about...

[...Achieve Greater Performance...]

What we've learned from the blogosphere and the open-source community is that people (employees, customers, suppliers, partners, et al) want to contribute to endeavors of mutual benefit. The new web, web 2.0, web ++, whatever, is all about the PEOPLE.

I've re-arranged a couple of paragraphs in, "Coming to terms with Web 2.0" by Richard MacManus from his blog read/write web that sums up in one sentence what web 2.0 is all about.

"Look: Web 2.0 is made of people (heh)."

Mr. MacManus' continues, "...now Gartner and IBM get it's" Get what? Web 2.0 of course. But what does it mean? Everything and anything you want. You mean the architecture of participation? Sure I do. What about Ajax? Yeh, why not. What about Flash then? I guess... Does Web 2.0 mean social networking? You betcha. APIs? Dude... Collective intelligence? Of course. Perpetual betas? Now you're talking...

You know when Gartner and IBM pontificate on Web 2.0, that we've reached a point where the term has become generally acceptable - mainstream even. Well-known research firm Gartner has drunk the kool aid:

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"While Web 2.0 offers many new opportunities for companies to grow their business, few enterprises realize how to implement the full range of capabilities to succeed. By 2008, the majority of Global 1000 companies will quickly adopt several technology-related aspects of Web 2.0, but will be slow to adopt the aspects of Web 2.0 that have a social dimension, and the result will be a slow impact on business, according to Gartner, Inc."

Web 2.0 is a new class of affordable apps [that] are becoming do-able, delivering instantaneous value such as mash-ups and programmable web,” says Boloker. Web 2.0 is comprised of everything from Ajax to social software, for example blogs and wikis; to a focus on simplicity, to microformats.”"