This fabulous series of tubes
First there was AOL (at least in the eye of the general public.) They brought the web to the masses. That is, if the masses are a small percentage of the population that was online in 1997. Then came Web 1.0, although we didn't call it that. Things busted, but a few guys hung around. Google became a household name, along with eBay, Amazon, and Yahoo. Now we've moved to online apps and blogs and this thing they call Web 2.0. Now Blogger, Digg, iTunes, and podcasts are in our vocabulary. But people only want to see the negative. The Web 2.0 bust has been talked about, forecasted, and is already "in the books" for many. To me, that's not what matters. Throughout the life of the Internet, companies have come and gone almost as fast as the technology the use has. What's here today will be gone soon, replaced by it's newer/faster/better update. But I believe the Internet is about much more than business.
While some portions of the Internet can look like popularity contests (Del.icio.us, YouTube's most discussed, Digg's front page), the Internet door is open to everyone. Any Joe Blo can come up with a site name, register it, and begin creating content in minutes. It's been said that Content is King for any medium. I think on the Internet, any content is king. This is the freedom the web allows. The single most powerful thing about the Internet has nothing to do with .asp applications, or AJAX, or any soon-to-be outdated technology. It's all about the ability to be a voice. The Internet is the world's biggest party, and every one's invited. The current struggle on the web, however, is similar to an 8th grade dance.
It's one thing to get everyone in the door, but getting them to dance is quite another. The collaboration tools are here. They always have been. The attitude of participation is not. People are still private, still grounded in the "real world", where they have their network of real friends and work real jobs and so on. For the majority of the Internet populace, there is a tangibility factor that is hard to overcome. People read forums, but don't offer input. People have great ideas, but are addicted to brain crack. It's time to make a change. It's time to contribute. Some may argue that it's a waste of time, that nothing is accomplished. But in it's very least, a world-wide collaboration is a great accomplishment on it's own, regardless of content. So in the end, the goal is to give what you've got, and you just might get something in return.
JMO
While some portions of the Internet can look like popularity contests (Del.icio.us, YouTube's most discussed, Digg's front page), the Internet door is open to everyone. Any Joe Blo can come up with a site name, register it, and begin creating content in minutes. It's been said that Content is King for any medium. I think on the Internet, any content is king. This is the freedom the web allows. The single most powerful thing about the Internet has nothing to do with .asp applications, or AJAX, or any soon-to-be outdated technology. It's all about the ability to be a voice. The Internet is the world's biggest party, and every one's invited. The current struggle on the web, however, is similar to an 8th grade dance.
It's one thing to get everyone in the door, but getting them to dance is quite another. The collaboration tools are here. They always have been. The attitude of participation is not. People are still private, still grounded in the "real world", where they have their network of real friends and work real jobs and so on. For the majority of the Internet populace, there is a tangibility factor that is hard to overcome. People read forums, but don't offer input. People have great ideas, but are addicted to brain crack. It's time to make a change. It's time to contribute. Some may argue that it's a waste of time, that nothing is accomplished. But in it's very least, a world-wide collaboration is a great accomplishment on it's own, regardless of content. So in the end, the goal is to give what you've got, and you just might get something in return.
JMO
posted by JMO at 8:42 AM
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