Summary: Web 2.0 involves interactive, useful sites as Web 1.0 involves simple point and click shopping and browsing.

The world is in the midst of Web 2.0 as the old Web 1.0 has seen better days. Web 2.0 sites have social interaction, where Web 1.0 websites do not have much opportunity for anyone to interact with the rest of the world.

What Was a Marketing Tool is Now a Way of Life

Web 2.0 began as a marketing tool for new website design as the web. Now, Web 2.0 is a common term that is used all over the world to describe the newest generation of websites that promote social interaction, online cloud storage, and user created content like blogs and artwork.

Single User versus World Wide Interaction

Web 1.0 was what it was and what it still is. There are still many websites around that are based on the old idea of the web. Those ideas involve editors and personal websites, with no allowance for collaboration. They were closed to input and just were the way they were.

Change the World by Sharing Your Knowledge

Wikipedia and Facebook were two of the biggest catalysts for Web 2.0. The idea that the entire world could edit Wikipedia and add content and information was unheard of in the world.

At first, the only online encyclopedias were designed by experts who had been writing encyclopedia knowledge for centuries. Once Wikipedia hit the stage, so many people were suspect. Schools would not allow students to use it, because who knew what dangerous and inappropriate material would be on a page about the White House or other commonly studied topics.

Death of the Encyclopedia Salesman

Now, the traditional encyclopedias have all but disappeared. Encarta is no longer being used and when is the last time a door to door salesman stopped by your house to sell you volumes of encyclopedias. Web 2.0 has made it happens.

Dynamic, not Static

In the Web 1.0 world, knowledge was static and websites did not need to be updated at all. Now, with Web 2.0, websites are updated daily. People post their Facebook status by the minute and you can track where people are when they “check in.” This is all thanks to the Web 2.0 phenomenon.

Designers Need to Step It Up

Because of the dynamics of Web 2.0, it is very important for web designers to create dynamic websites. Long gone are the days when people simply used the Internet for information, now they use the Web to get work done, to interact with people, and to learn dynamically. The static designed websites are over.

New Web Design Tools: Get the Surfers Involved

Web designers used to be able to design websites with standard website tools. Now, websites need to be creative, user friendly, and inviting. Blogs and comments are vital to the survival of any new website. Using creative templates from WordPress or Blogger are important, because they include the components that web surfers and web designers what today. Website need to suck in the user and not free them!

Save It In the Cloud

In the Web 2.0, you can get involved on the Internet. If you want to type a novel and work on it anywhere in the world you can access the Internet, you can. If you want to sell your wares on the biggest store in the world, without even leaving your home, you can.

Just a few years ago, you could only type your novel on your own computer and you could only sell your wares with your own software.
Web 2.0 is exciting. Who knows what will come with Web 3.0!