Heard on the street: What is Web 2.0?

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Heard on the street: What is Web 2.0?

Many small town community newspapers run "People on the Street" columns in which reporters are sent into the field to gather responses on a hot topic of the day.

I have always loved these short question and answer sessions, partly because the comments are usually off the wall and surprising. I thought I would give it a try today. After all, it is always worthwhile to get out of the office -- away from the latest social networking Web site or online video platform -- and ask ordinary people what they think.

For this installment of "Heard on the Street," I wandered up to The Shanty Cafe -- an old school restaurant on Elliott Avenue West. I thought it would be a good place to launch this new feature since it is close to the P-I and sits at a cross section of old Seattle (the cafe sign says it was established in 1914) and new Seattle (F5 Networks is located across the street).

Tracy Tame

The question of the day: What is your definition of Web 2.0?

"Web 2.0? Web 2.0? I have heard that before. I think I have heard that somewhere. I think it costs money. I am not interested if it costs."

--Tracy Tame, a 59-year-old building inspector from Shoreline.

"As far as I understand, it is for hospitals and universities. It is not for the public use."

--Chris Cox, a 35-year-old information technology consultant from Magnolia.

"An idealized version of the Web."

--Nancy Morgan, a 56-year-old communications specialist from Vashon Island.

"I've heard the name kicked around, I just don't know what it means."

--Steve Norman, a 35-year-old bike messenger from Queen Anne.

"The next generation of Web technologies, whatever that means. I think it is more interactive."

--Steve Hitchcock, a 25-year-old business development manager from Queen Anne.

"I have no idea. A new generation of the Web?"

--Diana Lynn, a 40-year-old public health researcher from Bothell.

Posted by at November 1, 2006 2:38 p.m.
Categories: The odd side of tech, Web 2.0

Comments

#15590

Posted by unregistered user at 11/1/06 5:16 p.m.

I actually tackle this very question on my blog, Rob The Explainer. It's a blog in which I explain the things people expect you to know, but shouldn't. Have a look and enjoy!

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#16220

Posted by unregistered user at 11/9/06 5:02 p.m.

Wow, thanks Rob! I'll be sure to spam your blog with advertisements.

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#16224

Posted by unregistered user at 11/9/06 6:19 p.m.

^ lolz

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#16226

Posted by unregistered user at 11/9/06 6:27 p.m.

It's a sad, sad day when a suit knows more about current IT tech than an IT consultant.

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#16228

Posted by unregistered user at 11/9/06 7:15 p.m.

Actually the IT Consultant is partially right. back in the late 90's there was a push that was dubbed "Internet 2", that only univerisity, hospitals and research faciites were connected to. It was a very high speed network(something like 2Gbps or more) I am going off of memory here.

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#16232

Posted by unregistered user at 11/9/06 8:41 p.m.

http://www.internet2.org/
^_^ the internet 2 has already reached speeds of over 10 Gbps over a line that reaches across the whole US.

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#16233

Posted by unregistered user at 11/9/06 8:44 p.m.

Actually the IT Consultant is partially right. back in the late 90's there was a push that was dubbed "Internet 2", that only university, hospitals and research facilities were connected to. It was a very high speed network(something like 2Gbps or more) I am going off of memory here.

We're actually using Internet 2 in Connecticut. It's in the form of the "CEN" Connecticut Education Network. It's basically a fiber network for government and educational institutions. Yay! No more DSL connections for smaller schools.

But yeah, the whole "Web 2.0" question is a hard one to answer because to people who are in tech, we see it as all back-end. But people who do the talking see it as "collaborative, societal, tech" .. which it definitely is. But yeah, try to explain it to 21 high schools. The Connecticut High School Innovation Challenge

No shameless plug, but it definitely pertains to the subject.

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#16234

Posted by unregistered user at 11/9/06 9:06 p.m.

yeah....these guys are confusing web 2.0 with internet 2. Internet 2 or I2 was originally only for "hospitals and universities". Many universities are on the I2 network and as one person said, speeds are up to 10gps in some regions.

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#16243

Posted by unregistered user at 11/9/06 11:52 p.m.

Oh what-ever trevor! You keep going all treehouse-susan-esque on everyone right in the middle of everything!!!

anyway this whole web 2.0 jargon is bamboozling, puzzling, perplexing and any combination of the 3.

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#16246

Posted by unregistered user at 11/10/06 5:01 a.m.

Web 2.0 is a trendy revolution of glossy, gradient, wet-floor affected images with star shaped BETA tags over them.

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