I thought it would be appropriate to start my series of Web 2.0 Technology Topics with the term Web 2.0 itself.

Much is being made these days of the term “Web 2.0”, as well as the related term “Enterprise 2.0”. To some this is just a catch phrase that represents another passing fad. A reason for companies to spend more money on new technologies. To others, it offers real possibilities to tap the tacit knowledge base of employees, increase their engagement, improve relationships with customers and much more.

So what is Web 2.0, really? In this first article, I’ll set the context for understanding Web 2.0. Then in the next few articles I’ll explore definitions of Web 2.0, with leading practice examples and ideas for how you could get started or raise your practices to the next level.

As an introduction, here is how Wikipedia (itself is a leading example) begins its entry for Web 2.0.

Web 2.0 refers to a perceived second generation of web-based communities and hosted services — such as social-networking sites, wikis, and folksonomies — which aim to facilitate creativity, collaboration, and sharing between users. The term gained currency following the first O'Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004. Although the term suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software developers and end-users use webs. According to Tim O'Reilly,

"Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform."

Some technology experts, notably Tim Berners-Lee, have questioned whether one can use the term in a meaningful way, since many of the technology components of "Web 2.0" have existed since the early days of the Web.

Next in my blog, I’ll delve further into the definitions of the Web 2.0 and examples of the technologies (and memes) noted in the grapic as being related.