Just a few weeks ago, there were debates over SOA meeting its demise... and, now there are whispers of the mighty Web 2.0 biting the dust? Well, maybe not.
However, I picked up on this post by Robin Wauters, Tech Crunch musing about whether the term "Web 2.0" is now passe. The Google Trends data seems to indicate that the use of the term has been in decline since around March/April of last year. Anecdotally, I had noticed this trend myself since my Google alerts haven't triggered on "Web 2.0" as often as other key phrases.
Is this decline in Google trend data significant? Probably not, other than the fact that since Tim O' Reilly popularized the phrase in 2005, the buzz around Web 2.0 has been deafening. Whether you were selling BPM solutions, business applications, security, development tools, or just hawking some widget over a website, you had to have a Web 2.0 angle.
Perhaps we're past the hype because we're actually getting Web 2.0 to deliver from a business value perspective.... or maybe, we've just moved on to something else more buzz-worthy. What do you think?
Web 3.15 here we come!
Matt -
LOL - yes, I understand the sentiment.
Web 2.0 is just now between the hype and mainstream stages. During the hype stage people got excited, but acknowledged a lack of features and infrastructure support. As the gap has been addressed (vendors adding Web 2.0 support) the momentum looks like it has been lost, but new collaborative applications that are now being created encapsulate Web 2.0 features. Thus, it will be quietly used and become mainstream.
Gary - thanks for your thoughts on this. I think you're right that Web 2.0 has practical definition now - tools, infrastructure support, etc...it's becoming embedded into mainstream technology architecture and business models.
However, isn't it strange that just when it's maturing, public interest (at least in terms of google trends data) is waning?
Andre - It is strange. The user can do some truly cool things. We have customers incorporating external services into CorasWorks and SharePoint...mashing up data....and computing new results. As soon as we are allowed we will publish customer stories...and that should create new momentum.
Andre- I think you're right. Web 2.0 is just an overused marketing slogan. I think the underlying trend, the movement from static page refresh driven interactions to dynamic desktop like experiences, will continue. It will be interesting to what the industry buzzword will be for the next generation of web applications.
Andre -- I remember whenRichard Steinnon of Gartner said IDS was Dead, He was off by about 5 years. So if that sample size of 1 is any indicator then your prognostication should be right also...in 2014. :-)
Gary - when you're ready with customer stories, I'd like to feature Corasworks
Mike - the move to a more dynamic, interactive experience is sure to continue...the next generation web client will take more than just AJAX. More about RIA in future posts. But as far as Web 2.0 is concerned, if you read O'Reilly's original article, he originally envisioned it as more than just interactivity or technology, it's also about a self service, participatory, network model
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Joe -
I LIVED through Gartner's "IDS is dead" fiasco - it still gives me a nervous twitch when I think about it. No, I don't truly think Web 2.0 is dead - in fact, I think it's finally matured
Hey Gary:
Long time no speak - great to see you back in the ebizQ community. Let's catch up soon.