Web 2.0 and social networks

Essay Instructions:

Web 2.0 and social networks In the case for this module, you're going to explore some of the technological underpinnings of the Internet and Web 2.0, and understand what is about current information tools that make them particularly potent facilitators of existing and potential social networks. Social networking itself is, of course, as old as humanity itself -- but it is not until recent times that technologies specifically focused on the creation and expansion of social networks have come to prominent public attention -- to the point where they, arguably, have fundamentally reshaped the information environment. How many of us would like to return to the Bad Old Days of a decade ago, when user concerns were of only minimal interest, most of the Internet still featured one-way information distribution, "friends" were people we actually knew, and dancing cat videos were few and far between. Well, perhaps the latter two aspects still have some merit -- but going back from an Internet where users are equal if not more important as content providers and participants of interest to the old one-way channels and Information Gods is unlikely to ring many chimes. As source material for your exploration of Web 2.0 technologies we have identified the following sources as required readings. If you don't really pay attention to this material, it's really unlikely that you can write an acceptable paper on the topic below, let alone an exceptional one. We spend quite a lot of time trying to identify useful sources for you that bear on our topics for analysis; while we strongly encourage you to conduct your own further research and identify additional useful sources, this should be an add-on to the basic material rather than a substitute for it. Our Module 1 sources include: MAJCHRZAK, A. & MORE, PHILIP H. B. (Apr 2011). Emergency! Web 2.0 to the rescue! Communications of the ACM. 54(4), 125-132. [EBSCOhost database at Trident library] Hwang, J., Altmann, J., & Kim, K. (2009). The structural evolution of the Web 2.0 service network, Online Information Review, 33(6), 1040. [Proquest database at Trident library] Andriole, S.J. (2010). Business impact of Web 2.0 technologies, Communications of the ACM, 53(12), 67-79. [EBSCOhost database] Netzley, M. A.& Rath, Akanksha (2012). Social Networks and the Desire to Save Face: A Case From Singapore. Business Communication Quarterly. 75(1), 96-107. [EBSCOhost database] Erickson, L.B. (Jan/Feb 2011). Web 2.0 and Social Networking for the Enterprise. [Review of the book Web 2.0 and Social Networking for the Enterprise, by J. Bernal]. Research Technology Management. Arlington: 54(1), 67-68. [Proquest database] In addition, the optional readings expand on many of the central points; you may also want to do some independent research of your own to clarify any issues that concern you. When you have read through the articles and related material, please compose a paper on the topic: "The impact of web2.0" Case Assignment Expectations Your paper should be informative (5-7 pages, not including cover sheet and references) and to the point. You are expected to: Begin this paper by introducing Web 2.0, what makes it different? Technologies behind Web2.0 Then present the best evidence you can, explain the changes it has brought to the way we interact and work Finally summarize your main point of your paper. You will be particularly assessed on: Your ability to inform, comment,and analyze -- simply repeating what your sources say does not constitute an adequate paper. Your ability to apply the professional language and terminology of communications and information systems correctly and in context; you are expected to be familiar with this language and use it appropriately. Your effective and appropriate use of in-text citations to the assigned readings and other source material to support your arguments. Refer to the Purdue University APA formatting and style guide (see required readings) for the proper formats.

Essay Sample Content Preview:

Web 2.0
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If one asks several information systems experts to describe Web 2.0, one is sure to get dozens of different explanations on its regards. However, the concise way to describe it is as an imperative shift through which digital information can be created, stored, shared, manipulated and distributed. In simpler terms, web 2.0 is a phrase that describes the second generation of the web focused on people’s ability to share information online through collaboration. The web 2.0 is one of the technological advancement that has really brought a lot of change to the world. Web 2.0 evolved in a name to create a web platform that would allow all internet users have a say in the content available online. This paper seeks to concisely review and understand the technologies behind Web 2.0 and some of the impacts it has brought with it in the different fields of work and interaction (O’Reilly, 2009).
The term Web 2.0 was initially just a term used to refer to an imaginable future state of the web. Darcy DiNucci an electronic information design consultant in her 1999 article titled ‘Fragmented Future’ first introduced the term Web 2.0 (O’Reilly, 2009). However, the term is highly associated to Tim O’Reilly who popularized it. O’Reilly used the term to depict a wave of websites, software and web applications that mainly focused on how internet users would interact with information. This was in a bid to eliminate the over reliance of people on minimal information and software while not being able to have a say. O’Reilly was the first individual to host a web 2.0 conference in the year 2004 in San Francisco. This was the main event that put web 2.0 in the spotlight. With minimal exceptions Web 2 applications share many characteristics in that they are web based, accessible anywhere and accessible from many different devices. Their value is gauged through the information they have and not the software presenting them.
The technology behind Web 2.0 makes it outstanding and enables it to achieve a lot. Many of the internet technologies are still in use in the Web 2.0. Some include style sheets, flash, dynamic pages, XHTML standards, URLs, AJAX and content syndication among others. However, the major technology infrastructures of web 2.0 are content syndication, server-software, standard browsers with extensions and plug-in, messaging protocols, and various client applications. These technologies ensure web 2.0 is able to avail capabilities incomparable to those in traditional websites including creation, dissemination and information storage capabilities. These technologies are generally about how people are using them around the globe and how they are embracing them. The technologies allow a huge number of people to collaborate, create, connect and communicate as their core concept. It is imperative to analyze the techniques that lead to the effectiveness of Web 2.0 (Haftor, 2010). The technologies that affect these techniques include content syndication that allows for aggregation and syndication of data in Atom or RSS. Another technique is the Ajax based internet application that improves and enhances the experience of the users. CSS style sheets also add style to users’ web pages. There are others like DOM, REST, Mashups and XML that enhance the effectiveness of Web 2.0.
In content syndication, one can talk of RSS technology, which is the most popular choice among users in the delivery of syndicated web content. RSS represents an acronym for Rich Site Summary and Really Simple Syndication. RSS is an XML-based technology that is used for content distribution and for delivering updates of and to web based content. Experts use it to avail fresh content updates in a summarized manner. Users consume the RSS news aggregators and readers to collect and source for their favorite feeds. Users can consider RSS as a combination of web feed formats whose function is to publish and avail regularly updated digital content that include news feeds, podcasts or blogs. RSS has two divisions according to its uses that are content reading and content providing (Haftor, 2010).
AJAX is another technology facilitating Web 2.0 success. AJAX allows developers to construct Light web interfaces using light technologies. These interfaces are able to optimize the transactions that occur between servers and browsers. AJAX is an abbreviation term for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. It is a technology used in web deve...

Updated on January 26, 2024

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