Recently, I had read an article about Web 2.0.  In this article, the author defined a formula for Web 2.0, which is

AJAX + SOA + OSS = Web 2.0

AJAX = Asynchronous JavaScript and XML

SOA = Service Oriented Architecture

OSS = Open Source Software

I am ok with the above formula, except for the open source software bit.  Note that I am not against OSS, but inspired by.NET and Java technologies.  I agree that OSS provides common ground for everybody to build applications/frameworks in a quick and efficient manner.  However, commercial software (closed source software) is not at any point inferior to OSS.  Also, they are so reliable and scalable.  Okay, that’s a separate story.  From my point of view, we should consider the industry standard specifications and technologies.

What are the things that make the difference between Web (1.0!) and Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 is more about the changes in usability or interactivity of web than technologies, because there is no new technology or protocols for Web 2.0.  The paradigm shift happened only due to proper usage XmlHttpRequest and SOAP.  Both these have been existing in the field since the late 90s.  I have used XmlHttpRequest object for displaying “Please wait…” progress indication message in web sites in the pre-ajax period. In these periods, most of us developed web services with an object-orientation mind set.

Examples of differences are:

Additionally, web services make things better and interoperable.

Here, I’ve shown my first level basic list of technologies behind Web 2.0.

1. XmlHttpRequest 
2.  SOAP
3. Patterns and models for Web 2.0 application

Surprised?

We can use the term AJAX, by XmlHttpRequest with some design models and patterns.  Otherwise, people in this ajax world will shoot us.

Okay, let us explore more about the first two points before getting into the world AJAX in succeeding articles.

Hope everybody has seen the term “Rich Internet Application”, simply RIA and Web 2.0 in any of the computing technology web sites.  Google initiated the second revolution of web and it has impacted everybody in the computing world.  We all know about the dot com revolution in 2000 period.  With immature web development technologies and low speed internet connections, the revolution was a major flop and it made everyone to think seriously about web based solutions.  Limited Internet consumerism was one more factor.  At that time nobody was interested in using the Internet for purposes other than email and surfing.

Then ASP (Application Service Provider) arrived.   No one was ready to think out of their corporate walls.  The technology was one reason for that.  At that time, web technologies providers did not think of security beyond encrypted authentication mechanisms.  And also, CxOs thought of “Enterprise” aspects only within their UNIX box.

Almost all major players closed their web shops and provided only web development products.  Their Internet ideas were used within Intranet environment. 

The Internet backbone technologies have now matured and people are enjoying high-speed broadband Internet connections.  After that, technologies piled up in companies with garbage restored and refreshed.  Though Yahoo! initiated the actual game, Google has made the biggest impression on this.  They successfully converted Internet-challenged software applications into simple and powerful web apps.  GMail and Google Map are some examples.  Google Search is still surviving as the world’s number one search engine because of its right level of software and hardware combination for their search engine.

Microsoft had recognized this area a little bit later and started to think seriously about its Live platform and also how to breathe new life into its Windows and Internet platforms.

O’Reilly, in 2004, coined the term “Web 2.0” based on technologies from various players especially Google and Wiki.  But some do not agree to the versioning of Web.  They argued that Web 2.0 is a buzzword.  However most Internet players thought that they need that term to define and organize current emerging technologies under one roof.

What is Web 2.0?

What does Web 2.0 really mean and what are all the technologies behind Web 2.0?  Tim O’Reilly tried to define the term in his article “Web 2.0 - Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software”.  The Web 2.0 Expo pointed out some approaches proposed by some web products such as YouOS, G.ho.st, Nokia smart phone widgets and Google PowerPoint.  And it also pointed out some technologies such as Vidoop’s new authentication technology and IBM dashboard.

But people are still confused about Web 2.0.  Everybody agreed that AJAX is the core model (Note that it is a pattern not a technology) for Web 2.0 and broadband Internet connection is the basic backbone for this.  Notable other aspects are blogs and web syndication.  Other than these, they are seriously listed out technologies from the Non-Microsoft campus.  Also, they have provided very small space for Web Services.  One pathetic truth is that they have listed PHP for web development and missed out ASP.NET and JSP.  I do not know what makes PHP a more serious aspect than the mature ASP.NET and JSP.  I’m expecting the role of W3C to define and standardize the Web 2.0 technologies.

Personally, I would like to prepare a list of technologies for Web 2.0.  If anybody is interested please join me.  One condition though - you have to look at both open and proprietary platforms.

Cheers!