RoboGeek

web2.0 has something in common with web 1.0? Yesterday Hal Stern posted a simplified definition of web2.0:  'read/write web'

I happen to disagree.  As proof he claims that everything in Tim O'Reilly's list has embedded in it "read/write web".  But, how is AdSense read/write?  Or Search Engine optimization?  Or cost/click?  Or syndication?

In other words, I think Hal is missing the part where web2.0 is about aggregating services offered by others.  e.g. the Google Map mashups.  In general there's a number of services that expose an API (google, yahoo, amazon, ebay, paypal, del.icio.us, etc), and other people build something off that API.

Adsense is not read/write, but it's clearly an aggregation of services.  Syndication is also an aggregation of services.  I don't understand why SEO and cost/click are on Tim O'Reilly's list, since both are simple extrapolations of web marketing.

But what has me going to the blog right now is:  Yahoo gobbles up Del.icio.us

What this has me thinking of is partying like it's 1999.  Namely, in the late 90's there were a bunch of startups that founded web sites but didn't have a business model that would gain revenue.  I think del.icio.us falls squarely in that camp.  It's given away for free and there's no clear way for them to charge a fee.  What would you charge for?  Hence, the only way del.icio.us is going to pay off is for them to be bought out ... which is what Yahoo has just done.

That's what I suggest web2.0 shares with web1.0 is the people involved still aren't thinking about how do I make this a self supporting business.

(2005-12-09 16:11:36.0) Permalink Comments [2]