Before Web2.0 and After

So we left Web2.0, or have we? No, we haven’t. We are really on the bridge between the user to user connectivity and interactivity of Web2.0, the web of active participation, and the semantic, intuitive web of Web3.0, the web that is still on the way, and partly in beta.

It has been a long road in high tech terms, from the read and learn web of 1.0, the web that lasted the longest and gave much useful information, but did not attract so many readers as Web2.0 has done. Web1.0 was dominated by the author. The visitor to a site, read for information, not for connections, networking, or to interact with author, content, and other readers, which identifies Web2.0. Web1.0 was content only. You liked it or didn’t and left the site after getting the reading done. It was a different internet, but very useful for the online demographic of that technological time.

Web2.0, is the internet of freedom. It allows everyone the freedom of being author, and website innovator, or application innovator. Web2.0 is a virtual conversation among authors, the active participants, whether bloggers, commenters, reviewers, website content creators, and social networkering innovators. Web2.0 is us, all in cafe like social exchanges, which is naturally more attractive than the rigid, quiet library like atmosphere of Web1.0, where the visitor to a website found, read, and left, quietly. Web1.0 is pre-blog times. On the other hand, Web 2.0 enriches, and activates all of us who want to participate with others online in the connected worlds of social media: Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Squidoo, Ning, WordPress, Blogger, and more.

There still are the last remnants of read only sites. I try to avoid those, but do read what I need, and sometimes have to go with old school internet, Web1.0.

The internet has given me so much. I have made so many online friends, read their blogs, and they read mine, connected with other business professionals, shared ideas, responded to ideas, and grown intellectually as well. I don’t feel that anything needs to come after Web2.0, but that the Web2.0 universe needs to get better organized, downsized, less cluttered with sites and applications for sites that are often frivolous, and ridiculous, more user-friendly, and more adaptable to the mobile devices, smart phones. I do realize however, that life continues beyond Web2.0. Progress is a spiritual law, and a good thing, as progress led us to the internet of Web2.0. I am facing that reality.

The Web3.0 experience is the real world of science fiction, in which the computer, through its software, can use the user’s profile, and online activity, to better intuit, understand, what the user wants online, what she is searching for, and how needs can be met. It is beyond user to user connections and contact management. It is the technology/user integration as a whole in the infinite internet. Web 3.0 is on the way, and is called the “semantic web.” It is based on the three elements of a communication: subject, object, and predicate. Fascinating, and so realisitic, is Web3.0. The system know us, who and what we are, and what we want, more than we may know ourselves. Intuition moves the waters of Web3.0. I recently listened to some YouTube video presentations about Web3.0. It will make life better for all of us, at least when considering what Web3.0 will be able to do for users.

Web 2.0 Opens The Lines of Communication

Connections are at an all time high with all the online social media sites out there, such as Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Squidoo, WordPress, Blogspot, Linkedin, and all the rest.

The Web 2.0 internet is all about connections, engagements, networking, sharing, brainstorming in groups, and relationship forming. Web 2.0 offers what prior people in history, prior to the internet, missed out on, but would have been attracted to. They would have grabbed the opportunity og getting connected, if only they had our technology.

Imagine the world before the internet, and before the computer. Go back in history to the horse and buggy. Most people could only be connected to a few folks within the communnity. Communication was mostly limited to how far they could walk or horse ride in a day. Lifestyles were limited to the immediate surroundings of the neighborhood. As a result of the lack of outward relationship building, people had fewer opportunities, fewer connections with others, fewer intellectual hangouts, fewer ideas.

Web 2.0 has come as an angel giving everyone with internet access the opportunity to get connected with people all over the planet, and to get better connected with others in the same neighborhood.

Web 1.0 provided a library of information, on a one way street, not allowing for reader comments, inputs, feedback or website linking. Web 2.0 opens up communication, and makes the web an interactive tool of communication, where readers reply, and the public can also read and interact. The internet becomes a conversation in real-time with two or multiple users discussing most any subject.

The blog is a piece prepared by the blogger, with the idea that someone will respond, and comment on the blog, and on the blog site itself.

Later, in the Web 2.0 era, came the micro-blog, such as Twitter. Now, the conversation between blogger, and reader continues, but within the character limit of 140 characters to a post. More people can write and read since it is much easier to read 140 characters than several pages worth of a blog post.

You can find me micro-blogging on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/KenFach

My Wonderful Google Tools

I absolutely love Google, and all that Google has to offer.  Google is my lifestyle. As a real estate agent, I am always going to my toolbox to pull out my Google tools. These useful tools can be for anyone, in any career, or almost for any lifestyle. Here are my favorite Google tools that I always keep in my toolbox:

Google Chrome
This is Google’s answer to other internet browsers. It is fast, secure, and very user-friendly. Of all browsers, Chrome is the easiest and most reliable, I believe. Try it and you will see.

Gmail
This is what I use for most all of my electronic communication, outside of the social/business networking sites. I like Gmail because you get so much storage power, great spam filters, Google’s search system so you can find any email you need, and a system to organize your electronic communications called “conversations” and which are organized by “labels.” I use Gmail on my Treo 700wx as well as on my laptop. Gmail is my number one favorite Google tool. Go to http://gmail.google.com.

Google Alerts
This is tied to my Gmail account. I set up Google Alerts for any subject that interests me, and these alerts go directly into my Gmail inbox everyday. Some of the alerts I selected and receive include: real estate, Tallahassee, Japanese Gardening, Organic gardening, ranch style homes, soccer, camping, Florida, mortgage, homes. Instead of going to Google Search field, and keyboarding the subject I am interested in, I can have Google research that for me and send me daily alerts. Go to http://alerts.google.com.

Google Docs
I keep all my documents, spreadsheets, and lists in Google Docs. This is a very user friendly system. That is why I like it. You get the date something was placed into the database, and you can file documents and spreadsheets into folders. Go to http://docs.google.com.

Google Maps
So many trips have I been on alone, and with family, and instead of using other mapping tools, I use Google Maps to get me to where I need to go. I have it on my Treo 700wx. I simply input the location, and state, and Google Maps will find it for me, and even provide highlighted road directions on the map, and text directions so I can read how to go to my location. It also keeps a history of my searches. Goolge Maps is super easy to use, and with fast results. You can zoom in and zoom out, and even get a satellite view. Go to http://maps.google.com.

Google Search
This is a great tool to not only search for any subject of interest, but I use Google Search to find myself on the internet, and to see how I am placed. Each entrepreneur or company can do this and see what is visible online about the company or yourself. I can see what sites I am strong on and weak on. This is also a good way to see where your competitors are online.

Goog 411
I can call 800-466-4411, and speak the business and city for which I am searching, and Google will provide me with the listings as well as text message with phone and address information of the business. Goog 411 will even connect me directly to the business listing. Cool!!!

Google Calendar
Now this is a very intuitive system. On my Treo or laptop, I go to calender.google.com, input the event and date, and Google will put it on the calendar for me. I will also get a text reminder. This is awesome. Try it and you will see the intuitiveness of this technology.

Blogger
Now I absolutely an attached to WordPress, but I use Google’s Blogger, for my other online blogs, which are more of a social, personal interest. Like everything Google, Blogger is easy to use, popular, and there is so much you can do to make your blog shine. Google provides the tools and the answers. I often go to Blogger to read others’ blogs and make comments.

Google Reader
As an avid reader of a variety of subjects, and with such a busy work schedule, I don’t have time to search everthing on Google. However, Google does much of that for me in Google Reader, as well as with Google Alerts. Google Reader will store, organize, and receive your blog and rss feeds. Now, you have more reading to do on the subjects that interest you.

Google Notebook
I know, I can always use my Treo tasks, notes or word mobile, to input and store my notes, but I like to be able to keep my notes on the web, so that I can check them from any computer, as well as on my Treo, by accessing Google Notes. You can sort and print your Google Notes. You can also export your notes to Google Docs.

Google News
We all know that Google’s search technology is the best. With Google News, you can search what category of news you want to received, or what topic interests you, and you can get the latest news in your Google News account. I use Google News to search blogs from other people, and to keep up with business news. I can personalize my Google News page. You got to try this. Here you get all the news you will probably want.

Google Talk
I use this to talk via the computer to friends and networking contacts. I may be expanding this and including my customer base. I can get to Google Talk when in my Gmail account. It is handy, and all right there.

Google Products Search
I can go to http://labs.google.com/productswml.html on my Treo smartphone when out shopping, input the product that interests me, and find a list of the best buys for that product. This is so useful.

Google Suggest
When going to Google Labs, you can go to Google Suggest, and input keywords. As you input the keywords, Goolge will create a list of related keywords, and the number of results on the internet for the keywords, so you can visit those sites.

Now, there are many other Google tools, but these are the ones I like the most. I did not always like Google. When I first got serious about the internet starting in 1994, I though Yahoo, Netscape, WebCrawler, DejaVu, Ask Jeeves, were awesome. When Google became one of the three big search engions among Yahoo, MSN, and Google, I stayed loyal to Yahoo, and used Yahoo for all my online researching. I even used Yahoo when working on my master’s degree at Florida State University. However, around 2004, I discovered that Google has it all, and I left my loyal ties to Yahoo and the other search engions for the ever expanding universe of Google. I stopped using my yahoo email accounts, and started using Gmail. Google continues to amaze me, and probably amazes you, too.