web 2.0 technologies

WEB 2.0 TECNOLOGIES AND ITS USE IN ORGANIZATIONS

Background of web 2.0 technologies:

Originally web was not perfect but with some work done by web developers it is continuously evolving, changing and becoming more accessible to all. Here came a mechanism called “web 2.0” technology. The term “Web 2.0” was coined by O’Reilly Media at a conference in 2004 and it has become the mechanism to refer to the next generation Web. Rather than providing just a static repository for data, the “Web2.0” technology has become a platform to describe many recently popularized web applications and the enabler for on-line participation& collaboration O’Reilly media (cited in Gibson. B, 2007).

The web2.0 applications became friendlier, more stylish, with many useful features and a high level of interactivity. These are generally aimed towards online collaboration or sharing of information. Some of the applications are used mainly for entertainment purpose but more specific applications of web2.0 technologies that we are going to discuss in this article are Weblog, Wiki, and RSS & Podcasting. Think all the tools as read/write environment than read only. To describe briefly about all these web tools let’s start with weblog (Dominic Mircea. K, Fransic. S, Ion .T, 2008)

Applications of web2.0 technologies:

A weblog (or blog) is a website that contains chronologically arranged postings which typically look like diary entries, announcements, photos, news, or commentary - depending on the purpose of the blog being posted all the time, usually by one individual on a personal basis. Blogging allows interaction from readers in the form of comments (Brady, M, 2005).This led to be challenging about what they have posted. But many organizations realised that the blogs are an excellent way to disseminate information and news organizational wide and so they started using them for organizational purpose.

The term “wiki” comes from the Hawaiian word for “fast”. Wikipedia’s success started with a new software known as Wiki which was created by Ward Cunningham in 1995.Coming to what is wiki, its a software that makes it possible to create a dynamic website, here multiple people can edit the webpage quickly and easily using the web browsers. Practically saying I don’t prefer Wiki because every one can change available context but there are many professionally edited ones .To simply say wikis are nothing but an essential things with an edit button (Helen.H, Charmaine.C, 2006).

RSS stands for really simple syndication or rich site summary, the first version of RSS was created in 1999 and the current version is 2.0.This is a handy way to make information come to you. Many of us in the modern world don’t have time to enter different websites and go through the updates where as if we subscribe to RSS we get continuous updates from variety of sources, including many news sites and podcasts. This is really hot issue to the modern world because we will get the updates whenever we want (Jeff Cold, 2006).


To discuss the evolution the “pod” comes from Apple’s iPod…which initially had nothing to do with podcasting and the “casting” comes from broadcasting, which means sending a radio signal. Podcasting enables learning anytime, anywhere. Podcasts are audio or video programmes available for down loads on demand. We can play or down load the podcast to portable media player such as MP3 player, mobile or PDA. To access podcasting we can subscribe to the content using an “RSS news reader” (Pat R.Ormand, 2008)

My critical analysis for the tools using an organization:

After all these discussion about web 2.0 technologies we shall consider an organization and see how these tools are useful in their activities. We shall take educational system and see how the tools make the system work more effectively. By using web2.0 tools educational system can gain up to date information very easily and effectively. Weblogs and wiki’s gives system to know new ways to generate and share knowledge. We can know how efficient different organisation work and improve accordingly. Comments in these help the users to rectify the mistakes and respond to different users.

Whereas RSS provides the system to stay up to date and to push the latest information from all over the corners of the world to be accurate and up to date. By using these, systems will be up to date and know about different policies, new publications and whatever the interested topic might be, the information is directly sent without browsing websites and finding information. Podcasting enables audio and video programmes available for downloads on demand for the educational system. In this way the web 2.0 technologies helps the educational system to run effectively.


References:

1) Gibson. B, (2007) Enabling an accessible web 2.0, ACM publications Newyork , vol.225, USA.

2) Doinic Mircea. K, Fransic. S, Ion. T, (2008) Web 2.0 technologies in web application development, ACM publications, Romania.

3) Brady. M, (2005) Blogging, personal participation in public knowledge on the web, CHIMERA working paper number: CWP-2005-02, Colchester.

4) Jeffcold. S, (2006) Usually RSS to enhance student research, ACM vol.3, issue 1, USA.

5) Hasam. H, Charmaine. C,(2006), The wiki: an environment to revolutionaries employees interaction with corporate knowledge, ACM OZCHI vol.206, USA.

6) Pat R.Ormand, (2008), Podcasting enhances learning, Consortium for computing sciences in colleges, vol.24, Issue 1, USA.