Chapter 1: Understanding RIAs (part 2)

1.2 A few words about Web 2.0
I would be remiss if I didn’t explain RIAs in the larger context of Web 2.0. Web 2.0 has gained a following and notoriety approaching that of a cult. Although some may question whether everyone immediately needs to convert to “Web 2.0 Everything” to still be considered relevant, it is very true that the web this time around is different than the first time. It’s worth your while to investigate these differences as they are significantly impacting user expectations and how software designers are creating new products.

Here’s a quick overview of a few fundamental concepts behind Web 2.0.

1.2.1 Mashups
Mashups are an exciting new genre of applications, combining technologies in new and interesting ways. Programmers access open APIs (code from companies: Google maps for example has open APIs) or other public data, and play around. Online maps are a favorite component for mashups and have been wedded with lots of other technologies such as real estate, traffic reports, ski conditions – you name it.
 

Mashups can use other kinds of public data also -- news feeds, restaurant ratings, photo tags -- not just for creating software, but also creating art. The exciting thing to note here is that having this kind of data in the public arena is a great proposition for all involved. Artists, software engineers, and companies alike can access data for free. Public information can be used to disseminate knowledge, compile data in new and meaningful ways, and create communities around sharing information, advancing the web a little further.

1.2.2 Social Networking
Many new sites leverage relationships as a way to add value for their users, and it’s proving to be very effective. Friendster, Facebook, and Linked In are all about creating and maintaining relationships; sites like Flickr and Last.fm are ostensibly about other things (photos and music, respectively) but their social networking features are also a big draw, allowing their users to share with and keep tabs on friends. Obviously it’s a great proposition for the company too: since most sites require that users join to participate (the walled garden approach), members must recruit new members to expand their networks and take full advantage of available features.

A word of warning: social networks are not a “if-you-build-it-they-will-come” kind of proposition. Creating a networking feature set is a lot of work on both the front end and the back end. It also requires registration and other kinds of participation from the user, who may or may not feel the effort is worth the return. And without an active network, your site may look like a trendy nightclub with no one inside.

1.2.3 User-generated content
Web 2.0 found a good source of cheap help to create its websites… you! Web 1.0 was very top-down: “they” decided what articles were news, what videos were shown, what was “hot”, etc. Now “we” call the shots. We blog. We upload videos of our own making. We tag. We rate. And we add value to these sites that we interact with… all for free.

Put bluntly, user contributions can be a force of good or evil. Tagging almost seems de rigueur these days, but before you implement tagging on your site, go and take a hard look at tags on Youtube or a similar site. Some of the tags are helpful in finding relevant videos, but many of them are random, irrelevant or too general. Useless tags muck up an interface and frustrate users . Other warnings to consider: sites that allow user posting are often targeted by spammers, and people may upload or post things unsuitable for your audience or the mission of your site. Tread carefully with this feature set and be sure you know what you’re getting into.

Web 2.0 may seem like a lot of hype, but it has breathed new life into the web and gotten everyone talking again. Web 2.0 represents a state of mind and a shift in user expectations. Use it to your advantage.