Week 7 - Web 2.0

When O'Reilly was talking about Amazon, contrasting it to Netscape, that's when the Web 2.0 readings started to make sense to me. I'm a big fan of Amazon and use several of its features for customizing content. Anytime I learn of a new book that I want to know more about I always check it out on Amazon first. And as O'Reilly's article said, I make more purchases on Amazon than Barnes & Noble because I guess I've developed a stronger connection with the site.

I was also really interested to learn how many popular sites are database programs. In the jobs I've held I always seem to be involved with databases. I currently use an Access database application that I created. It inspired the creation of a larger database that our main programmer is developing. I recently started working on a management plan to write the user's guides for the new database. Internet databases are a topic I would be interested in learning more about.

I also noticed in the Wikipedia article they mention that Tim Berners-Lee, one of the original creators of the world wide web, said that all along it was their intention that anybody could put content on the Internet and interact with other users. I remember that - it was a time when I first learned to use html. Then it seemed like the Internet was taken over by commercial interests - dot.com boom - and then it was like I didn't know how to participate anymore because I wasn't a web programmer. Seems like we've come full circle. Doesn't bother me that Microsoft's business model is becoming obsolete! By the people, for the people - it's a new trend!