The Second Internet Revolution

30Sep06

I’ve hardly even related to you in detail what entails the 1^st Internet revolution (Web 1.0), and here I am writing about the 2^nd one (Web 2.0).

I apologize. But quite frankly, Web 1.0 ain’t all that interesting. It was merely a period of adjustment for us, to get ourselves accustomed to the relatively mundane activities on the Internet. Partially due to the fault of the fragmentary promises of the dotcoms. They toyed with our emotions whilst on the brink of implosion. Some may argue that their online ventures were far too ahead of its time. Clever.

Fast forward to 2006 and the Internet is now woven into almost every company’s IT fabric. Internet technologies have become a backbone for what companies implement internally and how products and services are now distributed. Step into any business today and try telling me they’ve not deployed some kind of Internet framework for their organization. This is a far cry from six years ago, when the majority scoffed at its very idea.

Is there a reason why the vast majority of businesses are now scrambling to make Internet technologies part of their daily operations? Quite simply, they’ve finally come to their senses. Internet technology – like most technology – is there to help create competitive advantage. The popular idiom, ‘The Early Bird Catches The Worm’, rings true here. And it’s precisely why I need to inform you of the 2^nd revolution.

You may or may not have heard of Web 2.0. Can’t blame you if you haven’t. It’s one of those terms where nobody saw coming. More than likely, the vast majority of folks out there hardly realize there ever was a Web 1.0, never mind a Web 2.0.

So what is Web 2.0?

I can’t say for sure. There’s a reason why, and I admit, it’s a pretty lame one. It’s because there isn’t a universally accepted definition for it. Ask five random Silicon Valley marketers and you’d probably receive 17 different definitions. Go figure.

But from an entrepreneurial point of view, I’d probably go with Jeremy Wright’s definition of Web 2.0: “profitable online businesses.” It can’t get any simpler than that.

I’m sure you’re itching to find out what a Web 2.0 site looks like. Well for starters, there’s Digg, Flickr and Technorati. You could very well be using those Web 2.0 sites already (I’ll be writing more about these kinds of sites in future). And to quench your insatiable curiosity, I give you, All Things Web 2.0.

Instant Messaging, an application once pooh-poohed by media hawks as a toy fit only for kids, is now taking center-stage in this era of Web 2.0. It’s giving e-mail a run for its money and more companies are beginning to sit up and take notice (never underestimate the influence of the IM generation). That’s because IM is so versatile in its applicability. It offers an opportunity for immediacy in any given situation. Its popularity is boosted by the fact that MSN Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo Messenger are offered as free services.

You might even consider incorporating IM as a form of customer support for your business. Big businesses are seriously pondering this option. And you know if Microsoft is offering ten tips on using IM for your business, you have to sit up and take notice. If having all three IM applications at your disposal on one page is more appealing to you, then try using Meebo (does Web 2.0 spring to mind?).

As an entrepreneur, you’d do well to keep an eye out for new opportunities being paraded by Web 2.0’s evolution. Venture capitalists are loosening their purse strings once again because maybe, just maybe, this Web 2.0 is the Bull Run they’d been waiting for.

Now, if I can only remember where I’d placed Warren Buffett’s business card?