The World Wide Web: What's So Cool About It?

What Do I think of the Web?

In my 20 years on this Earth, the Web has evolved in ways I couldn’t have even imagined. Web 1.0 was what was commonplace during the early years of my life. During the Web 1.0 days, the Internet was static, not exciting or interactive in the slightest. It was used mostly for adults trying to grow their businesses and achieve the status of “being on the Web.” The next step in the evolution of the Web was obviously Web 2.0. The hype of Web 2.0 from Web 1.0 was definitely worth it, since it has provided us with some of the most important creations of our time. Web 2.0 is the internet that most of us are familiar with today. It began its onset during my childhood, and us Millennials were all for it. Web 2.0  is the Web that allowed for things like social media, to Barbie.com, and AIM to all coexist in the same place. It was all about being the involvement of Web users, allowing the common person to post on the Web as easily as they were able to access it. Some of the positives would be the websites and everyday aspects of our life that have come out of Web 2.0. Could you imagine what life would be like without Google? How about even dictionary.com? I certainly would be lost without things like that, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the onset of Web 2.0. However, this is a negative thing at the same time. People have become reliant on the Web every day, which would have never happened if it was not for the onset of Web 2.0. The Web still continues to evolve to this day, and the next step is in the very near future: Web 3.0. Web 3.0 has already begun to show itself through our Web 2.0 platforms. It is a quick, easy connection to the Web, no matter where you are. It is the collection of databases in order to connect to exactly what you are looking for. Examples of Web 3.0 concepts that I have already encountered include Spotify creating a playlist of “new artists to discover” from what you have been listening to. Another example would be suggested followers on Twitter based on what you already see on the website, a similar feature to Facebook’s customized ads. Web 3.0 is taking us in the direction of customization of the Web to each person accessing it. This is a positive thing to some extent, since you will be able to see what you actually wanted to see on the Internet. However, it is also negative since it is just allowing for people to become more and more reliant on the Web as a whole. All in all, the evolution of the Web is a huge development in my lifetime, and it is a great resource we are so lucky to have.

The World Wide Webolution

The year is 2016 and most of the world’s population could not go a day without the Internet. The World Wide Web was introduced to the public in 1991. It was met with little fanfare and honestly, most people did not even know what it was. The beginning stages of the World Wide Web were very basic and boring. Web 1.0, as it is known today, was static, simple, and not very user-friendly. Most of the web was read-only and definitely was not interactive. As more and more people began to enter the confines of the Web, an upgrade was definitely needed. Web 2.0 was Web 1.0’s hyped-up younger brother, a complete 180 from its older counterpart. There were many differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0, but the biggest difference was the user-friendliness. Web 2.0 allowed for interactive web pages that kept its users engaged and on the Web for hours. In addition, Web 2.0 led to more communication between users all over the World. Web 2.0 led people to those who were interested in the same ideas. An article in Scientific American exemplified the power of Web 2.0 in relation to science. This is just one little sliver of the impact that Web 2.0 has had on consumer and public consumption of media amongst other things. Web 2.0 has also lead to the creation of social media, another huge catalyst to the public’s consumption of the web and media itself. If it wasn’t for the onset of Web 2.0, the Internet might not have become as an important part of society as it is today. The most recent evolution of the Web is the Web we are coming to know: Web 3.0. Web 3.0 is a concept that has developed out of the depths of Web 2.0, taking user-friendliness to the next level. The evolution of the Web to Web 3.0 has also been inspired by the need for the web to become portable. In the last 10 years or so, we have seen the web transform into something we can take anywhere, at any time. Web 3.0 allows for this to happen. Web 3.0 is a concept that is based solely on the user and its preferences. It is all about the individual, giving the user what they want, when they want. The Web has done its best on evolving with the times and giving the user what it wants and it will continue to evolve with the coming times.