Many times the term "Web 2.0" is used in reference to a cool new look or feature of a website. Unfortunately, we hear this term used more as a buzz word than a term with actual meaning behind it.


In order to describe what "Web 2.0" really is, take a look back at what web pages were and what many are today. In the late 1990's and early 2000's, websites were generally static pages that had very little change. If a company wanted a website, a web designer or programmer was required to make that site and post it to the internet. Then, if any changes were required, the company would have to go through the web designer and the web designer would make the changes. The web designer would have to know many different protocols and programs in order to setup a web page.


To an extent, this is still true today. A company would still have to hire a web designer to create a web page ... initially. The change occurs after the web designer is finished building and programming a "Web 2.0" website, the website can then be maintained by the users. Good examples of this would be digg, iGoogle, BBC, and Cisco. At these sites, the users can manipulate, add, and display new data without the necessity of a web designer. All of the interaction by the user can also take place directly at the web site itself without the user having to own or know any programs.


Now, in the process of web pages "growing up" so to speak, it many look better, use Adobe Flash for animations, use AJAX (shorthand for asynchronous JavaScript and XML) in order to create better looking effects, and use a database driven back-ends. All these things are components or accessories to build up a web site into a "Web 2.0" web site. It then has the potential to become a useful place where people visit on a more frequent basis than they would an ordinary static site.


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