The developments and usage of Web 2.0 in Singapore

"If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito."

                                                                                                  

                                         -  Anita Roddick

Web 2.0, the revolutionary term that seemed to change the tide of the way the Internet works. The term is coined in 1999 by Darcy DiNucci a consultant on electronic information design in her article “Fragmented Future” and the technology was adapted by Microsoft in the late 90s.

Web 2.0 changes the role of the user from just surfing the net into someone who creates waves in the world wide web, users turn from the original passive information receiver to the active creator and sharer of information on the web. To put it in simpler terms, users turn from read to write, viewing to uploading of new information.

Web 2.0 makes the Internet come to life, gone are the days of Netscape and big companies like Britannica Online Encyclopedia who owned all information and distributed them to end users without allowing them to edit the information but now even a fifth grader with a PC and Internet access can give information online with Google, Facebook, Wikipedia and other such user-interactive websites.

In the words of tech guru Tim O'Reilly “Applications that get better the more that people use them.” Web 2.0 encourages user interaction with the web and allows information to be edited, changed or even disputed openly thus causing improvement to the data given making it a people centered and people empowered media that thrives on feedback, editing and other forms of data exchange between the maker of the web page and the end user.

Besides using Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other Web 2.0 sites which are used to make friends and for shopping, the Web 2.0 concept is used by some organizations for other purposes such as uploading company photos of events and staff can join the groups to receive latest information and even just discuss leisurely topics to facilitate company bonding. Their staff can also post information such as birthdays and interests unto their profiles allowing their bosses and colleagues to know them better as an individual. At times, information can be uploaded and every staff in the company notified with a single update as long as they are part of the group/network. School groups use them to keep their members updated of the latest information and even blogs about events and encourages discussions among members. Web 2.0's rich user interface facilitates efficient data transfer, allows flexibility and communication with ease and solves many problems of more traditional methods of information sharing. Some companies even use Google and Facebook to check on the profile of potential employees before deciding to hire them.

Even though there are many Web 2.0 sites in the world, Singapore still lags behind in the number of sites due to restrictions in content and lack of funding by the government, lack of local talents in AJAX and relevant media skills and Singapore is also too small and the local web community is limited thus making traffic almost irrelevant compared to the rest of the world.

My conclusion is if Singapore would fund and encourage talents and students to study and develop the IT field to head in the direction of AJAX and Web 2.0 concept sites and more Singaporeans would actively participate online, it would make a big difference in the development of Web 2.0 for organizations in Singapore in the future.