Tips on web 2.0 for laymen

Web 2.0 is the interactive web. It differs from the intital internet in that website only conveyed information. The sites did not offer ways to interact with them. With Web 2.0 there is a flow of information going both ways from the site to the consumer and from the consumer to the site.

With this abilitiy to interact, there are opportunities to 'talk' or communicate with others. Social sites liek MySpace, Friendster and Facebook allow people to interact in a social manner. On such sites, the user sets up a profile. Once a profile is set up they can begin interacting with other users.

Depending on what hobbies one has, there are specialized sites like Flickr, YouTube , ILike (music) and MyAncestry that allow those with common hobbies to interact with each other.

If you are interested in business, there is LinkedIn and Ryze, which focuses more on business relations and contacts. On such sites, resumes can be posted, positions can be searched for and connections made. Monster.com is a variant of the busines type sites.

If you are seeking relationships, then sites like Match.com profile a way to interact with other single individuals seeking companionship.

WIth Web 2.0 there are many other sites that cater to specialized nees or likes. There are sites oriented to Christian audiences, to those seeking discreet affairs, to people interested in politics. Depending on your interests and who you would like to interact with, there are groups that cater to you. The site Meetup.com helps people connect with other having similar interests.

Many of these social sites allow the user to customize their pages. Through customizing their pages, a personal touch of self-expression allows them to show the world who they are.

Besides the social oriented sites, there are also sites where people interact and share news stories. Sites like Digg, reddit and Technorati allow people to vote for sites, stories and blogs they like. These sites allow you to set up a favorites list and compare that with others. Such sites allow people to keep track of trends and the latest news on topics of concern to them. This short list is by no means comprehensive. There are sites that have developed in response to biases shown on the other sites. Sites like weaselzippers have developed in response to digg and activites occurring there.

Many newspapers and television news stations also use the technolgy of web 2.0 to allow for surveys and opinion polls on current stories of interests to their readers.

Web 2.0 is also about blogs. Blogs or Web logs allow people to share their views, insights, knowledge, and opinions with each other. This interaction has led to some bloggers developing followings where readers keep up with their thoughts on a daily basis. Many of these blogs have fan clubs that you can join on their sites as well.

In the past, the public did not have many choices or control over what they were exposed to in the media. Web 2.0 allows users to decide what movies they watch, music they listen to and news they read.