Don't Like "Web2.0" expression? ok but Why? (poll)

The more i talk about “web2.0” around me the more i hear “i hate this expression” “it is empty” “web2.0 is dead” “web2.0 is just buzz”. ok

So know, when i ask “why”  i very rarely get a convincing answer. So i started to think about it and i finally arrived to some kind of conclusion that i believe could make sense.

The web is a dynamic and permanently evolving space. Contrarily to software cycle marked by determined release roll out (office 2003, Norton 1.1,…), new (and old) web services are permanently improved and created. A web site is changing all the time, sometimes severals times a week, adding always news functionnalities and features, improving UI….Today even more than before. Interaction, sharing, user generation of whatever (content/ressources/intelligence/knowledge) and collaboration stimulates creativity and innovation of entrepreneurs permanently and at a pace that was not possible ever before.

• The reason i don t like this expression is that it is freezing the dynamic spirit of the web in an expression that does not render the true nature of this “new web”.
• The other reason i don t like it (but this is minor) is that it is becoming more and more a “label” to “artificially” brand a project (so times there is true quality) and position it in a trend. And as i posted it yesterday. The new web is not about innovation but good and relevant innovation

However i will keep the tag “web2.0” in my blog and in TechCrunch.fr (notice in the US it is not there anymore) because this is the expression most people know and understand to designate the “new web”

Here s a short poll to understand your point of view. I’d like to hear what you say about it.

 

 

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Comments

[Kevin Cannon]

I don't like the web 2.0 expression because of the misconceptions of the general public. Many people believe that the stereotypical design elements of new applications (gradients, rounded corners, etc.) are what '2.0' is all about. By emulating the styles on their static sites, they then believe that they too are 'web 2.0'.

[Gros lâche]

Hi Ouriel, in my opinion there is definitely a buzz around the whole Web 2.0 concept for two reasons:

- Potential is limited. For the MySpace, Youtube, Flickr and Delicious (less than 5 successful ideas after all) how many start-ups won't ever attract more than minor attention among a narrow segment of the population?

- As a VC you should be aware that valuation of Web 2.0 start-ups aren't big. I am not sure how you could convince a Calpers to invest in your fund where the potential upside is maybe 2 or 3 times the initial investment for a final start-up valuation of less than $50Mo. I think this could/will be a big headache for all the VC industry today. Few years ago Sofwtare & Telco start-ups were topping valuation over $200Mo easily.
Sincerely, GL

[Jeremy Fain]

Ouriel, what about people who quite enjoy the expression Web 2.0? We can´t answer your poll));

What do you and your readership think of this visual conceptualization of Web 2.0?
http://itaddict.blogspot.com/2006/06/from-web-10-to-web-20.html

[ouriel]

actually jeremy if you like it you can choose in the poll "i like it option" at the bottom :) and i do realize lots of people like it . But i hope it is for good reasons...

[gandon françois albert]

why do i love this expression ? because it seems to me that creativity, innovation are back ! a new exciting step of creation!

i do not link this expression to technologies.

i am ok with you about the web dynamic spirit freezing.

[Barak]

Web 2.0 is a bad expression because if you look at the companies that self describe as Web 2.0 they are often the ones with the older "get traffic, figure it out later" model, and the ones that actually have evolved and learned, often don't describe themselves as "web 2.0" because they have evolved, and learned the lessons of the previous hyped-but-meaningless-expression, ".com".

[frenchfilm]

Wouldn'it be relevant to also create a poll to define what people think "Web 2.0" means? For example: "what words first come to mind when you think "Web 2.0"?

-Rich media?
-Design and Animations?
-Interface/Ergonomics?
-Blog/Community?
-Video?