GRAPEVINE, Texas – “You gotta take advantage of what’s free on the Web,” stressed IBM “Chief Evangelist” David Barnes, in discussing Web 2.0 with NACStech Opening General Session speaker Rod Smith.
In a fast-paced review of the possibilities of Web 2.0, Barnes, who freely admitted, “I am your best energy drink customer,” showed how “mash-ups” using Web data will redefine business practices in the coming years.
At its most basic, Web 2.0 is a more mature, distractive medium characterized by user participation, openness and network solutions, said Smith. But he also noted that “Web 2.0 means something different to everyone.”
While Web 1.0 was about connecting computers, Web 2.0 is about connecting people and making technology more efficient for people, said Smith.
At its core, Web 2.0 involves mash-ups, taking existing Web resources, whether Google Maps, Accuweather forecasts or traffic data, and combining it with unique business data to create a more robust understanding of any business. And all of these Web resources ultimately talk to each other, share updates and create real business value, noted Smith
Mash-ups are not new, whether DJs combining two songs into a new one or combining Web resources. “Kids do it with MySpace” in how they create their own unique Web pages that also use information from other Web pages, said Barnes.
While we are still early in the development of Web 2.0, it ultimately will allow companies to unlock the value of their data and create new business opportunities, said Smith.
And the value to smaller businesses may be to smaller companies that have limited resources. “The big-boxes have no more Internet than you – there’s nothing they have over you,” concluded Smith.
NACStech concludes today. Look for more from the conference in NACS Daily, on 24/7: The NACS Blog and in NACS Magazine.