Web 2.0

The major interface used by cloud computing to deliver services is the Web. Currently, the Web includes a variety of tools and services that make interactive information exchange, teamwork, user-centered design, and application creation possible. 

This evolution has transformed the Web into a rich platform for application development and is known as Web 2.0. 

This term captures a new way in which developers architect applications and deliver services through the Internet and provides a new experience for users of these applications and services. 

Web 2.0 brings interactivity and flexibility into Web pages, providing enhanced user experience by gaining Web-based access to all the functions that are normally found in desktop applications. 

These capabilities are obtained by integrating a collection of standards and technologies such as XML, Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX), Web Services, and others.  

Furthermore, the Internet opens new opportunities and markets for the Web. Now, the services are accessed from a variety of devices: mobile phones, car dashboards, TV sets, and others. These new scenarios require an increased dynamism for applications, which is another key element of this technology. 

Web 2.0 applications are extremely dynamic: they improve continuously, and new updates and features are integrated at a constant rate by following the usage trend of the community. There is no need to deploy new software releases on the installed base at the client side. 

Users can take advantage of the new software features simply by interacting with cloud applications. For such dynamism to be supported effectively, lightweight deployment and programming approaches are crucial. 

The loose coupling is another essential characteristic. Existing services can be "synthesized" into new applications by combining and merging them, adding value. In this manner, user interests are simpler to follow. 

Finally, Web 2.0 applications make themselves accessible to everyone in terms of media accessibility or pricing in order to leverage the "long tail" of Internet users. 

Examples of Web 2.0 applications are Google Documents, Google Maps, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogger, and Wikipedia. 

In particular, social networking Websites take the biggest advantage of Web 2.0. The level of interaction on Websites such as Facebook or Flickr would not have been possible without the support of AJAX, Really Simple Syndication (RSS), and other tools that make the user experience incredibly interactive. 

Moreover, community Websites harness the collective intelligence of the community, which provides content to the applications themselves: 

• Flickr provides advanced services for storing digital pictures and videos, 
• Facebook is a social networking site that leverages user activity to provide content, and 
• Blogger, like any other blogging site, provides an online diary that is fed by users.

Happy Exploring!