Web Generation 2.0: user development network community

In 2006-2007, people talked a lot and spent a lot on starting up Web 2.0 technology - the second generation of the web. But, are there changes or are we going to see an argument?

'No,' said Klaus Hommels, partner of Benchmark Capital and one of Skype's investors. 'Now it's different from the booming network era of 2000'.

The big difference after 7 years is that the network has proved its attraction. ' The current growth rate is not high, but we have a big market, which we don't have in the past, ' Hommels said. Investors are interested in investing in companies that have created something new. For example, Skype is where people receive and call phones across the network. Previously, only large companies used network phones to reduce the amount on regular phone bills. With Skype, anyone can use it. It is this comfortable access that powers the web 2.0 trend.

Now many companies' sites that create network communities want members of these groups to do more. One of them is TopTable, a restaurant review website based on members' thoughts about London's dining venues. This site was created in 2000 and has more than 500,000 regular visitors. Chris Wood, in charge of the website, said the company wants to help the user community get more. TopTable introduces tools such as helping users easily put reviews on personal blogs or share more widely. The company also included a new tool for users to know more about who is considering and how well they are.

With Tariq Kim, director and founder of NetVibes, web 2.0 is all about communities that appear on popular websites. Initially, sites like NetVibes meet the needs of many people. Now, however, the netizens have begun to influence the website's development trend and the new problems it solves.

NetVibes begins with a tool to help users organize blog content. Now, the user is responsible for everything and begins to play a role. ' We have very good relationships with users ,' Kim said. ' We currently have more than 10 million users in 150 countries '. With NetVibes, users write details and in some cases they can also localize tools for small communities.

However, according to Tamara Littleton, founder of E-Moderation, which specializes in monitoring discussion forums and web chat for many large businesses, some companies find it difficult to accept control for users. ' They know they want to join users or customers and create space to do that, ' she said. ' However, if they are too controlled or loosened, people will not enter anymore because it is just a marketing page .' So, according to Littleton, it is better to have a place for users to say what they want with broad limits. ' Big brands want to know what people are saying and a bit of criticism ', the founder of E-Moderation commented. ' It looks more real if you include both positive and negative comments '.

K. Linh