Web 2.0 Link Dump
I had the pleasure of speaking to Nathanael DeJager’s Digital Media Technologies JavaScript class this past week. The topic of my presentation was Web 2.0 and I promised them to post my notes and links to the sites I discussed. So I thought I would share them with everyone!
My notes for the presentation were created using Eric Meyer’s Simple Standards-Based Slide Show System (S5). It’s a very cool web-standards/JavaScript based presentation format the beats the heck out of PowerPoint for simple presentations.
One of the first sites I showed as an early example of Web 2.0, was the del.icio.us public bookmarking system and we discussed the manner in which it creates networks of people who share similar interests, and the neural network that it creates. I pointed them to some of the tags I watch, like http://del.icio.us/tag/javascript, http://del.icio.us/tag/ruby+rails, and of course my own http://del.icio.us/rutherfj.
Some other examples of Web 2.0 sites we checked out were:
- Photo sharing at flickr.com
- Email at gmail.com
- RSS Aggregation at bloglines.com
- Mapping at maps.google.com
- Examples of well designed and usable sites at backpackit.com, writeboard.com, basecamphq.com
- Customization examples at start.com and Google
- And the new social browserflock.com
We discussed some new enhancements to the JavaScripting language called ECMAscript for XML that promises to make DOM manipulation simpler. At the same time I talked about using pre-existing libraries for DOM manipulation, widgets and effects like:
I showed them a great bookmarklet for debugging DOM and CSS related issues called the Mouse Over DOM Inspector and also showed them a similar tool for Firefox called the Aardvark extension.
We talked about how many Web 2.0 companies are offering API’s to access their data like those at Flickr, Google Maps and del.icio.us.
We looked at how these API’s could be used to create mashups like:
Finally I showed an example that used the Google Maps API and Geocoder.ca API to plot a marker on a Google Map. You can download those files (requires a web server with PHP).
Hi Jim, I want to thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak to our class on the subject of scripting and Web 2.0. At times it can be easy for us to get lost in for loops and if statements and lose sight of why we develop in the first place. Your presentation helped us see that scripting doesn’t have to be only about math - ones and zeros - but it can also be about people, contribution, and fun.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. We are all very much excited and look forward to trying out some of the techniques and tools you’ve shown us in class!!
Great presentation Jim. Enjoyed learning that Web 2.0 is more than just AJAX.
Think the most fascinating part of it all was looking at API’s and how they add so muhc to the web community.
Do you not think the recent ‘Web 2.0′ stuff smacks of hype?
AJAX is a new name for an old collection of technologies (HTTP Request has been around along time - do admit to using the name though)
My point is that wouldn’t ‘Web 2.0′ be better kept for when we can push a completely rich UI developed in visual studio etc that connects to the business logic. Sure flash is trying to do it (time lines will be its downfall though) ‘AJAX’ featured applications are trying to simulate what an application can do. There will be no ‘Web 2.0′ until web browsers are capiable of running front ends that are as simple to produce as those in VB6 for example.
There is very little intelligence in browsers how many are actually capable of rendering realtime 3D of any quality (vrml??!?! give me a break)
Just finding the reacent spate of ‘Web 2.0′ articles to be a little short on substance.
There definately is much hype to do with Web 2.0 But I think that Web 2.0 is about more than just technology.
It’s about creating web-based applications that help connect people and deliver content that is relevant to their interests. Take Flickr for example. Really it’s simply a photo gallery application. And those have been around for years. The web 2.0 features of flickr are those around sharing, discovering, and participating in the overall experience. Same goes for del.icio.us. Really it’s just a bookmarking application. What makes it cool is the sharing and discovery.
Web 2.0 also puts a premium on user experience (UX). Many times UX comes from the rich interfaces that AJAX and Flash can provide, but it’s also being found in the pure simplicity of the appications that are being classified as web 2.0. Look at the offerings from 37 Signals - they do one thing and do it well.
It should also be noted that the next generation of Flash based RIA’s will be created in a Flex 2.0 which basically gets rid of the timeline for hard-core programmers (I know that’s a simplification) so the timeline will not be the death of the RIA in Flash.
Thanks Jim,
And what a fine presentation it was. It sure was great to hear about all the fun things out there just waiting for us to learn!
Very good work you guys.
http;//truxter.org
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Great presentation, very good work i think.