Web 2.0 and Digital Media

    After an extended hiatus for the blog-world, it''s time to get back in the swing of things with Web 2.0 as a new topic for our class.  For those of you who, like me, do not know what web 2.0 is, it is essentially the new internet technology and systems that are being created to improve the overall access and quality of the internet.  Keeping in mind that this is a VERY brief definition, there are a few specific points that I found pretty key to the overall theory of this new and improved web.
    One key component of Web 2.0 is the interaction of the audience and the internet as a whole.  Just like our previous discussions on connection and alienation from the internet for some users, similar topics appeared through the readings and articles.  The Boyd article, for example, had a section devoted to the different core components of a new internet, specifically the focus on a system of internet-democracy and online power.  For me, a democratic internet already exist inside a little community called Reddit.com where community members contribute information and it is edited by other members to determine what is trending or worthy of further research.  From jokes and silly memes, to breaking news and cutting-edge science, everything is accepted and improved upon by the community.  This type of self-run internet government is far from a new concept, as is hinted in the O'reilly article on "What is Web 2.0," but it has provided a key stepping stone and frequent reference for sites that are trying to advance the internet community and culture.
    The O'reilly article also covers (in much greater detail) the different aspects of the internet that Web 2.0 is aiming to change or improve upon.  The type of internet highlighted in this article is a dynamic, adaptive system that connects users in ways that enable rapid information transfer that would spread to include all members of the internet community.  This raises the question of digital nativity and how this new web would impact those members of the internet community who are still just learning how to use the internet to its full potential?  Though Web 2.0 introduces self-improving software and adaptations that emphasize site popularity over site technology, it also introduces new challenger for those of the digital community who are not digital natives or immigrants.
    All things considered, the theory of Web 2.0 is a very interesting topic that I look forward to studying more in the coming weeks.  It seems that in the modern technological world, obsolescence is a part of technology as much as it is in the theories that surround it.  We may be on the verge of an even better internet experience, all we need to do is take the next step in Web 2.0 and figure out the logistics.