In the digital world, the hot topic is Web 2.0 and the attendant speculation on how the Internet will transform from an information resource to a user-centric platform for wide-ranging new services and products centered around the needs of users. For example, Web 2.0 is all about applications that run on the network rather than on the PC (think Flickr's photo collecting, tagging, and distribution service), user-created content (think the Wikipedia encyclopedia, written by anyone who wants to), and products that are written and improved by users and developers rather than software companies (think the open source movement versus Microsoft).
Every significant technological or social shift needs a manifesto, and Web 2.0's central thesis to date was published on September 30 by Tim O'Reilly, a well-respected tech book publisher and conference organizer. In the article, O'Reilly lays out the central arguments for Web 2.0, offers plenty of examples about how Web technologies such as AJAX are enabling the change, and points to new business models. He all but predicts obsolescence of traditional software development, for instance.
The piece has plenty of critics. Many analysts see Web 2.0 as more an evolution than a radical restructuring. But whichever way you lean, O'Reilly's article is the center of the debate, and a must-read for anyone interested in technology and innovation. For some related thinking, read this piece on Tim Berners-Lee and what he thinks about the “semantic Web.”