Twitip

By CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd. Follow her @CarolAnnB.

What’s the buzz about “Web 2.0″?

While some individuals have strong opinions on what it actually encompasses, there’s much to learn about Web 2.0 technologies and tools that are, whether you know it or not, affecting your everyday surfing experience on the World Wide Web.

As the Internet continues to explode with the revolution of second-generation web services, web development, and design applications, we have arrived center stage of the culmination of today’s innovators, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who have transformed the way we travel the Internet highways and byways; and the spatial views that we encounter and in the ways we interact.

How?

Web 2.0 has triumphantly made its strong debut via online social networking communities and book marking sites like YouTube, Twitter, FaceBook, MySpace, Imeem, Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, WordPress, TypePad, Blogger, and Google Reader, among other progressive stars on the Information Highway. The Netopia of creative Weblogs, social networks, multimedia sharing sites, RSS feeders, and keyword tags has dynamically altered the way we retrieve and share information.

Let’s put it in layman’s terms: Before the Internet, where did you go to get information on culture, cooking, fishing, dancing, health, sexuality, philosophy, politics, gossip, products, and services (among the plethora of other subject matter)? Well, if you’re like the rest of us, we turned to strict mainstream advertising venues like cable television, radio commercials, and print publications (i.e., newspapers, magazines, phone books, annuals, journals, etc.); and of course, the local library. Now, let’s throw all the “letters to the Editor” into the mix, as well as OpEds from local and renowned celebrity figures, and entrepreneurs. That’s kind of like Web 2.0. This new generation of user-generated content and software engineering collaboratively facilitates all of these technologies, data and more within the limitless avenues of the Super Information Highway.

Mainstream multimedia networks have surrendered (some reluctantly, some enthusiastically) to the formidable force of Web 2.0 simply because they can no longer maintain the demand of the Internet-using public. You’ll quickly discover that major outlets like CNN, MSNBC, FOX, CBS, the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and other media giants actively facilitate and engage users through Web 2.0 social networking sites (Twitter, FaceBook, etc.) because it’s one of the most interactive ways to attract people like you and me and get us involved in the loop.

Web 2.0 is the infinite and virtual library card index at your fingertips; adding a splash of political insight, a dab of comic wit, a spot of intuitive vision, and iconic players – professional and personal – all, who make a small (or large) contribution to the intricate web that continues to spin and expand like the infamous gyroscope.

What can you do with Web 2.0? Ah, the magical question. The power of this second-generation user interface network is as omnipotent as the brand that you are capable of creating through the engaging powers that exist freely for your personal and professional use. You are the captain of your own ship – the course that you choose to navigate through the World Wide Web can be smooth sailing or perilous – but that all depends on the nature of your personality and the direction you steer your catalyst.