Web 2.0 and the future of desktop apps

Web 2.0 has entered the business main stream. For a phrase coined by O'Reilly Media only in 2004, referring to a perceived second-generation of Web-based services that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users, Web 2.0 seems to have already established itself as a driving force amazingly quickly, but appears to mean somewhat different things depending who you ask.

By using the version-numbers concept commonly used for software upgrades, the phrase "Web 2.0" confusingly hints at an improved version of the World Wide Web; it is instead name for web-based applications with a rich user interface often featuring collaborative functionality. It is built upon technologies (that have been around since long before the "Web 2.0"-expression buzz began) such as weblogs, social bookmarking, wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds , social software, Web APIs, Web standards and online Web services.

Time bar of Web 2.0 buzz words. This image shows the age of some buzzwords sometimes used in Web 2.0 lingo and its dependencies. (picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0)

Web 2.0 brings with it is a shift from desktop applications to shared spaces — collaboration delivered as a service over the internet. This is a break with the desktop centric world we have lived with during the "Windows" era. Rather than working out of a desktop application and exchange dokuments in various formats and expecting the reciever to have the same software installed to be able to read and work with the document, we may collaborate in the same "document" using shared spaces (wikis, blogs, project rooms, blogs, …) with invited friends and colleagues. Both long-term cooperation needs and more sponataneous situations is catered for. A new project may be initiated with an online project management tool, bringing a virtual team together across physical locations, time zones, and even organisations to work on a common project. The shared space space will just as efficiently be used for a few hours to resolve an emergency issue. Web 2.0 has obvious attractions in the enterprise, providing flexibility and improved cooperation by quickly being able to bring the right people to every task collaborating across space, time and room.

Still the Office-packages installed locally on the users desktop dominates . When it comes to document sharing and collaboration, portal tools with collaboration functionality only goes as far as making it possible to share document files in workgroup spaces.

Things will, however, become really interesingly when the real Web 2.0 killer app makes is launched with full strength: The web-based online word processor and spread sheet (see http://docs.google.com, formerly www.writely.com, for a tryout of this technology). Having the functionality of letting many users work together in the physically same document and store the document directy on internet file shares, combined with the power of collaboration enabling teams to collect, share and discuss these documents and information withing workgroups, I believe the use of desktop Office application suites slowly but inevitably will decrease.

@Copyright 2007, Tomas Elfving