Privacy and Exploits - 3

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS

Q. What is Web 2.0?
A. Its the latest fad that is spread by marketing agents who are eager to sell ther products. This is same as 3G(mobile phone convergence,VoIP etc..)

This is the most common answer given by well educated and technologically literate engineers. I can just guess what the common people have to say.

Actually, that answer is partially right, but I can also say that it is somewhat misguiding too.

Lets see what defines Web 2.0 in official terms.

".. Web 2.0 is an umbrella term for the second wave of the World Wide Web. Web 2.0 implies an information and computing platform as well as a content storehouse. Sometimes called the "New Internet," Web 2.0 promotes thin client computing, where everything is stored on servers (on the Web), and a user has access from any laptop or desktop computer via a Web browser. Client applications that do not require the browser can also be downloaded at any time from the Web.

Web 2.0 suggests a Web-centric source for just about everything: information, entertainment, news, weather, stocks, reference, podcasts, videos and streaming media. It embraces social phenomena that includes blogs, Wikis and online communities such as Friendster, MySpace and Facebook

The Web-centric approach for applications turns the Web into a "global server" of software and data to end users. Remote servers on the Internet operated and maintained by third parties take the place of the network servers in a company's LAN

In the mid-1990s, the Web began (Web 1.0) as a repository of information and static content. Within a couple years, a huge amount of content was dynamic, returning custom results to users. By the turn of the century, the Web became more interactive (Web 1.5), allowing users to play, stop, rewind and fast forward through audio and video content. In the discussion of Web 2.0, the 1.0 and 1.5 generation labels are sometimes used, but they are not rigidly defined.

The web 2.0 concept was enabled due to two major factors - Bandwidth and power. Faster in many cases than the T1 lines in the enterprise, cable and DSL hookups have given high-speed connections to small businesses and home offices. In addition, the entry level computer has become powerful enough to execute programming scripts in an HTML page without any noticeable delays.

The combination of increased bandwidth, more CPU power in both clients and servers, as well as refinements in Web programming, have enabled the Web to be a transparent extension of the user's computer just as local networks did within the enterprise in the 1980s and 1990s. .."


Phew, that was quite a bit.

I have got a more simple description for this It goes as - "Web 2.0 is the new concept offering seamless integration of data, voice and picture, that can accessed on devices ranging from mobile phone to largest cluster of computers, without any hassales or any compromise in information distribution, without any problems of software or hardware constraints"

Hey, I know that you like me when I kiss(?) (Not that way...I wanted to say that I keep things short and simple..!!!)

And to be honest, this thing is really catching up. I no longer rely on my Desktop for checking my mail, I use my mobile to access that them. !dea cellulars in India have got such a facility that enables users to send mail even from a Nokia 1100..!!! Whoa.....Now that is something cool.

Now that we saw the useful and beautiful features of Web 2.0, now lets get back to bussiness.
All this beautiful technology requires lot of talent, integrity and hard work, so naturally they must be paid handsomely. So, by what will those people generate revenue?

The tools that comprise of major contribution to Web 2.0 finance are - AJAX, Google Adwords, Yahoo! Network, MSN, Amazon.com (Claiming to be worlds biggest book store..!!), and you know what contributes to their huge financial gains and a fierce competition to stay on top of technology and money?

Surprise.....Its a small 200kb text data stored on your PC - the 'Cookie'.........

How can a small harmless cookie evade my privacy?? Good question. I bet the answer will be more good...then you will least expect it..... Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about an example of Web 2.0 platform. Follow this small link, that will lead you to a small beta demo of web 2.0 or should I say 'a half baked product..nobody knows what it is...but Yahoo is confident that this product will make them win an ongoing war with Google :-)

TO BE CONTINUED

Is Google the 'Big Evil' or More on Web 2.0 or you want to learn the magic of cookies and their power to evade your privacy....all this next on the 'First Tones of Freedom.