Explore the world of Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is really one of the most misunderstood terms floating around the Internet at the moment.

We have had a wide variety of questions and comments related to Web 2.0. Things like

? Do I have to go somewhere to download this new version of the internet?

? Does my website have the 2.0 already installed?

? Is Web 2.0 a product offered by Google?

? Can you design my website in Web 2.0 colors?

The answer to the above question is no. Web 2.0 is definitely not a new new version of the Internet, you can install things, Google provides web page design or color, and style as part of an inevitable choice. In essence, it uses existing technology, the real benefit of the people. It is a movement from a static content and the right distance from the interaction with people.

To simplify Web 2.0 is all about interaction. Ultimate Interactivity.

As a commercial entity to embrace as a platform and take advantage of its many advantages mobile networks, they can create their own services and applications using the Internet's unique capabilities, not just build applications for other platforms.

Giving people the opportunity to upload, download, share and connect in unique ways.

Examples of Web 2.0

Tim OReilly, the founder of ORielly Media, sums it up by saying that Web 2.0 has a layered approach to the levels of interaction with users.

? Level 3 applications, most oriented Web 2.0 is, for them only exists on the Internet. They interact with humans, the network effects, Web 2.0 will be available through the effectives from the drive, the more people will grow up and effectiveness of our use. Level 3 applications are some examples: amazon.com, ebay.com, craigslist.com del.icio.us, dodgeball and Adsense.

? Level 2 applications can operate offline, but can greatly benefit from going online. OReilly cited Flickr, which greatly benefits from its shared photo database and from its community generated tag database.

? Level 1 application operate offline, but gain features online. A few good examples of this are Google Docs & Spreadsheets as well as iTunes because of its store approach.

? Level 0 applications work as well offline as online. OReilly gives the examples of MapQuest, Yahoo Local and Google maps.

Misconceptions

To add even more confusion to the mix, its important to notice that a variety of website design effects have also been referred to as being Web 2.0. For example, rounded corners and drop shadows are two often used elements used and described as being Web 2.0. The problem with that is that rounded corners and drop shadows certainly do not encourage interactivity. When was the last time you had a drop shadow ask you for your opinion? If you are having conversations with rounded corners then you should probably be reading a totally different article entirely.

Perhaps this misunderstanding of Web 2.0 as a style can be associated with the AJAX technology (AJAX a web site an update for some of the content request, and then click on the parts in your Web browser, without need to full page updated every other time) and DHTML (often in drop-down menus to find.) While these fantastic technologies allow a designer to user friendly websites that work very well come with a Web 2.0 application, it is certainly not required.

Web 2.0 sites often do have a certain user friendly look and feel, so its very easy to see how someone could understand web 2.0 to be a style.

What Can You Plug In?

We briefly touched upon the term AJAX as one way to provide a better user experience. Flash, the new Flex from Adobe and Java have all evolved to improve user interaction in browser based applications. Other technologies such as

Although it may not always be apparent, these technologies are surrounding you every time you open up your web browser. Some other technologies are:

? XML and RSS feeds: These are provided to customers using a version of your push content delivery. This useful technology, consumer technology they'd like you to note that you can pullpush. Decide whether to receive regular information from you, for data from other people who

? Mashups: A mashup is a hybrid tool that flows out of RSS. Essentially a mashup is a web application that combines data from more than one source into a single integrated tool. There are numerous tools available that allow your web site to pull in 3rd party RSS feeds, filter them based on your unique specifications and criteria and then display the information within your website.

o Another great example is the use of cartographic data from Google Maps to add location information to real-estate data, thereby creating a new and distinct web service.

? Weblog (Blog): These are publishing tools, as well as WIKI and forum software designed to support user generated content that includes user commenting, encouraging back and forth interaction.

? Social Indexing: Also known as tagging or social classification, this is now the default method to annotate and categorize content. It is typical to see hyperlinked words in blog articles. Tagging information is intended to make volumes of information easier to discover, search and navigate over time. This results in ultimate usability and allows people to find related content quickly and easily.

It is easy to see the interactive pattern here and the connection of people to people defines what Web 2.0 really is and why it is important to you.

New things in ASP.NET 4.0

AJAX Functionality in ASP.NET 4.0

The AJAX functionality in ASP.NET 4.0 enables new client data scenarios for page and component developers that allow JSON data from the server to be rendered as HTML in a highly manageable and efficient way. To enable these scenarios, ASP.NET 4.0 includes the following major features:

• Client-side template rendering.
• Declarative instantiation of client-side behaviors and controls.
• Live data binding.
• Use of the observer pattern with JavaScript types.
• An AdoNetServiceProxy class for client-side interaction with ADO.NET Data Services.
• A client-side DataView control for data-bound UI in the browser.
• DataContext and AdoNetDataContext classes for interaction with Web services.
• Refactored ASP.NET AJAX framework libraries.

Client Template Rendering

In client-based development, templates are the most manageable way of creating UI from data. ASP.NET 4.0 includes a new template engine for client development that meets the following requirements:

• Performance — The engine must be able to render a typical number of items using a reasonably complex template before users perceive an interruption in their interaction with the application.
• Simplicity — The template syntax must be very readable and must be optimized for the most common scenario, namely one-way/one-time binding.
• Expression language — Templates must support an expression language to go beyond the simplest cases. The expression language should use familiar syntax, ideally JavaScript syntax.
• Interspersed code and markup — It must be possible to perform conditional rendering or to loop over markup by using code that surrounds HTML.
• XHTML compliance — The template should be able to render XHTML-compliant markup.
• Components — When using the template syntax, the developer must be able to instantiate client-side controls and behaviors that attach to HTML elements in the page or within templates.

Application Server (Dublin)

Provide standard host for WF and WCF applications

- First CTP will be provided on PDC. The community feedback will influence the RTM.

- Application Server “Dublin” will first become available after the release of the .NET Framework 4.0 and Visual Studio “10”.

- Application Server “Dublin” will initially be made available for download and use by Windows Server customers; later, “Dublin” will be included in future releases of Windows Server.

- Application Server “Dublin” will extend Internet Information Services (IIS) to provide a standard host for applications that use workflow or communications.

- It will provide support for Oslo modeling platform.

- It will support existing .NET apps.

- It will support integration with BizTalk Server (in this context called "Integration Server").

Pre-built developer services

· Message-based correlation

· Message forwarding service

· Content-based message routing

· Compensation service for long-running transactions

Greater scalability and easier manageability

· Enable scale-out of stateful workflow applications

· Persisting and rehydrating state for high scalability

· Enhanced management and monitoring functions

· Tracking store for workflow events

Supports “Oslo” modeling platform

- More about this at PDC :)