According to Wikipedia, "Web 2.0 refers to a second generation of services available on the World Wide Web that lets people collaborate and share information online."
According to the majority of Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Web 2.0 is a combination of promise and hype. The results of a recent poll of 184 CIOs reveals how they view Web 2.0:
- a promising new business model (9%)
- marketing hype (20%)
- a combination of promise and hype (56%)
- unsure (15%)
An analysis of the current job market confirms the viewpoint of the majority of CIOs. Listed below are a few of the buzzwords commonly associated with "Web 2.0" along with the number of job listings mentioning that keyword [BostonWorks.com, Monster.com]:
Clearly, Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is the one Web 2.0 technique that has value in today's marketplace. However, knowledge of the technologies that are used in the Ajax technique (JavaScript and XML) carry even greater market weight as follows:
By this measure XML is a full order of magnitude (10 times) more valuable in the marketplace than Ajax. If you want to place a bet on Web 2.0, it makes sense to place it on XML.
To learn more about XML, sign up for XML: Introduction, a FREE course offered at the HP Learning Center. Class begins Thursday, July 13.