Web 2.0

I Would describe Web 2.0 to someone who has not taken a course in information systems as, information systems that give users the freedom to use internet technologies and applications to create, communicate, and share information in a way that best suits their needs.

One of the advantages of Web 2.0 is that it allows collaboration and the free flow of information. For example, users may use blogs or wikis to share information or improve on existing content. It also allows people to interact on a social level using social networks like facebook or myspace. However, despite these benefits, Web 2.0 has disadvantages that undermine the extent of its effectiveness. One of the disadvantages of Web 2.0 is the integrity of the information on its web sites because anyone can add or edit information on wikis, and people express their own opinion on blog sites. Security, however, is a major disadvantage of Web 2.0. According to Norris-Jones, The one thing Web 2.0 cannot do is offer the same level of security as traditional server-based software" (Computer Weekly, 2007). Because Web 2.0 is interactive, users can put up content that puts Web 2.0 sites and users’ information at risk.

Web 2.0 has changed business in several ways. It has had an impact on advertising, allowing businesses to reach a large audience or customer base easily. One of the ways some businesses use this feature of Web 2.0 is with the use of social networking sites like LinkedIn (Rainer & Turban, 2006). Web 2.0 has also helped in improving the way businesses communicate with customers, suppliers, and their own internal communications. Computer weekly cites a clothing retailer, New Look, that uses a Web 2.0 application called P2D that facilitates electronic the exchange of documents (Computer weekly, 2007). According to New Look, “the system offers all the benefits of traditional Electronic Data Interchange systems at a fraction of the normal cost” (Computer weekly, 2007). So Web 2.0 has helped...