This is one of Stephen's favorite entries.
When people first started using the term Web 2.0 in 2005, I was tolerant, and even used the term myself quite a bit. Then it become some sort of massive worldwide buzzword of utter annoyance. I cringe nearly every time it comes up, and think it's about time we put the stupid marketing term away and leave it there.
An even more disturbing phenomenon in internet circles is starting. Jason Calacanis has taken it upon himself to give the internet the official definition of Web 3.0. Ugh. First of all, Mr. Calacanis is in no position to be offering an official definition for it, as it has yet to manifest itself. I've tackled this in a couple of comments over at Wu Wei:
Note: These comments are slightly edited for context. Head over to Wu Wei to get the whole discussion.
Calacanis didn’t coin 3.0. Don’t give him too much credit, as the term has been floating around since, pretty much, the beginning of the Web 2.0 buzz-phenomenon. And, his representation of his view as the “official” definition is laughable.
These pseudo-intellectuals currently running the webosphere are much too self-involved to have any relevancy to the average person.
By Calacanis and crew arbitrarily assigning definitions to terms as of yet unheard of, they are doing a massive injustice to the progression of the internet… even though they think they’re doing the complete opposite.
I don’t think he is in a position to “officially” define something that grows organically. It has to happen before it can be defined.
The programmable, semantic and accessible web is just a natural progression from the current state of the web, and pretty much seems like the inevitable future of it. The need to buzzify it seems more like a ploy for headlines and blog posts by self-indulgent internet “masters” than anything else, and is simply not needed.
The term itself is just horrible. It might seem nostalgic, if the Web 2.0 phenomenon was more than barely two years old. A lot of people are espousing negative views of the term, and even poking people in the eye for using it, so I'm not alone here. Tim O'Reilly, who coined the term Web 2.0 even thinks Web 3.0 is ridiculous. It is. Stop saying it. If you haven't started, don't—you'll sound like an idiot.
Tags: advertising, best of, business, future, internet, marketing, technology, websites
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I totally agree. In fact, I addressed this same topic a few days ago. It's ridiculous. I wish these people would just knock it off with the buzzword crap.
I agree it's a marketing term, yet people have gotten used to MAC OS X and Office v.Whatever. In any case, the term will go out of style (and circulation) circa Web X...
ummmm.... the official part was a joke. Obviously no one has the ability to hand down an official anything in our industry... that was the joke of it.
Also, and again kind of obvious, my view of the future is aligned with what I'm doing... just like Web 2.0 was aligned with what Tim is doing (a conference!).
best j
And we've all been wonderful fodder for Calacanis SEO bait. All the negative reaction only helps his traffic and that's what he's all about anyway.
James, you raise a pretty good point, but oh well.
:-) Regardless, you can't leave comments like that alone. Double-edged sword.