Web 3.0 : An Introduction

What is Web 3.0

The semantic web that has been talked about for so long is one of the central themes — basically the machines understand human needs better. The best way to explain this is the music portal Last.fm which throws up music artists and bands similar to the artists and bands you like.

Why do we need Web 3.0?

Web 1.0 was about information, where users could go online and access and download data. Web 2.0 was about production, users would create and post content. YouTube, blogging, Flickr were all web 2.0 revolutions. Web 3.0 will go a step further, where the internet can execute processes and have practical applications.

When will it hit us?

Not soon. Web 3.0 will be dependent on a lot of technologies reaching their maturity, which will not happen for at least another two years. The time period for Web 3.0 is expected to be 2011 to 2020.

Where will its weight be felt?

The biggest change in Web 3.0 content will be the audiovisual aspect. Text based web pages will give way to high definition audio and visual content. Some experts are even talking about a totally 3D web experience, a la second life. Expect a much more fluid interface to the web.

Which technologies are likely to be used?

Dramatic improvements will be seen in data interpretation, that is how a website is parsed or processed before being thrown up to the user.

How will it benefit users?

Open standards, and APIs that everyone can access are two things people are talking about. Online collaboration on projects will become a mainstay. Distribution of software and games will become easier, and cheaper. Multimedia sales may shift completely to online markets.