Community, Participation & Web 2.0

In week one of the course, unsure about what indeed the module I had chosen was, I referred to the book Digital Cultures Understanding New Media, edited by Creeber and Martin.

I have to admit I found the first few pages incredibly baffling! Returning to the same introduction a few weeks down the line, however, perhaps some of the content is now less frightening!

In the introduction, it refers to the concept of Web 2.0 being distinct from Web 1.0 "in that its websites allow users to do more than just retrieve information; it includes a social element where users generate and distribute content, often with freedom to share and reuse."

The reasoning behind Web 2.0, Creeber and Martin argue, was based on business and the continuation of the Web. Following the "dot.com" crash, a brainstorming session explored the successes; they looked at companies that had weathered the crash, and discovered that participation was an element that many had in common.

Many sites have succeeded in this endeavour, perhaps YouTube being one of the most notable.

Exploring online communities, I revisted b3ta.com. Created in 2001 and described by Dave Green in 2003 as "puerile digital arts community", they are one example of participation. Sometimes hugely inappropriate, but there are moments of great humour, technical prowess and creativity.

Worth a visit for their "Image Challenge" alone!