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=/r/UtheWeb_(2.0)_Technology=

[[image:Reddup-small.png width="19" height="19" align="left"]]Group Members

 * Chris Cheng - GNED1042 [Georgian College]
 * [|Robert Sloane] - GNED1042 [Georgian College]
 * Mark Dinneen - GNED1042 [Georgian College]

[[image:Reddup-small.png width="19" height="19" align="left"]]What is Web 2.0?

 * Wikipedia loosely defines web 2.0 as “intersection of web application features that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the World Wide Web.” (//Wikipedia, 2012//)


 * Simply put, Web 2.0 is a type of formatting used by many websites that aids us with delivering information cleanly. Websites such as Twitter, Blogger, [|Reddit] all use Web 2.0 technology to organize their information and allow users to keep information tidy, while keeping formatting separate, empowering end-users to personalize it, without the need of extensive HTML/XHTML coding.

[[image:Reddup-small.png width="19" height="19" align="left"]]What Social Impacts Are There?

 * There are many positive impacts that web 2.0 has on our social lives. By connecting family and friends across the world, we now live in what we know as a "Global Village". Communication is instantaneous via the Net, compared to a few decades ago, where mail via postal services and faxes were the norm (along with calling long distance calling). With this empowerment, we can educate, inform, and communicate with many people at once and hence, bridge an empowerment divide.


 * As wonderful as technology can be there are some aspects that we have to consider as negative. Some of these would include the growing concerns of privacy online, the quality and accuracy of the information that we do find, and the language/communication/social cues that are lost when typing. There are many 2.0 websites that are attracting different groups of people to it. With all of the information sharing that happens daily, it also attracts those that use this sharing of information maliciously. We are still navigating our way through this misuse of information and accountability. The amount of information can be overwhelming, potentially confusing for those who find it difficult to navigate through the internet.


 *  When communicating online, you lose the personal connection that you would have with a person(s) face to face, an essential part of the human experience. This can complicate communication between family, friends and colleagues, opening up the possibility for misunderstanding, friction and dispute. It has been said that when people are having a “face to face” conversation that up to 80% of what is being communicated is non-verbal, this 80% has yet to be translated online.


 * These pros and cons all revolve around society, and how it is impacted. However, whether society shapes the web, or the other way around, is determined by the individual mindset. Will the world trend towards a "hive-mind"? Or will society be able to coexist while maintaining each individual's uniqueness? Only time will tell.

[[image:Reddup-small.png width="19" height="19" align="left"]]Why Reddit?

 * With the advancement of information sharing via the Internet and how Web 2.0 is defined, Reddit seems to be one of the best examples of a website that utilizes both extremely efficiently and effectively.


 * Reddit's slogan is "News before it happens". What this catch-phrase implies is how quickly information now travels via the Net, especially in a well moderated community. With a system that essentially rewards informative/trending information, along with an increasing population within the community, Reddit definitely lives up to its name.


 * Overall, Reddit's layout, information handling, and community involvement exemplifies what a Web 2.0 website is about.

Reddit v. Digg Comparison || With this empowerment, we can educate, inform, and communicate with many people at once and hence, bridge an empowerment divide.
 * Jump To: ||> Reddit Evaluation