Catching up with web 2.0

Do you remember the fuss about web 2.0? Was it just internet snobbery distinguishing between sites that were up to 'the mark' and those that weren't??

To an extent, I am sure that was true, ie. if you didn't have the right stuff on your site, then you were branded old hat. Now that the fuss has died down, what was it all about, and will there ever be a Web 3.0?
Of course the danger of coining the phrase Web 2.0 which had vague and varying definitions, was that someone would come up with 3.0 and 4.0 which would be equally unhelpful. In essence Web 2.0 was more about interactivity than any other single issue, and the introduction of social sites such as Myspace and Facebook have proved the point about interactivity being where the future of the web should be focused.
However, this does not mean that sites that do not have 'whizzy' embedded applications and scripts are not just as valid for gathering information and advertising services. Those sites that were relatively one-dimensional were made to feel that they did not belong to the internet, and that was where the snobbery came in.
The internet is nothing if not 'democratic' in the truest sense of the word, and there is room for all types of websites within the framework of the worldwide web. Despite the hype, Google does not care if your graphics are flat or if there are no moving images on your homepage, in fact SEO and perceived Web 2.0 aesthetic requirements could be actually diametrically opposed to each other in many cases. SEO is still basically about content and links - if you don't get those right, you may as well stay off the web altogether.

Blogging for the environment

When I registered approximately a week ago to blog about the environment today, 7,492 other bloggers were also committed to posting an environmental post on the same day (October 15th 2007) as part of Blog Action Day.
I am sure all of us are 'concerned' to an extent about environmental issues in general, but how many of us really strive to make a significant difference? If we all make a small step today, future generations can reap the benefit in the future - if we don't, well in simple terms our children, or their children or their children will certainly suffer. So what are some of the things we can be doing to help to keep the planet healthy. In simple terms add more than you consume... Think how much we consume in an average day in terms of food, water, packaging, emissions, fossil fuels etc... Then on the other hand think how much you are saving or contributing. Each small thing you can do to redress that balance helps to sustain the planet. For instance some of the things you could do would be to install a composter in your garden, or a water butt to collect waste and/or rain water. You can start a regime of recycling, or pledge to buy goods that are responsibly produced. Walk to more places, for instance pledge to not use your car just for one day each week. Of these ideas, I have tried the following:
Composting - I wasn't good at it and I am now contributing to a local composting scheme instead
Water Butt - I collect rain water and even bath water to water the plants in our garden.
Recycling - I am not the main instigator of this regime in our household, but am happy to report that much of our waste is recycled very diligently.
Walking to work - I did this once a week for several months and hope to get back into it, it's actually quite surprising how much better-prepared you are to start work if you walk a mile or two first...
Why not take up the challenge and help put something positive into the environment today.