What the bloody hell is Web 2.0?’’ - These were the exact words Kiruba Shanker used, as he moderated the Inaugural Round Table on ‘Web 2.0 - Fundamentals and Beyond’ in a two day Web Innovation - 2007 conference organized by Trade Fairs and Conferences International at The Hotel Grand Ashok, Bangalore on 18 and 19 December 2007.

The top-notch industry experts and technology leaders present at the event shared their views on the technology and each panelist gave different and thought stimulating definitions of the technology.

Managing Director of Adobe India, Naresh Gupta said, ”Web 2.0 is the technology of the future. It is the evolution of the Web. After the Dotcom bust of 2000, the real power of the Web is evolving in a user friendly and interactive way. While Web 1.0 focused on one-way communication, Web 2.0 presents a two-way communication with the user. It is about communities and conversations.”

Mohit Hira, Director, Times Internet had a slightly different view. He took the example of one-way and two-way streets to explain the technology. “Web 2.0 is just like a two-way street where information flows from both the ends. It’s the technolgy which involves people to create, share, and distribute content. Here, the consumer is the editor as well as the reader.”

“In a business context, it’s a transformation of the Web. Web 1.0 was only about ‘content’, while Web 2.0 is about ‘content’ and ‘commerce’. It also includes a social element where users generate and distribute content, often with freedom to share and re-use. This can result in a rise in the economic value of the Web as users can do more online,” said Krishnakumar Natarajan President and CEO, MindTree.