Web 1.0 was all about static content, one-to-many communication, and unidirectional e-commerce. The Web 1.0 bubble, better known as the dotcom bubble, bursted in 2000. Now, a new wave of internet applications is gaining strength. In Web 2.0 it's all about user participation, user generated content, and 'mashups', the mixing of content from other sources to present them in new and innovative forms, like on a map.

Some may laugh at Web 2.0 and say it's a hype, or laugh at the funny Web 2.0 names (all ending in R but without the e, like Flickr). They may laugh at the over-emphasis on the social aspects, like in this isolatr.com parody site. They may laugh at the crappy aspects of the 'loser-generated content', like in this funny craprr.com .

But in all seriousness, these data (see table on the right) from comScore MediaMetrix, published by the Washington Post, prove that Web 2.0 is real. Websites with user generated content, like Blogger.com, Wikipedia.org or MySpace.com are showing three-digit growth figures (in number of visitors) in the last year. And localized content, like Citysearch.com or Whitepages.com, is also growing fast. (hat tip)