Lightweight models and Cost Effective Scalability

For my final blog post I will be discussing the Web 2.0 pattern "Lightweight models and Cost Effective Scalability". This pattern loosely refers to doing more with less, which is a valuable means of establishing an internet based business.

The idea is that internet companies begin their business small, but with scalability. This will allow them to easily alter their web 2.0 application should demand business size increase.
By basing a business on this pattern, Web application companies can begin small with minimal costs but grow to accommodate millions of viewers and customers while only requiring a small amount of staff.




The Web 2.0 application I have decided to research is Explosm.net, home to the Cyanide and happiness web-comics. Explosm is a web based company that releases daily web comics. This site began back in 2004 and consisted of four people who began to take turns creating a new comic strip for every day of the year, and has continued to do so up until now.

Explosm quickly became a very popular website, and in 2006 was ranked 2,777th most visited website with over a million daily visitors.

Explosm eventually had to upgrade to a new server to accommodate the frequent traffic.

Another example of scalability is the addition of merchandising within the site. Due to its popularity, customers can now buy merchandise based on the webcomics ranging from t-shirts, toys and posters and has now globally released two books based on the website comics.

Due to its popularity, Explosm's website was then capable of including and attracting advertisers.


Issues that are always involved when starting internet companies is the possible failure of the website. By starting with a small scalable company, financial loss is reduced is a company is forced to close down.


I think explosm has a bright future due to its popular web comics that continue to attract a large fan base every day. Due to its small ongoing costs, it can easily change in order to accommodate future requirements.


References:
http://www.explosm.net/
http://www.statsvillage.com/www/explosm.net
http://www.statshow.com/explosm.net
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide_and_Happiness

Leveraging the Long Tail

The internet has provided companies and consumers an incredible medium for interaction, allowing companies to provide products for sale all across the globe.

But the internet is not only for large companies to use for sales purposes, but has allowed for many smaller companies to arise, supplying information and products to smaller markets. This shows how the internet is comprised largely of small niche markets.
This Web 2.0 pattern is referred to as Leveraging the Long tail, basically stating how the internet has allowed for smaller niche markets to grow considerably due to easier means of communication.

As niche markets where usually confined to a few shops spread out over large distances, the internet now allows buyers to access a specific shop from around the world.

One example of how the internet can give smaller markets an advantage is by looking at the DeLorean Motor Company website.



The DeLorean was a small car company that produced a very recognisable sports car, the DMC-12.
This company later crashed and went bankrupt in 1982 and ceased production of this car. Only 9,000 were ever produced.

Although this car company was short lived, its single car model rose to fame due to its feature in the Back to the Future trilogy movies. This franchise provided the car with an enormous fan base, but due to the small production units, this was a very, very small market.

In 1995, a warehouse full of assembled parts was put back into production and this website was formed.
This website allows the niche market immediate access to all things DeLorean.
Customers are able to buy spare parts or get existing cars refurbished. It also allows customers to buy new cars that are being manaufactured from old existing parts.

I think this website will have a bright future as long time fans of the movie and car are now able to purchase and keep their car running.

Perpetual beta

In the past, desktop applications had to shipped out by the company at high cost and bought by consumers in order to be installed on the computer and then used.

For a company to improve on their system, they had to gather feedback manually from customers and then ship out new versions and patches for customers to buy again and re-install.

This was a very costly and timely development process.

Web 2.0 applications can be upgraded and released to the public with little cost and quite often with out the users knowledge as they are not required to re-install or upgrade the web application.
This is referred to as perpetual beta, the idea is that by monitoring user interaction and gathering quick feedback, developers can quickly upgrade the systems features and release it to the public instantly. Users can be considered as co-developers as they everyday use is what helps to improve the system

One such web application is Facebook. facebook started as a small social network that has now grown to be the most used social network site in the world. By monitoring the users actions, facebook has constantly implemented new features to improve the users experience. These changes to the application are applied multiple times weekly or monthly without the users having to download any patches or new versions.

Another example of Perpetual Beta use is with Myspace. Myspace was overtaken quickly as the leading social network site by facebooks superior design. Facebook provided a much simpler way for users to interact with each other.

An example of Myspace upgrading its system to better help is users is the implementation of an online chat function that is very similar to that of facebooks, as well as a news feed showing the users friends activities.

These are examples of how myspace has changed its look to be similar to facebook.

Facebookchat

Myspace chat



FaceBook Newsfeed



and Myspace Newsfeeds


Possible issues that can arrise from constant software changes could be the negative feedback and dislike of new features. This occurs frequently when users don't welcome new changes to the web page.

Facebook will continue to grow as it provides an easy to use system that is constantly being improved to give the user a rich experience.

Software above the level of a single device

Internet accessibility was once restricted to large desktop computers, now through technological advances internet access is now accessible through a large variety of devices ranging from desktop and laptop computers down to hand held devices such as smart phones.

Due to the wide ranges of devices being used, Web developers now need to create software that can be used on any operating system, allowing the user to create changes and interact with the application regardless of what device they are using.

One such web application that has taken its software above and beyond a single device is Wordpress.
Word press is an online blogging site, allowing users to create content such as general web posts or news articles which is then able to be read by any other internet users.

To allow more on-the-go use of their product, wordpress has released an iphone and ipad application that allows people to log on to wordpress using a special web application. This is called Wordpress for iOS.
This allows users to make blog posts and comment more frequently as they can use word press on the go.


This has given its users a rich experience as they can now blog anywhere, anytime.


Another similar product is Blogger that has released an ipad, iphone app BLOGPRESS. Blogger is another blogging web site that also allows users to post blog articles in a very similar fashion.
Blogger has also in turn released an iphone application that gives its users much more freedom in terms of more frequent creation of blog posts and commenting of other users posts.



Potential ethical issues with the advancement of such activities could be work production in the workplace. Many work places block frequently used social sites on work computers. Smart phone applications give employees instant access to the internet as they no longer rely on work stations and their main source of internet access.


I see Wordpress having a very strong future. Word press was already one of the leading blogging web sites to date and giving users access while on foot will increase its use dramatically over a short time.




References:
http://ios.wordpress.org/
http://buzz.blogger.com/2009/09/theres-app-for-that.html
http://blogpressapp.com/

Rich User Experience

The technology of today is changing rapidly. Computers and computer programs are becoming more and more advanced allowing for complex programs that give users an incredible amount of interaction and power.

Technology has evolved to the point where online web 2.0 applications now rival the functionality and complexity of most desktop applications, giving users an experience close to that of the desktop counterparts. Making way for new business opportunities.

These kind of web 2.0 applications are referred to by O'Reilly as having rich user experience, and are also referred to as Rich Internet Applications (RIA). These web2.0 applications now give users a rich online experience and are beginning to bridge the gap between web and desktop applications.
When developing new web 2.0 applications: Engagement is Key

UJAM is on such web application that follows this pattern. UJAM is an online application that allows it users to create and mix their own sounds to produce and upload music.



Users are able to record their own tracks, import tracks or use an existing library of generic beats and instrument tracks to generate their music. They are able to do this through the use of a complex interface very similar to that of successful desktop applications such as Garage-band for Macintosh.



Ujam provides a rich user experience as users can alter their tracks pitch, tempo and even alter the individual notes within a melody.

Aviary is a similar online web application for making music. Aviary also allows users to create tunes, but lacks in functionality as you have to create the melodies your self note by note and does not provide any library of pre-written tunes.

Possible legal issues that could arise for UJAM is of course plagiarism. Users can upload any track from their harddrive and could therefor alter and distribute other musicians intellectual property.
Other possible issues include unethical use of the web application to create and distribute abusive or immoral music or sound files.

I think UJAM has a bright future as the music industry is always growing. Although this web application doesn't provide the same functionality as other desktop applications it does provide an excellent starting point for younger curious users or those who do not have the budget to buy high cost recording software.


References:
http://www.ujam.com/
http://www.aviary.com/online/music-creator
http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/
http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

Innovation is Assembly

For any business that has managed to create a successful web 2.0 application, there is a means to allow your information to be used by other businesses and increase your business opportunities.

This can be done through the use of API’s. This allows other websites to use your unique features within their own websites. Some famous uses of APIs are Amazon and facebook. Amazon has allowed other shopping companies to use their unique shopping trolley and checkout system to establish their own business. Facebook allows companies to produce facebook apps by using their web systems.

This is referred to as Innovation is Assembly, by which one company has managed to assemble a viable business by using the data and information supplied by another.

One example of such a company is Navteq. Navteq is an internet company that supplies detailed maps of the earth that can be used by others to create a viable business. Navteq supplies it APIs, allowing the use of its own maps. A famous use of a Navteq API is that of the NRMA trip planner. The NRMA website uses the map data supplied by Navteq to allow users to plan their trips. By using APIs, NRMA has saved time and money by using Navteqs maps, rather than create its own.

This innovation of using supplied maps has allowed users to easily plan their future trips.

This companionship between the two businesses is similar to that of the RACQ trip planner. RACQ also uses maps supplied by Navteq to create a similar tool for customers to plan their trips.

Possible issues that could arise from the use of API’s is of course the incorrect and misuse of personal data. In the case of online maps, there could be ethical issues of people using these maps for stalking.

The use of online maps has become more and more popular. The assembly of map data with trip planning has already shown a bright future for as it is already in use with hand held devices such as mobile phones and car gps’.

References:
http://www.navteq.com/
http://www.racq.com.au/travel/Maps_and_Directions/trip_planner
http://www.mynrma.com.au/trip-planner.htm
http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

Data is the next "Intel Inside"

To the majority of the population, we use the internet for most things on a daily basis. We use it to shop, do research and catch up with friends.
So for anyone who falls into this category, we trust and believe that all the data supplied to us over the internet is current and correct.

For us, this data means everything, but it means a lot more for business’ who want to use this data strategically for a successful business opportunity. The strategic use of data has brought the term the next “Intel Inside”.

One successful Web 2.0 application that uses data in such a way is realestate.com.au. This website uses the data supplied by other Real Estate companies to provide a vast data base that supplies customers with information on rental or private properties across Australia.

This website allows any real estate branch in Australia to upload any property information that they may have in store to increase the amount of customers they can reach. This makes property shopping much easier for the customers as they are no longer required to drive from shop to shop, rather can see any property for sale in the area and what real estate company is managing that particular property.

Customers are able to search for property based on desired price, bedrooms and area within Australia.

Another Web 2.0 application that uses data in a similar way is the local business section of Yellow Pages. Businesses are able to supply their own information, including contact details and their address. This allows potential customers to easily find and locate their store via telephone or by using the maps supplied on the web site.

Possible ethical issues that arise from shopping for real estate online could be failure to remove a property from the online database once it has been sold or leased. Another ethical issue is through the communication between customer and real estate manager as I have personally had booked appointments where the realtor does not show.

Realestate.com.au will continue to provide home owners and renters will a large and very useful database on properties across Australia. The inclusion of Google maps and images of the houses has supplied a very easy to use and inviting web 2.0 application.

References:
http://www.yellowpages.com.au/
http://www.realestate.com.au/buy
http://maps.google.com.au/
http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html