Web 2.0

The whole idea of web 2 can be broken down into different areas. But let's start with how and why the web has developed the way it has.
The world wide web has been around for decades since the American military used it to communicate information around the world. But since then, this technology has been opened up to the public for the transfer of public information.

But what is it?

In short Web 2.0 is what you have become used to. Everything from Meebo to Beebo, Facebook to youTube is part of web 2. If you think of the start of Web 2.0 (which was around the 2000 mark with friends reunited), before then, every page was pretty much click and read, reading and getting information.
But now you can interact with people from all over the world. From Germany to Jerusalem. Everyone has the internet and everybody has access to the same information. Therefore why can I not tell someone somewhere else that this is good information? In order to do this I need a way of telling everyone just that. Now with Web 2 we are able to build a network of users that may or may not physically know each other, but are still able to talk and share.
Chances are that you have an MSN passport and a FaceBook account. With facebook you can share things you have found over the net with people in your community. You can tell them what is good and you can meet new friends to share more information with.
You can exchange MSN passport information and then chat directly from your mobile phone, even though you don't know each other.

There is no word that explains the Web 2.0 concept. You need a concept to define the idea.

Future?

The only thing standing in our way is language. The lowest common denominator has become English. You're reading this page, where are you from, I have visitors from Australia, India and America. Users hit my site from all over the world, I am very proud that I can blog in England and someone can read it in a place I can only dream of going to.
The future may be that we can visit our users online, using virtual reality. We can live in another country without leaving our homes. In the future perhaps we can journey to Mars without leaving the planet.
In fact the future is today, the moon landings were done without the presence of a person. Google maps allows you to walk the streets of new york without going there. I have been to LA, New York, and Houston and I haven't even left my house. The technology is there but who will make it?

Obstacles

In the current climax of high interest rates, high inflation, low incomes, low profits and high competition. Everyone with money is trying to keep costs down so they can make more money. It worries me if anybody is gonna put up the case to develop the next best thing. And so it can be seen, the web is controlled right now by google. You can surf the internet without leaveing google. They have dictionary definitions, mathematical calculations, maps, they even have information about lunar landings. They control youTube, they have a stake in facebook, they own skype as well as Ebay. Before long, every service you will visit will be owned by one company. The web has plenty of room for competitors, but who's brave enough to take on the titans of google and the microsoft network.

And so...

Thers nothing more to say, sorry if you came here wanting a short answer its not possible. But the best I can do in giving you a quick and simple answer is making a virtual (online) real world, and yes that is a paradox in terms but thats the best you can get out of me.