Web 2.0 and 3.0 are buzz words that nauseate Pogue.

Question: What are Web 2.0 and Web 3.0?

David Pogue: There are so many definitions for these things and they’re just so buzzy. They’re just buzz words which just nauseate me. It makes you sound smart. “Well, you know, I think Web 3.0 will be mocked by a B2B, peer-to-peer exploitation of the..” You know, so as I define it, Web 2.0 is websites again where we the people provide the material: Flickr, YouTube, Craig’s List, eBay, FaceBook, MySpace. These would be empty web pages if it weren’t for the visitors providing what’s there.

Web 1.0 is the New York Times, whatever, where you hang a shingle and everybody comes and reads.

Everyone’s very excited about Web 2.0, but the really cool stuff is just beginning. There are so many phenomenal examples of Web 2.0 ideas that don’t get the press of YouTube.

I love GoLoco.org, a glorified carpooling database. I’m going to the airport this afternoon. I don’t realize that the guy two doors down from me is also going to the airport this afternoon. We have no way of finding that out. So we both get in our cars and pollute and fill up the highway. So this would put us together and the passengers pay the driver a couple of bucks.

My favorite, WhoIsSick.org. You go up and you report your symptoms. You know, I’ve got bloody stool and, you know, vomiting and whatever and then you can basically track the bugs. It’s a map and you see the clouds of viruses drifting over your neighborhood. It’s awesome.

So we’re just getting started and there’s a million terrific ideas that have yet to break into the public consciousness, but they will.

Recorded on: May 15, 2008.