Paul Maverick B. Ward

Web 2.0 Heroes: Interviews with 20 Web 2.0 Influencers by Bradley L. Jones, Chapter 8

Library Reference: none

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Web-2-0-Heroes-Interviews-Influencers/dp/0470241993/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224483069&sr=1-5

Quote: “These guys are not very good right now, but if they keep trying…”

Learning Expectations:

I expect to learn how popular and important online applications are to those people who are doing their job with relation to the internet or the web. I also expect to learn the way TJ Kang used the Web 2.0 to their gain with the use of ThinkFree online applications that gave further convenience and ease to the people around the whole world.

Review:

            The 8^th Chapter of the Web 2.0 eBook discusses TJ Kang and his ways with the Web 2.0 through ThinkFree. He is the CEO of ThinkFree and handles the strategic direction of the whole company. When he founded the company back at 1999, he used the currently known Web 2.0 to make his site popular for the people. He started out the company back in the last years of his college in a university in Canada.

            The way ThinkFree affects the job and work of people worldwide is truly tremendous. They are given the versatility to do and accomplish their works both offline and online. This variety to do work gives people a lot of chances and opportunities to do their jobs despite the occasion. A great example for this is that if a person is doing a report which is very vital and is nearing its deadline; he then is working at the office offline and then he is needed at home by his wife due to some instances, he can continue his work online while he is not in the office. The ability for him to do his work offline and online gives him the flexibility and opportunity to finish his work early and away from the deadline. These simple things are the cause for lots of people to use an application that is compatible both offline and online. The convenience and ease that these applications offer to the users and a lot of people is one of the cause for them to keep on coming back for more.

            ThinkFree is one of those applications that are back then called as ASP or Application Service Provider and is know known as “Software as a Service”. These applications are made to offer people the services that they can get from other people personally. This simplicity and ease is one of the causes that keep people attracted to such applications. Unfortunately, there are reasons why online applications are being held back by other people. This reason is security. Security in the internet has been an issue ever since the start of internet. A lot of issues such as account hacking and account cracking are bringing fear and horror to all people worldwide. There is no one in this world that would want to do such strenuous tasks and then just let somebody destroy and make a mess out of the work done due to security issues. This reason is the one and only bringer of fear to all people who are thinking of taking in the world of web.

            As said in the interview of TJ Kang about Microsoft, it is something that is very difficult to compete with ever since. Ever since the start of TJ Kang’s ThinkFree he has been competing with Microsoft. Specifically, he is competing with Microsoft Office because his applications in ThinkFree do also the same as it. The main difference about the two is that ThinkFree mainly runs in the internet and Microsoft Office runs offline. The services that they provide to people are the same. The only choice for the users is whether they would like to do their work online or offline. One thing that helped ThinkFree cope up and battle against Microsoft is with the help of Java. This programming language gave ThinkFree a whole new level of performance that helped them be almost equal on the level of Microsoft. Java is a program that is the same as the application it is being used with. Both of them are versatile and can be used one thing or another.

A strong and powerful quote was given out by TJ Kang and it is “In the next couple of years we will see more vendors trying to convey that you could really do your work anywhere on any device, and do it without Microsoft Office”. He released this quotation because he is very confident about ThinkFree and the other applications that would do the same as their application. It will provide people the flexibility and variance to do their job to their own preferences and specifications.

Lessons Learned:

I have learned how online applications are turning the tides against offline applications because of the variety and flexibility it brings to the people around the world. The one thing that it also provided for the users is the freedom of the users to use and do their work to their own preference and specification. I have also learned how TJ Kang used the Web 2.0 to battle against one of the giants in the computer world, Microsoft.