Web 3.0: Future of the Internet

Web 3.0 marks the third generation of Internet that is supposed to coincide with the third decade of Web browsing and usage (2010-2020). After Web 1.0 (Internet prior to 2000) and Web 2.0 (2000-2010), the expectations from the Web and its possibilities are growing. Researchers, professionals, and entrepreneurs are looking at Web to give more, including better search results. In today’s world of Web 2.0, if you want to plan a vacation for 4 days with 3 friends within a budget of 60K, you will probably run some Google searches on hotels, resorts, eating joints, tourists places, travel agents; read reviews on almost most of them; and then, choose a place that fits your budget and your idea of a vacation with friends. In the whole process, you will most likely browse not less than, say a dozen or two dozen Web sites. Now, think that you key in “Vacation options for three people within a budget of 60,000 INR, in India, for 4 days.” and your search engine gives you planned packages that include exactly where all you can go within the stipulated budget. It means getting a planned package as meticulously done as would be by a travel agent. That is not it. Imagine the more you use this Web browser to carry out your searches, the more the browser knows about your choices, and the less specific you need to be with your search, meaning that even a simple search such as “Where do I go for a vacation with my friends” can yield satisfactory results. You think that is a dream. Then, let me share that the time to live that dream is about to come. Yes, Web 3.0 works on such standards that allow Web to think like you do and make intelligent decisions.

Web 3.0 will enable browsers to read, understand, analyze, and deliver results as humans do. This is the basis of a Semantic Web---a concept that many take synonymous to Web 3.0. Web 3.0, however, encompasses much more than Semantic Web vision (a vision that contemplates that machines will read information on Web like humans do). Let’s see what all Web 3.0 will be capable of?

Web 3.0 will be able to carry out natural language searches. Today, when you key in phrases like “Indian Lion”, the Internet does not recognize difference between the searches as “Lions in India” or “Indian Lion” and throws up all kinds of results. Web 3.0 will understand the language as we humans understand it and deliver results in that manner, specific to what we are asking.

In addition, the 3.0 version is postulated to be mediacentric. It means that no longer you need to depend on wordy keywords to execute a search. You can post media, such as images, to get the desired search results. For example, you can post the image of a flower and get the related results on where you can get, buy, or learn more about that particular flower. Awesome! Isn’t it? An extension of this search is also being tried out with the audio files.

Adding to its claim, Web 3.0 will be pervasive in nature---it will be everywhere. These days, reach of Web has extended from desktops and laptops to mobile phones and handhelds. Web 3.0; however, plans to take another step forward and you can make Web a part of your watches, jewelry, window panes, and bathroom mirrors. Imagine your boring toothbrush routine turning into news time as you could turn your Web-connected bathroom mirror to a Web screen. This is not all. Many researchers are working on enabling the Web to control opening and closing of your lobby windows depending on the temperature and weather at your location.

Another significant development that is expected to happen in Web 3.0 environment is development of more sophisticated 3D applications. A similar example that can be experienced these days is the Second Life, an environment in which the users can live a virtual life in the form of any Avtar that the user wishes to choose. The user can communicate/interact with other members in the virtual community. This, with Web 3.0, can be taken to another level, wherein you can move in your neighborhood or an unseen foreign city, look at the location of other households or shops, and decide where you want to roam around or think of buying land. Say, your virtual Avtar can roam within a radius of 10-kilometes around Jaipur airport where the land is on sale, read the details of the plots up for sale, and decide where you want to invest your money.

Too futuristic, as it may sound, however, you will begin to see the changes soon. Many companies like Ojos and Polar Rose are working on developing the mediacentric version of Web. HP, Yahoo, and Radar Networks are adopting the Semantic Web standards. Microsoft and Google are researching on 3D. In addition, IBM and Oracle are using and developing structures and technologies that closely resemble the Web 3.0.

How Will Web 3.0 Impact E-learning?

Web 3.0 promises to be a Web of data that will read your response, search the Internet for possible options, and then intelligently evaluate the best result for you to throw up in your search.

I would like to think aloud here. Imagine that E-learning companies offer their training modules through Web, with no third party involvement. Suppose an E-learning company posts, on the Web, the overviews, costs, and time conditions of professional courses on different skill sets. So, a person who searches for the courses that he or she needs to undertake to reach a particular position in the industry, a short write-up about the appropriate course might appear, including link to take the course. This way a learner can buy the course directly from an e-learning organization removing all third parties involved.

Another point that I would like to make is that e-Learning consultants might find Web 3.0 as a competitor as well as a great help to their profession. Which part will weigh more, I cannot say. When Web 3.0 comes into picture, anyone can run a search reading “Best strategy for time management (soft skill) course for professionals with 0 to 1 year of experience” or “Problem solving course for professionals with 0 to 1 year of experience” will turn up results for best strategy or rather the course itself. Think about it. Is that possible? I think it is although I am not sure how soon. With such results, however, consultants might find their job a bit replaceable.

Imagine if a Program Manager needs to buy an LMS, they can run the search and see which one suits their needs and requirements the best, without needing to browse through a dozen odd sites.

With intelligent searches, students will be able to search for courses, colleges, and universities that will best fit their priorities. Web will be able to help them make better career decisions.

The information is all out there however it is still in the unstructured form. With Web 3.0, the information will get structured and we can expect intelligent computing wherein computers will (almost) think like humans to make decisions on financial planning, retirement planning for a couple, education planning for a kid considering the financial needs of the family, market research that big organizations want to carry out. It is nebulous to say if artificial intelligence will be more of a cause or an effect of Web 3.0, however, one thing that I am sure of is that this new version of Web, once in place, will ease many tasks, give better computing results, and save our time. It will however demand a lot of research into hardware, software, infrastructure, platforms, and so on, before coming into the big picture.