The Next Net

Nowadays, Web 2.0 is a buzzword. Silicon Valley is steaming up again with excitement and a new breed of start-ups. While people are still trying to define what Web 2.0 means exactly, the word is often associated with Technorati, del.icio.us, and Flickr.

Yet, the Web is evolving quickly beyond the early pioneers into The Next Net phenomenon. The featured article by the latest Business 2.0 “The Next Net 25” defines Web 2.0 in the following five categories:

1. Social Media that allows everyone to create content on the Web including articles, music, and video
2. Mashups and Filters that mix, match and filter the information on the Web
3. Internet Phones that make phone calls affordable anywhere around the world
4. The Webtop Applications that make use of ubiquitous broadband connection
5. Web-based Software Platforms and Tools that make The Next Net possible

Most of these things are already happening around us. For example, I am a heavy user of Gather – the social networking and blogging site that mirrors MySpace for teenagers. The Job search sites Indeed and SimplyHired look really cool to me. I have used Skype to call my family in China for free since long ago. Having seen the demo of Zimbra, I am very much convinced we are coming to an age that the webtop makes more sense than the desktop.

However, the biggest question is still the business model. Most of these sites are not making money at this time, hoping to flip to the big guys such as Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Amazon, and eBay. But, was that what people were hoping for only “a bubble ago?”

Web 2.0, social media, Internet phones, mashups filters, webtop

Internet and Democracy

Last week, there were many criticisms about Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, and other technology companies’ submission to the Chinese government’s request to censor the information on the Internet. It has become a public concern that these companies are doing business there at the peril of human rights.

As a native Chinese, I completely understand these concerns and critics. However, I have to agree that the presence of American companies in China provides much greater benefit to the Chinese people. It will help democracy in the long run.

For a country that has three-thousand years of history in feudalism, democracy is a gradual and long term process. It won’t happen overnight. It’s a matter of changing people’s hearts and mindsets rather than changing the government and system.

Economic progress, technology advancement, and globalization are all part of this process. The State Department’s proposal to form a “Global Internet Freedom” task force to address censorship issues at the international level is one step closer toward that end.

I believe democracy in China as well as in other parts of the world is not only imminent, but also inevitable.

Internet, democracy, censorship, politics, China

Women's Leadership Forum

In TiE Women’s Leadership Forum, Rayona Sharpnak, founder and president of Institute for Women’s Leadership, brought together three panelists from industry to share with a roomful of women their successful stories as female leaders, and discuss the topics that are mostly of concern by women in their career.

“Follow your passion” emerged as a theme of discussion. Amal Johnson, CEO of MarketTools, told us she was never qualified for any job she was looking for. What she has is her love of learning, and that has got her to where she is today. “Set your own metrics for success – it’s your life, and enjoy each chapter of your life.” was the advice Amal gave to the audience.

Meeta Mhatre, CIO for Siemens Medical Solutions, emphasized the importance of interpersonal skills, which was not taught in school, especially from a traditional Indian background.

Stacy Sullivan, Director of Human Resources at Google, gave a perspective on emerging core competences in corporate America from a hiring point of view: 1) team players who can promote the team’s success, 2) people with potentials rather than experience, and 3) well-rounded individuals who also excel outside their work areas.

It’s very inspiring for me to hear these women talk about their experiences and reflections. Many of them I can relate with my own. I found the ending remark by Rayona particularly encouraging, which I will use to end this post:

“Success is moving from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”

leadership, women, success, work life balance, TiE