Web 3.0: When Websites Become Web Services

Today's web contains a vast amount of information useful to humans, but it is hidden behind computers. The paradox lies in the fact that this information is concealed within HTML pages in a format that is difficult for machines to process. The so-called "Web 3.0" refers to the evolution of Web sites into Web services, which will effectively expose information to the world.

This transition will occur in two ways: some sites will follow the example of Amazon, del.icio.us, and Flickr by providing their information through REST APIs. Other sites may attempt to keep their information private, but this information will be made public through mashups, which can be created using tools like Dapper, Teqlo, and Yahoo! Pipes. Unstructured information will give way to structured information, paving the way for smarter computing. This article...