Web 2.0 - The Ultimate Spectator Sport?

A disturbing trend with the Web 2.0 thing is that many who themselves don't do anything on the web (aside from commenting on it) are building up and defining Web 2.0. Make no mistake, the definition of Web 2.0 is evolving. The latest to put a spin on it is an IT consultant who suggests that Web 2.o is "the most massive instance possible of Service Oriented Architecture, realized on a worldwide scale and sprawling across the Web."

What is wrong with this picture?
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Many from this group of interested spectators are trying to define the game, if only to try to make sense of something they are not involved with, hands-on. This group ranges from the VC crowd, professional thinkers, and professional web voyeurs, essentially outsiders and conceptualizers.

There's nothing wrong with a group of highly respected thinkers, commentators and journalists conceptualizing on current trends but we have reached a point where they have gone past observing trends and are actually creating them. They have stepped beyond defining trends and are making them. It's important to note that more and more, the trend makers are on the outside of innovation and creation.

It gets bigger and better
The 2.0 focus on User Generated Content comes down to old fashioned community, which is at the root of the public internet. Welcome home.

Of course, what they mean is larger than a simple web forum, and they're talking about integrating community-like aspects of forums and chat programs with current and emerging technologies to create hybrids like Flickr and MySpace etc. Maybe it's time to add photosharing, video sharing, niche search and voip capability to my forum then sell it at 2.0 prices.