With the advent of the Internet and the fall of dollar/megabyte ratio the amount of data created by computer users has increased by many folds. However the way we manage our “information” dates back to the 60’s. I am trying to copy my 500GB HD to a backup device as I write this post and a pop-up window tells me it will take 18 hours!

We don’t need more features, we need fast and accurate data. Data within a context. And data within a context is information. And applied information is knowledge. That’s what we need. Manageable data, applied information. And that’s precisely the power behind the concept of the next-generation Internet applications. The ability to share and manage data in simple ways. Sure it will take some time, but with the progress and increase of power of search engines, database-driven file systems, fast Internet connections and faster disks, data will be made available like never before. That’s the power of Web 2.0, the ability to share data in a contextual way. Applications are now second class citizens.

Designers and programmers must keep that in mind when designing the next killer Web 2.0-based application. If your application makes sharing data difficult chances are you will be joining the Brazilian soccer team, coming back home with empty hands.