The Tax Man Goeth

technorati tags: taxonomy, folksonomy, web2.0, distribution, content, media

I agree with the consensus view that the common factor among Web 2.0 technologies is the empowerment of users and communities of users to replace traditional taxonomies (methods of organizing stuff) into more organic "folkonomies" (what a crappy term).

Although there is a lot of debate over exactly how much potential these technologies have to be monetized, I believe that they have the potential to change how money is made on the web in as fundamental a way as the hyperlink did in facilitating the clickable ad.

I realize that there would not be a web without hyperlinking, but there also would not be Web 2.0 without tagging, sharing, and syndication. The applications or series of applications that will be the vehicle for this new monetization have not emerged from the crowd yet, but they will.

Given that, it is illogical for those of us in the content production and distribution business to go on creating these "broadband channels" and confining our media to one or even a few spaces on the web. These distribution methods are moving in the opposite direction from the general trend on the web - creating new taxonomies while everyone else is busy finding ways around the old ones. Even books, the most taxonomized (sorry, Merriam Webster) form of content there is (dewey decimal, anyone?), are now yielding to book search solutions being developed by Google, Microsoft and others.

Just another beat on the same drum that I've been banging since I started this blog: distributing content accross the web through strategic use of 2.0 technologies. I'd love to come up with a fancy name for this - something catchier than "folksonomies".

Any suggestions?

PHOTO: Payphone on Skillman, 2/27/06