Yesterday I posted this response to the 'four questions' on the LearnDog blog.

Marnie Webb noticed it and asked me to add it to the "http://netsquared.org/netsquareds-four-questions" section of this site.  I tried but couldn't figure out how so here is an excerpt for convenience:

1. What's *really* new on the Web, as opposed to buzzwords and sound bites?

There are significant changes in what people can PUBLISH and how they can SUBSCRIBE to pretty much anything.

PUBLISH: Tools like weblogs, flickr, del.icio.us, audacity and their friends mean people can publish mundane things like 'a thought or idea', 'a picture', 'a link to something cool', 'some audio' without knowing how to maintain a website.

SUBSCRIBE: Through the magic of RSS it is possible to subscribe to many sources of content that we care about.  Things like 'RSS Aggregators' and 'PodCatchers' are just a very geeky beginning.  Watch how RSS Subscription tools evolve over the next few years - and pay attention to the ones that allow clever 'ReMixing' of 'Free Content'.  Clever web based services like Technorati, PubSub, FeedBurner are important but hard to explain here.

2. Which tools best embody the new opportunities from your point of view and why?

The first generation tools for the stuff mentioned above were important, but to put the power in the hands of non-geeks things need to be simplified.  In my opinion, Apple have done two special things here:

iTunes 4.9 - Made the whole 'PodCatching' thing a lot easier for mere mortals (while introducing a few nasties for geeks).

iLife06 - a significant step forward in giving the power of RSS PUBLISH/SUBSCRIBE to people who don't know about the first generation tools I refer to above.

3. Who's doing the best work with the new tools (technically or in terms of social benefit or both)?

Me - LearnDog ;-)  Seriously, I'm running out of time and energy but areas I know a bit about are 'Podcasting', 'Online Conferences' and 'Platforms'.  For more detail on who is doing cool stuff in these areas follow these links:

Podcasting - three podcasters have influenced me strongly by showing how to lead cultural change through audio voice.  They are: Dave Slusher, EvilGeniusChronicles who shows how deep connections with a small group of subscribers can drive an agenda forward.  Cameron Reilly, ThePodcastNetwork who is building a profitable business and creating a platform for people who want to change the world.  Adam Curry and Ron Bloom from PodShow who have used audio to recruit a small army to create an alternative marketplace for musicians and other audio entertainers.

'Online Conferences' (or UnConferences) - point to my post(s)

'Platforms' - point to the netsquared site

4. What's the bad news? What are the greatest barriers preventing web-based technology from producing social change?

People, greed.  For specific examples think about what DRM does to the 'Free Flow' of information to be 'ReMixed', what happens when people won't allow free online access to conferences, and the walls people build to try and hoard stuff or keep bad guys out.

Fang - Mike Seyfang - LearnDog