Is it technology? Is it philosophy? Or is it simply marketing hype? Web 2.0 is a concept so fluid that even the experts in this book don’t agree on what it means. Some feel that no definition is even necessary. But most agree on one thing: Web 2.0 is a sweeping tide that’s changing the face of the Internet.

Web 2.0 is not about mass marketing. It’s about actually understanding the masses. And it’s not about controlling the message. It’s about engaging the audience and actually hearing what they have to say. It’s about enabling creativity, realizing a culture of contribution, and putting the user in control.

Here is a rich smorgasbord of unique viewpoints — from bloggers, social networking developers, corporate communicators, online strategists, distinguished engineers, and others. These are the people who are shaping today’s Web. What they have to say can help you shape your organization’s future.

The Impact Makers

• Max Mancini eBay
• Alan Meckler Internet.com
• Eric Engleman Bloglines
• Gina Bianchini Ning
• Dorion Carroll Technorati
• Raju Vegesna Zoho
• Richard MacManus Read/Write Web & Web 2.0 WorkGroup
• TJ Kang ThinkFree
• Patrick Crane LinkedIn
• Shaun Walker DotNetNuke
• Biz Stone Twitter
• Seth Steinberg Meebo
• Joshua Schachter Del.icio.us
• Ranjith Kumaran YouSendIt
• Garrett Camp StumbleUpon
• Rodrigo Madanes Skype
• Rod Smith IBM Corporation
• Tim Harris Microsoft Corporation
• Bob Brewin & Tim Bray Sun Microsystems
• Michele Turner Adobe Corporation