First some concepts:
- What is a Web Application?
- Collaborative Groupware Software (added 12/05/01)
- Conferencing Software for the Web
- Infolets
- Coworking News (update: the site ceased publication at the end of 2001, but there’s a small discussion group)
- Web Apps
- ODP category (added 04/26/01)
- SalCentral (added 08/24/01)
I think web apps are almost by definition collaborative. Since it’s on the web, it’s accessible and open to whomever you want it to be. I’m very concerned by the tremendous amount of useless duplication out there. Every tool that helps people avoid to reinvent the wheel will improve productivity. Right now, I guess many people are efficient doing their jobs, but are they effective? If you spend time doing what’s already been thought over elsewhere, your net output is close to null.
Competition is good but too much duplication eats resources that would be better spent actually creating something. That’s where a good search ability and cooperation supported by web apps come into play. Who do you cooperate with? More on that later.