For me some defining characteristics of social computing (or web 2.0 as some call it) have been (a) democratization of the process of creation, enabling user generated content; and (b) mashing up of different applications and media to create something new.

These characteristics are likely to remain part of the next generation of the web. All of the new technology trends discussed in this series of posts together with a myriad of others will work together, intersecting and cross-enabling each other. They will work together to create ways of being and behaving that we can only dimly understand in much the same way that our predecessors could only dimly understand the revolution inherent in the creation of the internet.

One thing is certain, with so many smart and well motivated people who are working with technology to solve the problems facing our world we will see many innovations.