Change.gov Becomes Whitehouse.gov

Yesterday was the inauguration of President Barack Obama, and Tim O'Reilly wrote a post in his blog, O'Reilly Radar, called Change.gov Becomes Whitehouse.gov, where he told Barack Obama's administration will continue with their internet directions used during the election campaign.

He said: "For those of us in tech, this is an amazing affirmation. Not only did the Web 2.0 principles of user-engagement, viral outreach, rapid development, and real-time intelligence help Obama to win the presidency, he's bringing the same principles and the same team to manage his outreach during his time in office.

This is an amazing moment for anyone involved with Web 2.0. There's a long road ahead, but it's clear that many of the lessons that were learned first on the consumer internet are now being applied to much harder, more serious problems.

One of the things that excites me the most is the way that the new administration is reaching out to small companies rather than to the normal behemoths who bid on government contracts."

He considers his favorite bit from the announcement on WhiteHouse.gov:

"President Obama started his career as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, where he saw firsthand what people can do when they come together for a common cause. Citizen participation will be a priority for the Administration, and the internet will play an important role in that. One significant addition to WhiteHouse.gov reflects a campaign promise from the President: we will publish all non-emergency legislation to the website for five days, and allow the public to review and comment before the President signs it."