This was a terrific conference for the two most important reasons: Terrific attendees and more than enough sessions to learn from.

If a theme emerged, I think it was emergence itself. Most of the presentations that most excited me played off of this in one way or another: Eric Bonabeau on emergence in nature, Clay Shirky on why groups resist explicit constitutions, the social software track, Alan Kay‘s “broadband collaboration” environment which is interesting because of the ease with which participants can set new creatures loose into it. Emergence is the way in which bottom-up organization happens.

There were, of course, other highlights. I loved Brewster Kahle‘s Internet Bookmobile project, Eric Blossom nd Matt Ettus‘ GNU radio, Ben Hammersley‘s proselytizing for threadsML/ENT, and Marc Smith‘s Netscan stuff. And more. And what could be better than getting to hang for three days with some of the smartest technoids around?

Things not to like? Yeah, sure: Not enough scheduled schmoozing time. Too many excellent sessions in competing time slots. Some dud keynotes from vendors. Terrible lunches. And way too many white men.

That aside, it was a first-rate conference.

Categories: Uncategorized dw