One thing we have to do is give the conference a tagline, sort of like a theme in four words or less. The first year, we declared “The Web Is a Platform.” That felt spot on, because the idea of the web as a place you could build on the work of others was a pretty new idea. Last year we tagged it “Revving the Web,” because it was all about the services and businesses and opportunities that arose from the Web – all of which taken together made the web more robust and more exciting.
This year Tim and I have been bouncing around some ideas, and I’d love your take on what you think is an overarching theme to the Internet business for the year to come.
I’ve got one that I can’t seem to get out of my teeth, so as with all things, I wanted to bounce it off you all. I think this is the year of Disruption – the year the Web – in all its forms – really flexes its muscle and begins to seriously turn the soil of the global economy in deep and permanent ways. Think of the disruptions in the media and entertainment industries – probably the deepest disruptions so far. But we’re only in the first inning or so of the disruptions in the mobile and communications space (how excited do YOU think AT&T is about Google offering free Wifi, for example? Or eBay buying Skype?). And the disruptions of search and clickstreams on commerce is only now beginning, and the same is true for the massive IT industry (Microsoft Live, anyone?). And the disruption on our cultural life – in government, for example (can you say warrantless wiretaps meets the Database of Intentions?) – is only beginning to dawn on all of us.
What do you think of the theme? The goal is to tie together a lot of issues, companies,and ideas. I think this one does it. What themes do you think might work?