It seems that most of the folks who are on my MUST READ weblog list are headed to Santa Clara for O’Reilly’s Emerging Technology Conference. I’m busy emerging technology for my own company and will not be attending. Alas.

The track list is here and worth of a look-see if you often wonder “what’s next?”. If I had to pick one session to attend, it would be the Data Mining Social Cyberspaces: Tools for Enhancing Online Communities.

Killer quote from the session description:

Information about basic social properties of online environments, their size, activity, and composition of their populations, for example, can be constructed with database and data mining tools. The resulting “social accounting metrics” can be used to support accountability by highlighting the future value of identity and reputation. Built on mutual awareness, the resulting institutions may be more resistant to invasion and disruption.

Yum. Social accounting metrics. That’s about one choice adjective from being pleasantly terrifying.