I was touched by Marnie's opening address, largely because it addressed the importance of this resonant issue:

Less talk ===> more action.

She discussed the first NetSquared conference, where people gathered to discuss how the social web could be used for social good (still a relatively novel idea 4 years ago). While the conference went well, the feedback from participants showed that they didn't necessarily care for yet another conference where people get together and discuss. The participants wanted to be part of doing something, and see these thoughts put into action. For this reason NetSquared created the challenge, which continued to bring smart, thoughtful, enthusiastic people together, but began to rally them around web-mashups in real time.

The claim resonated with me, as this is what initially appealed to me about the NetSquared mashup challenges. It's conference season now, and while I am excited to surf around in this sea of ideas (there are 8-10 conferences in my near future, for dog's sake), I very much appreciate having the opportunity to rally around, associate and grab a drink with (social lubrication is crucial, no?), and befriend the artisans who are putting ideas into action. I enjoy the fact that we're not only gathering around ideas, we're encouraging, digesting, and, when necessary, criticizing real action in real time. Even if they haven't left with a cash prize, past participants have left with board members, contacts who actually understand what the project is about (not that whole nod / "Yeah Yeah... I totally get it... here's my card," and potential donors and volunteers. This isn't so much an environment in which we say, "Oh yeah - I've got your card and I'll totally get in touch." It's more of one in which we say, "I've worked on a project very similar to this one and I appreciate your enthusiasm. I would love to put you in touch with some of my contacts, and to help you see your vision through in any way that I can."

Marnie is absolutely right - taking the path of continuing to contribute another cluster of voices into the ever-expanding sea wouldn't have been an interesting one, and it wouldn't have helped to augment NetSquared's contribution to this overall space. It is the insertion of action into our convening that ultimately makes it interesting, exciting, and worth returning to year after year.