If Jeffrey Zeldman’s SXSW Interactive Opening Remarks Saturday were an accurate evaluation of the true value of coming to the conference, hit the social events and after-hour parties ... even if you have to drag yourself out of bed to get to the next morning’s panels.

Under the heading of "Soylent Green is People," Zeldman — a standards-based Web design guru — emphasized networking opportunities and "putting flesh on the virtual," in other words discovering the real, live people behind the design and development blogs that inspire you on a daily basis.

Halfway into his talk he pulled Matthew Mullenweg onstage to recount his first SXSW experience. Two years ago Mullenweg was studying “nothing much” and living with his parents. After bumming their gas card to get to Austin for the conference, he got into a heated debate with fellow attendees at dinner and was inspired to develop "Wordpress," blogging software that’s quickly become popular.

Zeldman also offered a light-hearted look into SXSW character staples, sharing a video clip of John Halcyon Styn extolling one of the virtues of the Internet: "Me, my porn, and freedom!"

Zeldman will also participate on Monday’s panel "Does Design Matter?" and join a gathering of tech gurus called “Vox Nox” Monday evening at the Red Eyed Fly.