You know, if they started with 70 and eliminated all but three or four of them reality-show style, I would be totally sold on it. Now that's something one of these YC clones should try.
Any chances for recreating this in a telecommuting way? I would have loved to attend, but crossing the Atlantic seemed too far (although now I almost regret that I didn't go anyway).
Maybe a 48 hour startup competition would do, too? Not working on a startup together, but everybody on their own startup? I participated in the 48h game programming competition once, and it was a lot of fun. People would just exchange advice and ideas in irc while the event was on, and it was a great sense of community.
