i'm considering volunteering this year. has anyone done this before? if so, what'd you do, what's it like, how were the people, etc? i mainly want to do this to gain the experience. truthfully the thought alone scares the bejesus out of me but i think it would be good for me to do. just wondering what to expect

If you're visiting from outside Austin, I'd discourage you from volunteering. In fact, SXSW officials might not even consider you since it's mandatory to attend several meetings and work a minimum of 10 hours prior to festivities. That is, you & everyone else have to pack the 'grab bags' and other free goodies for artists. LOTS O BAGS. that, and any other mundane duties that need to be taken care of before shows start. THEN, you must work another 30 hours to 'earn' your wristband or in some cases (if you're lucky), a badge. If you're a newbie, you have to do gruntwork. You'll be far from the action, work strange hours, and inevitably miss the really bitchin' acts.
Fortunately, I've not had to endure the above. Both my wife & I speak Japanese so I've always (3x) been assigned to translate for the Japanese bands performing the J-Showcases. This has made my experiences at SXSW infinitely better. I've been assigned to work with everyone from Kishidan & Polysics to AMT & Shonen Knife. It's fun, but you'll find out much of your time is vested doing NOT what you want.

If you want more concrete info, PM 4 Details.