[EuroPython] Starting to plan

[Michael Hudson]

Jacob Hallén <jacob at strakt.com> writes:

> Hi all,
>
> it is time to draw up the plans for the contents of EP2004. I have
> listed the tracks that we had at EP2003. I would like your input on a
> few matters.
>
> 1. I think it is reasonable that last conference track champions get
> to say if they want to champion the track again. If they are
> unwilling, we will look for somebody else to run the track, or
> consider if we want to strike it from the schedule.

Yup.  I'm willing to do Python Language again.

> 2. How much time should we plan for for each track? This is of course
> dependent on what sort of speaker interest we get, but it is good to
> have a preliminary figure. The speaker interest is connected to the
> ambitions of each track champion after all.
>
> 3. Are there any important changes we should make to the format of the
> tracks?

Well, I'm not quite sure where to hang this point, but I would like to
see a bit more cross pollination between the tracks.  I, for one,
would be quite interested in a "Zope (3?) for Python Programmers"
tutorial, and I suspect a "Python for Zope users" tutorial might be
well received.

Tutorials are good, in general.  We didn't really have them this year.

> Last years tracks
> =================
> Lightning Talks, Open Space, Bofs
> Track champions: Anna Ravenscroft; Moshe Zadka
> Comments: We should have plenty of space for bofs and openspace sessions,
> and I think it is a good idea to have lightning talks at a time when little
> else is going on.

Yup.

> I would also like to support sessions of the kind that Guido asked
> for in his keynote at EP2003, where he has one or more seminars with
> a fairly small number of people. This could be supported with other
> celebrities who are coming.

Can you expand?  I'm not sure I quite get you.

> Something that is a bit of a dream right now is to have something
> called "Consult the bots", where we would have Alex Martelli, Fredrik
> Lund and Tim Peters available for people to consult. "Bring your
> problem and get face-to-face advice from the gurus."

Hmm.

> Volunteers sought
> =================
> Apart from the people above, I am currently looking for suitable people
> for some jobs. I am sure there will be more functions needed later.

I'm not sure I can or should volunteer for any of the specific jobs
you mention, but I'll promise to keep on kicking people up the arse
when I think the process is slipping :-)

Cheers,
mwh

-- 
  Enlightenment is probably antithetical to impatience.
                                        -- Erik Naggum, comp.lang.lisp