[EuroPython] Starting to plan

[Paul Everitt]

On Thursday, Sep 18, 2003, at 19:53 Europe/Paris, Michael Hudson wrote:

> 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.

I'm willing to do Zope again, as long as it means I foist all the work 
on Heimo 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.

I very much agree.  The track chairs arranged the schedules in blissful 
isolation.  Though it might be hard to add the extra preparation to 
coordinate, it's still a good goal.

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

+100.  EPC2003 was too much of the "I talk you listen" format.  I gave 
a 3 hour hands-on tutorial to 40 people at OSCOM 3 this past year 
(writing CMS clients in Mozilla).  Most of them said later that such a 
format was the most valuable part of the conference.

Will the venue support such needs?  It's a space (lots of smaller 
rooms) and logistics (network, beamer) issue.

>> 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 :-)


One other point for discussion...I think that EPC2003 showed less of a 
company exhibitor stance that EPC2002.  I wonder if something was lost, 
or whether the loss wasn't valuable.

IMO, we need to show companies, even if it means charging them 
*nothing* (other than registration) for the privilege.  At least, 
nothing for small (under 15) companies.

--Paul