From sdeibel at wingware.com  Tue Dec  5 23:07:57 2006
From: sdeibel at wingware.com (sdeibel)
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2006 17:07:57 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [PSF-Volunteers] List of Potential Writing Topics (fwd)
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0612051706210.10119@localhost.localdomain>

Hi,

I thought the following post to the python-advocacy mailing list 
might be of interest here.  Jeff is working for the PSF so 
helping with this is the same as helping the PSF...

Thanks,

- Stephan


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2006 15:46:51 -0600
From: Jeff Rush <jeff at taupro.com>
To: advocacy at python.org, dfwpython at dfwpython.org
Subject: [python-advocacy] List of Potential Writing Topics

I've prepared a list of advocacy writing needs for those who might have the 
time and interest in contributing.  You can find it at:

   http://wiki.python.org/moin/AdvocacyWritingTasks

I've provided an 'assigned-to' field so people can reserve topics as they are 
working on them -- just edit the wiki page.  Any writing will be fully 
credited to you, and displayed on the website.

Jeff
Python Advocacy Coordinator

_______________________________________________
Advocacy mailing list
Advocacy at python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy

From jeff at taupro.com  Thu Dec  7 16:13:35 2006
From: jeff at taupro.com (Jeff Rush)
Date: Thu, 07 Dec 2006 09:13:35 -0600
Subject: [PSF-Volunteers] A Call to Arms for Python Advocacy
Message-ID: <45782F9F.4020506@taupro.com>

Some small parts of this information went out yesterday but I've expanded it 
and wanted to let you know.

As the Python Advocacy Coordinator, I've put up some wiki pages on the Python 
website for which I'm soliciting ideas, writing and graphics.  Some of the 
material exists scattered about and just needs locating and organizing.

   http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy

First there is a need for whitepapers and flyers - I've put up a list of 
suggested topics w/notes at:

   http://wiki.python.org/moin/AdvocacyWritingTasks

And there are fields for signing up for specific documents.  We also have a 
page of possible magazine articles if that's more your style:

   http://wiki.python.org/moin/ArticleIdeas.

These works are to be formed into advocacy kits for various audiences.  So far 
we have the following ideas for kits:

   - College Student's Python Advocacy Kit
   - IT Department Python Advocacy Kit
   - University Educator's Python Advocacy Kit
   - K-12 Educator's Python Advocacy Kit
   - Research Lab Python Advocacy Kit

The table of contents for the various kits can be found at:

   http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy#AdvocacyKits

Did we miss your kit?  And what would you include in any of these?

Next, we are seeking reusable/retargetable teaching materials, such as those 
under a Creative Commons license.  We need slide presentations and class 
handouts.  Now I know there are a great many slide presentations on the web 
about Python.  I can google them all but we're not looking for just any 
presentation, we're looking for the best of field.  You can find the 
collection point at:

   http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy#TeachingMaterials

Last, perhaps you can dash off an idea or two for promotional merchandise. 
This could be the usuals like shirts but also posters, bumper stickers and 
buttons.  What would you like to have?  And with what graphics or slogans?  We 
can reuse some of the slogans from the PyCon Slogan Contest, but are there others?

Our collection point for promo item ideas is at:

   http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy/WearablesGadgets

All materials will be credited to the authors to the extent possible by the 
delivery media.  Make your mark.

Jeff Rush <advocate at python.org>
Python Advocacy Coordinator

From goodger at python.org  Sun Dec 17 18:07:43 2006
From: goodger at python.org (David Goodger)
Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 12:07:43 -0500
Subject: [PSF-Volunteers] Call for Nominations of PSF Directors
Message-ID: <4335d2c40612170907yece7a31ja188d2bf2c208f28@mail.gmail.com>

The Board of Directors of the Python Software Foundation is issuing
this call for nominations of new Directors.  Self-nominations are the
norm, so don't wait for somebody else to nominate you.  If you are
interested in serving as a Director, please write to psf at python.org.
Directors need not be PSF members.

Since the PSF is a small organization, the Directors and Officers are
the PSF's executive in more than name: we not only discuss the work to
be done, we also initiate and oversee the work (through committees),
and we get a lot of the work done ourselves.  It is therefore
beneficial to have a large number of active Directors.  As Tim Peters
eloquently put it,

    This is pragmatic: volunteer time is hard to come by for PSF busy
    work, and, overall, directors seem to feel more compelling
    obligation in this regard than non-director PSF members.  So, the
    bigger the board, the more gets done.

At the annual Members' Meeting in 2004 nine people stood for election
to the Board, but there were only seven positions, so two candidates
were not elected.  This was a mistake; we cannot afford to turn away
volunteers.  In 2005, when eight people stood for election, the Board
was first increased to eight positions, allowing all the candidates to
serve.  The size of the Board can change again.  (Section 5.4 of the
PSF bylaws states: "the number of directors shall be fixed by the
members at each annual meeting of members.")

The PSF's Directors and Officers conduct business via monthly meetings
(one hour on IRC) and an active mailing list.  We discuss the work
being done and the work to be done, and Directors vote on resolutions.

David Goodger, PSF Secretary
On behalf of the PSF Board of Directors