[python-advocacy] Proposed Advocacy Task List for Next Six Months

[Jeff Rush]

To those on the advocacy list, we've been having a discussion on the 
psf-members list on what to tackle re advocacy for the next six months.  I'd 
like to run the plan past you and get your ideas.

It has a primary focus on content, particularly for encouragement of the 
formation of user groups, and strictly avoids software development.  The 
general PSF consensus is that the existing functionality, interface and style 
of www.python.org is acceptable for now, that we should avoid creating more 
"islands" like advocacy.python.org, us.pycon.org and pycamp.python.org and 
rather integrate more tightly under www.python.org.  Also that work is needed 
to generate more extensive content and to organize the content we already have 
on www.python.org.

1. User groups How-To and content resources (40%)

    - flyers/brochures
    - a list (N=5) of meeting topics with outlines/slides for presentations
      (some overlap in topics with the list below)
    - a how-to with info on where to get give-away swag
    - pointers to resources like meetup.com
    - how to get a mailing list set up
    - best practices
    - what makes a group work/succeed vs. not
    - where to find members, how to get the word out

2. Python.org advocacy content (45%)

    - work with showmedo.com staff to produce and prominently display on
      www.python.org, in the style of http://www.rubyonrails.org/screencasts, a
      series of ten 5-minute videos on the following topics, suggested by their
      staff:

      - Science with Python - coupling matplotlib inside a wxPython GUI to do
        science
      - Databases - couple a MySQL db through SQLObject into a Python program
        to access/edit data
      - pyGame - build a simple game
      - pyOGRE - build a whizzy 3d demo
      - Make 'Excel' with wxPython - using the csv module and a wx grid to
        build a simple Excel clone
      - Bullet-proof web sites with Twill - use Twill and nosetests to test a
        running website (we already use this for ShowMeDo)
      - A Content Management System - 5 minutes customising Plone to fit usual
        use-cases
      - win32 - using the win32 library to export a Word or Excel file

    - produce add-on content associated with the above topics, for those who
      see the videos and want to investigate further:

      - whitepaper on Science with Python
      - whitepaper on Databases
      - whitepaper on Gaming with Python
      - whitepaper on Testing Methodologies for Websites

3. User group infrastructure (5%)

    - Establish/support an cross-usergroup organizer mailing list
    - Maintain a spreadsheet of user groups and officers

4. Respond to queries, general advocacy and outreach, support EuroPython where
    possible (10%)

There is only so much time available, barring significant volunteer 
involvement, and so to avoid dilution, what is deemphasized is as important as 
what will be tackled.  The following would -not- have significant work 
directed at them, for the next six months:

  - encouragement of ISP support of Python
  - top-down encouragement of Python adoption within IT
  - efforts to reach out to the K-12 school systems
  - further promotion/creation of Python wearables
  - encouragement/support of unconferences

The universities would be supported via the efforts to strengthen our 
usergroups, as many of those groups will hopefully form on campus.

Jeff Rush
Python Advocacy Coordinator