[Chicago] PyCon 2008

[A.M. Kuchling]

Michael Tobis wrote:
>Based on the success of the Dallas Marriott effort and the failure of
>Loyola to come through last time around, I think we need to face the
>fact that PyCon has outgrown the university venue. This means working
>with a hotel.

I wouldn't draw that conclusion; either a hotel or a university could
work.  Hotels are more expensive, I think, and are used to business
users; all the MacOS and Linux users threw the hotel's wireless
provider into confusion, for example.  Universities have more
bureaucracy (facility approval committees, that sort of thing) and may
only be available when classes aren't in session.  A university is
probably workable, especially if you start planning well in advance.
For 2006 I think Loyola was contacted quite late, and that probably
made it impossible; another academic site for 2006 also fell through
because the space got booked while we were waiting for a committee's
approval.

>I've been finding calls for "leadership" a bit awkward, but I suppose
>once we are talking tens of thousands of dollars or more, someone
>needs to be responsible. Does this mean we have to become a real
>organization?

I don't think ChiPy has to formalize.  The Python Software Foundation
can continue supporting the conference, and bearing any loss if the
conference loses money.  For the Worldcon SF cons, a new corporation
is formed for each new year, but that seems unnecessary for PyCon.
There does have to be a contact at the PSF who is legally enabled to
sign binding contracts; right now that's me, and I'm also conference
chair, but I don't think it's necessary that the two roles be held by
the same person.

I've temporarily joined this list so that I can answer any
PyCon-related questions; please feel free to ask me about the
organization of the 2006/2007 conference.


--amk
Co-chair, PyCon 2007
http://us.pycon.org