[Conferences-discuss] Re: [PSF-Members] Python11 at OSCON2003

[Greg Stein]

On Wed, May 22, 2002 at 08:41:11PM -0400, Guido van Rossum wrote:
> > However, we should ensure that the PSF has a way to receive proceeds
> > from the conference. If we are simply a draw for OSCON, but with no
> > potential benefit, then I would fail to see why we should
> > participate. (specifically: lend the "PSF name" to this)
> 
> I think a big benefit for the PSF is that there will be a
> professionally run conference at all.  As you know we had a

Heh. Fair enough :-)

>...
> I'm not sure that they'll use the PSF name, but they'll use the
> Python11 moniker, which makes it pretty official.

Well, let's at least try to get "Python Software Foundation" in there. Some
exposure will certainly be good for us; at least from the standpoint of
noting that we *exist*, are a non-profit, and willing to accept donations :-)

>...
> > I'll note that the Apache Software Foundation has made on the order
> > of $100k over the past two/three years from its conferences. In
> > fact, we had a notable lack of income last year when our conference
> > organizer folded, and we had to cancel the Con.
> 
> There are may ways to look at that information less than favorably.

Heh. I presume you meant "many", but I can only think of one: the conference
was quite expensive for the attendees. I'd be interested in other "less than
favorably" aspects you have in mind. It would be great feedback!

But even so with the higher cost than the Foretech/IPC conferences, the
speakers got *paid* for being there (flight cost, per diem, and (of course)
free entrance to the conference, etc). Even after that, money was still
available for the ASF. I've always been amazed that the IPC conferences
never generated positive cash. It just doesn't seem right :-)

[ I will note that the ApacheCon this year has practically halved the
  conference fee (yet speakers still get paid); it will be interesting to
  see if/how much profit it ends up generating ]

> > While the ASF arguably has a larger and broader interest base than
> > the PSF, I don't see a specific reason why a PSF conference could
> > not generate proceeds for us.
> 
> Because it never made money in the past?

See above. This just amazes me :-)

Cheers,
-g

-- 
Greg Stein, http://www.lyra.org/