From amk at amk.ca  Tue Jan  3 20:30:22 2006
From: amk at amk.ca (A.M. Kuchling)
Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2006 14:30:22 -0500
Subject: [Pycon-announce] PyCon schedule available
Message-ID: <20060103193022.GA31742@rogue.amk.ca>

A close-to-final draft of the PyCon 2006 schedule has now been posted to the 
web:
	
	http://www.python.org/pycon/2006/schedule

If you're a presenter, please check that your timeslot is OK for you,
and let us know if there's a problem.

Regards,


A.M. Kuchling
amk at amk.ca
Chair, PyCon 2006
http://us.pycon.org



From amk at amk.ca  Tue Jan  3 20:44:20 2006
From: amk at amk.ca (A.M. Kuchling)
Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2006 14:44:20 -0500
Subject: [Pycon-announce] PyCon early-bird registration extended until
	January 15th
Message-ID: <20060103194420.GC31742@rogue.amk.ca>

Due to various issues with the hotel's reservation desk, the early
bird registration for PyCon has been extended until January 15th.  So,
if you've been delaying registering for PyCon, you still have a chance
to register at the lower early-bird price.

The registration form is at
	http://www.python.org/pycon/2006/register

What's going on: some sprint attendees have called the Dallas Marriott
Quorum's reservation line and been told that the PyCon room rate is no
longer available, and that they'll have to book at the regular hotel
rate of $199/night.

This is incorrect; the reservation line is confused, and we're trying
to resolve the problem.  Please don't be frightened away from PyCon if
you've called the hotel and been told you have to pay $199/night. You
can register for PyCon and book your hotel rooms later after this
problem is resolved.  You have until February 1st to book rooms at the
PyCon rate.  I'll post an announcement once the reservation issues are
resolved.

Regards,


A.M. Kuchling
amk at amk.ca
Chair, PyCon 2006
http://us.pycon.org

From amk at amk.ca  Thu Jan  5 05:04:16 2006
From: amk at amk.ca (A.M. Kuchling)
Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2006 23:04:16 -0500
Subject: [Pycon-announce] PSF: Funding available for attending PyCon
Message-ID: <20060105040416.GA942@rogue.amk.ca>

The Python Software Foundation has allocated some funds to help people
attend PyCon 2006.  If you'd like to come to PyCon but can't afford it, 
maybe the PSF can help you.

The funding can cover any or all of:

    * Your registration for PyCon.
    * Your hotel room at the conference hotel
    * Your flight or other transportation.

To apply, send an e-mail to <pycon at python.org>.  Please state your
name, location, and what you would like to have funded.  If you want
assistance with your transportation costs, please provide a rough
estimate (say, to the nearest US$100) of how much a round-trip
flight/train ride/etc. will cost.

You should also say why you should come to PyCon, and what you'll be
doing.  We don't need an essay, but please provide a few sentences of
explanation.

Messages must be received by January 22 2006.

Upon receiving your message, we'll send you a notice of receipt.  The
PSF's PyCon committee (David Ascher, Steve Holden, Jeremy Hylton,
A.M. Kuchling) will discuss the applications and allocate funding to a
subset of the applicants.  You should be notified of
acceptance/rejection by January 31 2006.

Cost notes: PyCon registration is US$185. Hotel rooms are around
$90/night ~= $300 for the duration of the conference, $700 for
conference + sprints.  The hotel cost can be lower if you find
someone to share a room with.

The PSF can't cover your meals during the conference, or registration
fees for tutorials.  Priority will be given to people who can
contribute significantly to PyCon or to Python, e.g. students working
on a task, conference speakers, sprint leaders or developers critical
to a sprint, or people doing public service work with Python.

We'll be trying to maximize the benefit of the funding, so the
committee is more likely to fund three people who need small amounts
than one person who needs a large amount.  To improve your chances,
please try to request the minimum amount of funding you need to attend
PyCon.


A.M. Kuchling
amk at amk.ca
Chair, PyCon 2006
http://us.pycon.org

From amk at amk.ca  Fri Jan  6 04:11:14 2006
From: amk at amk.ca (A.M. Kuchling)
Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2006 22:11:14 -0500
Subject: [Pycon-announce] PyCon: hotel issues resolved
Message-ID: <20060106031114.GA2197@rogue.amk.ca>

I'm assured that the reservation issues with the hotel have now been
resolved, so you can now go ahead and book your hotel room for PyCon
at the conference rate. See http://us.pycon.org/Addison/Hotels for
more information and a link to Marriott's reservation site.

If you've already booked a hotel room at the standard rate, call the
hotel back and have them change your reservation to the conference
rate.


A.M. Kuchling
amk at amk.ca
Chair, PyCon 2006
http://us.pycon.org


From amk at amk.ca  Sun Jan  8 18:21:16 2006
From: amk at amk.ca (A.M. Kuchling)
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2006 12:21:16 -0500
Subject: [Pycon-announce] PyCon TX 2006: Early-bird registration ends Jan.
	15!
Message-ID: <20060108172116.GB8928@rogue.amk.ca>

Early bird registration for PyCon TX 2006 ends on January 15th, so
there's only a week left. To register, please go to:

        http://us.pycon.org/TX2006/Registration

You can still register after Jan. 15th, but the cost will go up by
US$65 (US$25 for students).

This year PyCon will feature a day of tutorials before the three days
of regular presentations.  Course outlines for all the tutorials have
been posted; see

        http://wiki.python.org/moin/PyCon2006/Tutorials

All of the PyCon tutorials are still open for new registrations, but
space is limited.

Don't forget to book your hotel room, too.  PyCon TX 2006 is being
held at a Dallas/Addison hotel, and we have negotiated a special low
rate of $79 plus applicable taxes:

        http://us.pycon.org/Addison/Hotels

We hope to see you in Texas!

Regards,


A.M. Kuchling
amk at amk.ca
Chair, PyCon 2006
http://us.pycon.org


From amk at amk.ca  Sun Jan  8 20:02:10 2006
From: amk at amk.ca (A.M. Kuchling)
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2006 14:02:10 -0500
Subject: [Pycon-announce] PyCon: Plone, Python, BitTorrent keynotes
Message-ID: <20060108190210.GA8961@rogue.amk.ca>

The keynotes at PyCon 2006 can now be announced.

Alan Runyan and Alexander Limi will open the conference with a keynote
about Plone. I haven't received a title yet, but I expect it will
provide an overview of Plone's current status, how it's developed, and
where the Plone project is headed.

On the middle day of the conference (Saturday), Guido van Rossum will
give his traditional State of Python talk that will presumably cover
the new features that were introduced in Python 2.4 and the features
coming in Python 2.5.

On the final day, we'll have Bram Cohen, creator of BitTorrent. The
format won't be a conventional keynote; instead, Cohen has requested
to be interviewed. An interviewer hasn't been chosen yet, but you can
suggest questions on a wiki page at 
<http://wiki.python.org/moin/PyCon2006/BramCohenInterview>.


A.M. Kuchling
amk at amk.ca
Chair, PyCon 2006
http://us.pycon.org



From amk at amk.ca  Sun Jan 15 05:52:54 2006
From: amk at amk.ca (A.M. Kuchling)
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 23:52:54 -0500
Subject: [Pycon-announce] PyCon: last day for early bird registration
Message-ID: <20060115045254.GC7394@rogue.amk.ca>

Sunday, January 15th, is the last day on which you can obtain the
lower early-bird registration price. The cost of registration will be
going up on Monday; I'm quite sure that the early bird period will
*not* be extended again.

Another reminder: if you're coming to PyCon and staying in the
conference hotel, you *must* reserve your hotel rooms before February
1st in order to get the lower conference rate; if you reserve after
the 1st, you'll be stuck paying the hotel's standard room rate.  Go to
http://us.pycon.org/Addison/Hotels for hotel information and a link to
the reservation page for PyCon.


A.M. Kuchling
amk at amk.ca
Chair, PyCon 2006
http://us.pycon.org


From amk at amk.ca  Mon Jan 16 15:57:05 2006
From: amk at amk.ca (A.M. Kuchling)
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 09:57:05 -0500
Subject: [Pycon-announce] Sharing rooms
Message-ID: <20060116145705.GD12888@rogue.amk.ca>

If you're trying to reduce your hotel costs for PyCon, there's a wiki
page at <http://us.pycon.org/Addison/RoomSplitting> for listing
yourself as a potential roommate.

(Of course, PyCon and the PSF take no responsibility for the outcome
if you share a room with someone you don't know well.)


A.M. Kuchling
amk at amk.ca
Chair, PyCon 2006
http://us.pycon.org


From amk at amk.ca  Thu Jan 19 04:42:29 2006
From: amk at amk.ca (A.M. Kuchling)
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 22:42:29 -0500
Subject: [Pycon-announce] Open space activities at PyCon
Message-ID: <20060119034229.GA15858@rogue.amk.ca>

One PyCon tradition is leaving blank spaces on the schedule for
attendees to fill in with their own events, such as birds-of-a-feather
discussions, presentations, or brainstorming sessions.

Many open space events are arranged on the spur of the moment at the
conference, but you can also start setting things up now.

For instructions on how to set up an event in this open space 
in the schedule, please see the instructions at 
<http://us.pycon.org/TX2006/OpenSpace>.

--amk

From amk at amk.ca  Tue Jan 31 22:56:30 2006
From: amk at amk.ca (A.M. Kuchling)
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 16:56:30 -0500
Subject: [Pycon-announce] Reminder: reserve PyCon hotel rooms today
Message-ID: <20060131215630.GA7276@rogue.amk.ca>

Last reminder: reserve your PyCon hotel rooms today!  Go to
http://us.pycon.org/Addison/Hotels for a link to the reservation page.

After today, you can still try to book rooms at the conference
rate. The hotel, however, doesn't guarantee that rooms will be
available at that rate, and you may end up having to stay somewhere
else, or pay the hotel's full price.

--amk