[python-uk] UK Python Conference, 20-23 April 2005 - getting started

[Andy Robinson]

Hi everyone.  It's once again time to begin planning the
Python track at the ACCU conference.  I should have started
this sooner :-)

It's the same place, Randolph in Oxford on 20-23 April 2005.
I am sending out a call for papers concurrently with this.

I would like to attempt at least a pretence at democracy
by running through what we plan now, to let anyone air
their views.  Call for papers is going out now, and we
will try to get some Python-specific web pages together
next week. I will be at an ACCU planning meeting today
and they will want to start publicising this heavily
from 2nd January.

Here are some issues I should throw out:

1. Is this the UK Conference? Are there others?
Last year some people suggested there should be a UK event
which is more community-oriented, elsewhere.  If so, that would
be great, and if they feel strongly it should take over the title
of "UK Python Conference" then I don't want to stand in their
way.  However, barring howls or concrete plans for another
event, I would like to brand this "The UK Python Conference".

2. Committee and Volunteers
Two gentlemen kindly volunteered to help at last year's event.
If they are on this list, please ping me - I lost your
details!  If not we will probably find you through a mailing
to the attendees.

The ACCU normally chooses and solicits talks in committee and
insisted on this last year.  This year we're doing a Call for
Papers for the Python tracks, as you'll see with the concurrent
emails.  Tim Couper, myself, John Lee, and (if we can find them)
the two volunteers will form a committee to look at the
talks.  If anyone else wants to join, say so.

Be warned there will be no financial perks for the committee -
if you want to get in free, you have to have a talk accepted.
ACCU committee members all follow the 'pay or speak' rule.

4. Format
This is largely set.  We have 3 days and 3 90 minute slots
on each, plus lunch and evening events.  Slots can be divided
in two.  We must therefore aim for a small number of high
quality talks of interest to most programmers.

We could add a second track if (a) we could demonstrate there
were likely to be more than 50 people and we needed to split
rooms AND (b) if there were too many great talks.  But last year
most people really wanted one track to avoid tough choices.

5. Price
Not set but expected to be similar to last year (approx
£100 per day).  This year has 'Security' as the rotating
special subject, so we won't have an Open Source track and
the corresponding massive crossover with Python.  As always
it will be cheapest if you join the ACCU.

6. Extra events
If people want to hold sprints, open days, tutorials or
anything else around the event, let us know soon.  It may be
possible to find cheaper space within the University before
or after the event.  The event is provisionally Thu-Fri-Sat
which would make sprints or tutorials on Tue-Wed feasible.
If lots of people want to show what they are doing and meet
up at lower cost, one possibility is a Python community open
day on the Tuesday,


All comments are welcome

Best Regards,



Andy Robinson
CEO/Chief Architect
ReportLab Europe Ltd

p.s. I am on holiday this week and getting email sporadically
until 8th December.