Organizing Python Representation at OSCON 2007

OSCON 2007 in Portland, Oregon from July 23-27 is fast approaching. This is a professional conference that can give Python a lot of visibility in the IT world and draws a different crowd from our community-run conferences like PyCon.

There looks to be a good set of talks on the Python track, with several positioned to promote the use of Python by telling its story:

• Code Like a Pythonista: Idiomatic Python
• SQLAlchemy: Taming ORM with Python
• Super-sizing YouTube
• How to Write a Killer Sugar Activity
• Exploiting Multicore Capabilities from Python
• Python 3000
• Programming for Everybody: CP4E
• Coding with Dynamic Confidence

There also is the opportunity to reach out by holding Python birds-of-a-feather gatherings. The Python community is a friendly group and face-to-face contact is important to convey the human aspect of Python. Proposals for BoFs can be submitted by visiting the OSCON page for BoFs.

I will not be attending this year, so we need one or more who are willing to step forward and loosely organize a bit. Let's discuss this on the Python advocacy mailing list and make it happen this year.

Jeff Rush
Python Advocacy Coordinator

Calling for Python Writers/Authors

For those who write books and articles, I've established a wiki page just as we already have a page for those who offer training services for Python. If you would like to be reachable by those needing writing services of various kinds, please add yourself to the list, along with some indication of what you prefer to work on, your portfolio of work and your experience level:

http://wiki.python.org/moin/PythonWriters

I'm open to creative ideas on how to format the information. A link to the page has been added to the sidebar menu.

Jeff Rush
Advocacy Coordinator

Calling Usergroup Organizers (and Wannabees)

We'd like to strengthen and raise the visibility of Python usergroups and foster the creation of new ones, by sharing the valuable experiences of those leaders around the community who make it happen.

1. One step is to make others more aware of what is already happening, perhaps in their own neighborhood re Python meetings. I've created a shared blog and invite organizers of existing groups to send me their email address to get privs to post to it.

   Because these postings will be distributed far and wide, a posting should be of interest to those who did not attend but are considering doing so, or that might be instructive to organizers in other cities. An overview of what was covered in a past meeting, or an announcement with substance on what an upcoming meeting is going to be about are good postings. A simple date and local address, or that the pizza was good last week, is not. ;-)

2. A second step is to encourage and support new organizers in forming groups in their area. There is a strong demand for such meetings, but many are uncertain how to go about it. Therefore I've created a new mailing list on which experienced and new organizers can share tips on getting started, whether about getting the word out, finding a place to meet or getting interesting speakers.

Those of us with a history of involvement in a usergroup often forget that many people have never attended a usergroup meeting, or lack experience in running one, so let's help strengthen this aspect of Python. We could use some videos or photos of group meetings as well, posted to youtube.com/flickr.com and the link emailed to me for use.

I'd also like to ask the existing, successful usergroups to spread the word about their efforts by being interviewed by Ron Stephens on Python411, and/or writing up an article on how your group got started for Tennessee Leeuwenburg of The Python Papers. Even a simple "what a typical meeting is like in my area" is helpful.

It would be especially interesting to see how usergroups operate in various countries around the world, and perhaps help bring together these regions.

In closing, for existing usergroups as well as new ones coming online, please update the entry for your group on the roster of Python usergroups.

Jeff Rush
Advocacy Coordinator