[Baypiggies] Please delete April

[Shannon -jj Behrens]

Well, with all due respect to the Homebrew Computer club, which I read
about with fascination in "Hackers", I really do enjoy listening to
full-on talks.

-jj

On 4/10/06, Marilyn Davis <marilyn at deliberate.com> wrote:
>
> ----- On Monday, April 10, 2006 ben at groovie.org wrote:
>
> > On Apr 10, 2006, at 12:35 AM, Stephen McInerney wrote:
> >
> >> topic Tony and Wes suggest that we go ahead with this (who will
> >> moderate?)
> >> It got started when Ben Bangert raised the (somewhat off-topic)
> >> issue of
> >> group name in our thread about the Apr agenda:
> >> http://mail.python.org/pipermail/baypiggies/2006-April/000368.html
> >
> > Actually, I threw that in as Marilyn or one of the posts before me
> > suggested the name was "unprofessional" so I tossed my 2 cents in.
>
> Yes. Definitely my fault. I started it:
> >>
> >> I would like to be active in a professional group that is centered
> >> around Python.  But I am reticent to step forward here for two
> >> reasons.  One is the name.  'Baypiggies' is cute but it doesn't say
> >> what we are or suggest professionalism.  The other obstacle to my
> >> whole-hearted participation is the expectation that private email
> >> messages carry an obligation of secrecy for the recipient.  I wonder
> >> if there is a mechanism for changing these things?
>
> And my point is that I don't want to call myself a "piggie".  I don't think it's good for me or anyone.  Actually, a pig, itself, is one of my favorite animals for its intelligence and flavor, but in our langauge it also means sloppy, dirty, fat, and a policeman.  It's an insult.
>
> But, even more important, if I'm going to put effort into an organization, I really want it to be one where there is some mechanism for change.  So I'm also looking for that in the name-change idea, and when I'm talking about architecture.
>
> I found this pointer from Rich Morin interesting:
> >>
> >> P.S.  I dunno if the Python community has anything like
> >> he Perl Mongers, but I think they provide just
> >> about the right amount of cohesion for the local
> >> chapters, without requiring any formality at all.
> >> See http://www.pm.org
>
> And Dennis wrote to us about the homebrew meetings.  I don't really understand how they went, but it has an interesting and fun flavor.
>
> I wonder, Dennis, might you be able to lead such an activity for the April meeting?  I know it's short notice, and I have no idea if it's a good idea, but I'm come for sure, all the way to San Bruno.
>
> Here's the description that Dennis gave us:
>
> ---
>
> The early '80s Homebrew Computer held (wildly IMO) successful meetings with
> no speaker at all.  Their meetings started with an hour or so of what we
> call "announcements".  Announcements, per se, are not the problem.  Indeed,
> we would improve our announcement process along the Homebrew model so very
> few would want to leave.
>
> Homebrew formalized the announcement process: First there was a "mapping"
> session followed by a "random access" session.  In the mapping session,
> people would get up and announce the topic of what they had to say.  They
> did *not* expound, discuss the subject matter, or offer verbal bullet
> points.  This was the "news" equivalent of reading the headline
> only.  Questions, slow delivery, and follow-up from the floor were all
> squelched by the moderator.
>
> The mapping sessions only purpose was to let the audience know who they
> wanted to contact during the immediately following random access
> session.  In random access, people would scramble to go talk (or not) with
> people who made announcements during mapping.
>
> I think this model is something to contemplate.  A mapping session is a
> mapping session...  Topic announcements are *brief* (~60 seconds tops) and
> without followup.  The moderator cuts off the long-winded.
>
> In Homebrew, a substantial fraction of the audience ended up making an
> announcement (50%?).  The mapping -> random access paradigm worked to
> efficiently connect Homebrew attendees, one to another.  I think there is a
> potential here to learn more about each other.
>
> Now there may well be exceptional short discussion or presentation items of
> general interest (e.g. a report).  Fine.  Let's schedule them on the agenda
> and with a discussion leader for the topic who is responsible for coherence
> and time budget.
>
> Regards, Dennis
>
>
>
>
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