<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style="font-family:arial">On Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 5:07 PM, Haris Ibrahim K. V. </span><span dir="ltr" style="font-family:arial"><<a href="mailto:blucalvin@gmail.com" target="_blank">blucalvin@gmail.com</a>></span><span style="font-family:arial"> wrote:</span><br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">From the discussion that has been going on regarding this idea, I<br>
think this is the perfect excuse for a well planned, focused MiniConf.<br>
While Python Express and Local meetups can cater to the beginner crowd<br>
(only to an extent. As it has already been said, local meetup groups<br>
have their own growth plans), and the MiniConf can cater to the<br>
advanced crowd, PyCon India should be the place where everyone meets.<br></blockquote><div><br></div><div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">There's definitely room for MiniConfs on some advanced topics, and we should do that. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">However, from my experience, as you start to dilute the larger conference to focus more on beginners, it will progress towards mostly being about them. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">Advanced and experienced speakers will stop coming. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">And then over a period of time, even the intermediate ones will stop (except the ones organizing the event). </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">From what I've seen across various mobile/cloud meetup groups, this is what tends to happens over time. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">They become groups where 80-90% of the audience is beginner, and 60-70% of the audience changes each time. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">This makes it hard to build a real community that is engaged, active, and interacting with each other over a sustained period of time.</div></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">As Krace pointed out, advanced talks != talk quality. PyCon India's<br>
talk qualities can, and should improve. That does not mean alienating<br>
any part of the community, let them be beginners or veterans<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small;display:inline">.</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">IMO advanced talks are more than just about talk quality. They elevate the conversations, drive greater collaboration, and create a more vibrant community. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">This is what seeds a network of experienced people whose learnings can then be spread and shared across the rest of the community via a network effect.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">What Pycon India is at risk of right now, is a reverse network effect. (Context: <a href="http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/12/22/reverse-network-effects-why-scale-may-be-the-biggest-threat-facing-todays-social-networks/">http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/12/22/reverse-network-effects-why-scale-may-be-the-biggest-threat-facing-todays-social-networks/</a>)</div><div> <br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex"><span class="">
> In any case, we've gone by the "everything for everyone" approach for 5<br>
> years now. I'm saying, let's try the other route and see if it works<br>
> better. If yes, we'll stick to it, if no, we'll come back to the current<br>
> approach. No gain without experiment.<br>
<br>
</span>Absolutely. But instead of experimenting on a huge project that has<br>
shown consistent improvement over the years, let's take it slow, and<br>
try it on a smaller scale to gauge the demand and acceptance.<br></blockquote><div><br></div><div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">IMO Pycon has grown by accident, not by careful conscious choices that were made. I'm essentially making a plea for us to have a plan, and to make specific choices about what we will do.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">(IMO) We *must* enable the beginners and help spread Python. I believe the Python Express effort is the best platform for it, and we must invest in it with a longer term commitment to enabling its success.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">(IMO) We *must* enable diversity, and make deliberate choices towards accommodating and supporting all groups and making it inclusive for them.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">(IMO) We *must* plan for breakaway miniconfs, and they are great opportunities to dive into specific problem sets in smaller groups.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">(IMO) We *must* focus on our core audience, and make the event a success for them. And even if that means slowing down our growth in terms of raw numbers for a while, and improving the quality of *conversations* that happen (not just talks), I feel that's that right direction to go. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">Here's to a great 2015 :)</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">-A</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><br></div><div><br></div><div> </div></div></div></div>