Greetings Pythonistas - <br><br>Plans are underway for pyArkansas 2012 to be held on the campus of UCA this Fall (we are still working on the date). This is our 5th year and we want it to be a conference with things YOU want (except for that rascal last year asking for PERL classes :-). To that end we are asking for your ideas and for help in organizing things.<br>
<br>Traditionally, we meet on a Saturday and have classes (2-1/2 hour sessions) in the morning and talks (30-60 minutes) in the afternoon. How do you feel about that? Do you want more classes? More talks? Something else? And what topics do you want see covered? We have had people begging us for GIS classes since the start and, this year, we hope to bring in a speaker or two. The problem is that GIS is a huge field; what, in particular, do you want to see covered? Last year we had a class on Blender; should we invite Gordon back (the class rocked!). Again, what do YOU want to see? Beginning Python? Intermediate? Advanced? You will have to let us know topics (web? database? games? scientific? robotics? mobile? modules?). We are currently considering web-casting some of the classes live to Colleges/High Schools around the state in order to get more people involved.<br>
<br>At last count, we had over 60 people on this list. Please respond and tell us what you would like to see (nobody will get hurt!).<br><br>Also, we are asking for help organizing and putting on the conference. pyArkansas quite literally started when Cooper emailed me and suggested that we put it together (5 years ago!). Neither one of us had much of a clue, but it didn't stop us from putting it on and having a lot of fun in the process. You don't need experience, you just need to want to help and we'll show you how to get it done. We need help with:<br>
<ul><li>Program (speakers, topics, etc.)</li><li>Sponsorships (lots of people WANT to contribute $$ but are never asked)</li><li>Swag (everyone likes free stuff)</li><li>Tee Shirts</li><li>Promotion</li><li>Web (design and content)<br>
</li></ul><p>If you are interested, please join the organizers list (<a href="http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/pyar2-organizers">http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/pyar2-organizers</a>) and introduce yourself.</p>
<p>Everyone else should respond to this list with topics you would like to see covered.<br></p><p>Thanks for your time,</p><p>--greg<br></p>