Thanks for the writeup Craig!
My comments:
 
- decide on the type of logins/auth that will be allowed for this service
       -> GitHub oauth?
       -> Google oauth?

I'll be happy as long as these two auths are supported.

  - should there be a DNS name for this for easy eaccess:   chat.python.org ?

Maybe in the second phase (after the trial phase)

  -> identify points of contact for Zulip, i.e. who gets contacted if something goes wrong?

I'd like at least several core devs to get involved as admins.
 
  -> should the existing Python Software Foundation infrastructure team be involved in the admin of this system?

I think they should be involved, with setting up zulip and as admins.

  -> does Code of Conduct apply to users of chat system?  Should this be advertised somehow

The PSF's CoC will apply. If it's up to me, I'll have a bot set up that greets every new members with explicit reminder that the CoC applies there.

  -> what types of channels/rooms should be created?  who is responsible for creating these channels?
To start just a python-dev room? admins can create new channels.

 - identify systems that can be integrated with Zulip:
        -> GitHub   (out of the box integration is available)

That's perhaps the important one right now (IMO). The next I'll probably use myself is Zapier integration :)
Future integrations can be proposed at later time.

Related question:
- can anyone add/enable their own integration between zulip and something else? or only the admins?

    - where on the Python.org website should information be made available for logging into the chat system?

Start with the devguide. We might want to update https://www.python.org/community/irc/. It can be requested by opening an issue at https://github.com/python/pythondotorg. But let's not do that yet until after the trial phase.


Mariatta