This morning I received Steve Holden's email alerting a bunch of people to the low cost Python conference coming this March. Thank you Steve!

A pleasure.

I'm numb to conferences because they are traditionally priced at the corporate level.

I had missed previous announcements of http://www.python.org/pycon/...

I was a bit shocked at the cost of IPC8 and IPC10, the only two I paid for. Only went to IPC8, but that's another story. perhaps

my head was in the sand.

Is this the first time a low cost Python conference has been held in the USA?

To the best of my knowledge. We were inspired by the YAS (Yet Another Society) approach. I believe I sent the first message to the python-conferences list after IPC10, and I'll quote from that message for those who have joined the pycon-interest list: """Summarizing: 1. Attendance could be higher at future conferences run along the same lines as Python 10. These things are small beer to Foretec compared with the cash-cow IETF bashes, and I don't really feel they are in touch with the market for Python. This may be heresy, I don't know enough to know who these comments might offend. Don't really care much, either: Foretec certainly didn't make me feel, as a first-time attender, that I was anything special, or that they were glad to see me, or even that they would like me to come back next time. I think Foretec think Python is a yawn. The way they approach it, I think they're right. 2. Whether or not Python 11 is much like Python 10, there is certainly room for some sort of no-frills (Python 11.5?) conference to attract and cater for Pythonistas who don't have the benefit of commercial backing of one kind or another. This would also better enable the PSF to judge groundswell growth in Python usage, and put them nearer the "beer and skittles" end of the market, such as it is. 3. My own feeling is that the PSF or some other visibly non-profit organization could do at least as good a job as Foretec, but I shudder when I remember the time it takes to organize an even half-way professional conference. """ Those impressions and intentions still stand. I don't feel that PyCon will be a success unless we can persuade "ordinary" Python users like you and me to take responsibility for making sure the things they want to happen do actually happen. I don't have the time to spoon-feed a passive audience, and I don't think PyCon should be catering to that audience. I'm quite prepared for it to be a little rougher around the edges than the International Python Conference, as long as it appeals to the broad church of Python users (most of whom can't shell out $500+ for a three-day event).

My main interest in Python is Jython. The wiki (http://www.python.org/cgi- bin/moinmoin/PyCon) mentions that others are interested in this as well. Great! Perhaps there could be a Jython track?

Perhaps. It mostly depends on how many Jython papers we get, and who is prepared to ensure that Jython users are well-represented in the registrations. It would be nice to have some organized mechanism for feedback, but there's only one of me. Guido's snowed under with various development projects right now.

There's a call for Volunteers on the wiki. What would the Volunteers do? I live in Nebraska. What might I be able to do? Are you looking for volunteers before the conference or to do things during? Or both?

Well, before PyCon you could help design mechanisms that make sure the audience's interests are reflected in the presentations. You could encourage favorite Python authors or contributors to submit a paper by suggesting topics you'd find interesting. You could write a paper of your own. You could write a lightning talk. You could organize one or more Wiki pages for use in preparing a Jython track (PyConJython?). You could encourage others to contribute to that Wiki, and/or establish other Wiki areas to indicate support for and possibly even sponsorship of particular topics. You could publicize the conference anywhere and everywhere relevant. You could move to DC :-). You could think about all the administrivia that's need to run a friendly and professional conference and produce checklists, liaise with suppliers, suggest sources. You could help to get the papers ready for publication on the web. You could help to prepare brochures and circulate them. During PyCon you could help out at the registration desk. You could help to build, operate and tear down the wireless infrstructure we are putting in place to keep everybody up on the Internet. You could make sure that speakers are ready to speak, with viewgraphs and handouts as appropriate. You could run a BoF (birds-of-a-feather) session or three. You could make sure that extempore sessions were recorded. You could organize transport sharing to help conferees to keep costs down. You could monitor the accommodation position for late arrivals. You could put a task force together to organize the *next* PyCon. You could offer me a free place :-) I'm posting the above on the Wiki to try to stimulate others. The next task for the PyCon organizers is to create a task list that we can order and use to drive the planning for and execution of the event.

Is it ok to post talk and paper ideas to the wiki? To the mailing list? Only send them into the committee?

Any or all three will be perfectly acceptable. I'll leave it to you to judge the appropriateness of each channel for the particular concerns you want to address. Nice to hear from you. regards ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Holden http://www.holdenweb.com/ Python Web Programming http://pydish.holdenweb.com/pwp/ Bring your musical instrument to PyCon! http://www.python.org/pycon/ -----------------------------------------------------------------------