[Baypiggies] [PyCON-Organizers] Conference ideas

[Edward Cherlin]

On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 10:39 AM, Douglas Napoleone
<doug.napoleone at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 1:00 PM, Whitesell, Ken <kwhitesell at monlife.com> wrote:
>  >  - Drop the food service meals. Yes, it's a great benefit - and extremely
>  >  convenient - but as the conference grows, it only becomes more of a
>  >  problem. It's more difficult to manage and becomes a disproportionate
>  >  part of the budget and workload. (I can't think of any other conference
>  >  I've attended with > 1 kp that tries to provide as many meals as PyCon.
>  >  I think there's a law of diminishing returns at work.)
>  -1 Sorry but I need those meals ;-)
>  This is one of the distinctive features of PyCon, and one I love. It
>  helps facilitate the community/family feel. There is nothing more
>  bonding than sitting down and eating together. It is one of the most
>  human aspects of PyCon, and having experienced this in the past, I
>  would feel cheated if it did not continue.

I am taking notes for the SF Bay Area bid for 2010/11.

I see some problems with the meals, but I can't see how to do without
them. The hotel restaurants couldn't possibly take up that burden for
1000+ programmers, and there is almost nothing else within walking
distance. The conference center across the street presumably has
concessions with companies that can feed thousands if they don't all
want to eat at once. Unfortunately, that only really works with events
that are more trade show than conference.

It is possible to sell a meal package separate from conference
attendance. It requires distribution and collection of meal tickets.

The vegetarian meals can be greatly improved. I can talk with hotel or
conference center staff about options, having been a Buddhist monastic
cook. We can obviously do better in San Francisco or Silicon Valley.

I want the conference to supply more food, especially during sprints.
(Also better coffee.) We can offer more meals as sponsorship
opportunities. One of the vendors stepped up for pizza on a sprint
evening, but only once.

>     -Doug

-- 
Edward Cherlin
End Poverty at a Profit by teaching children business
http://www.EarthTreasury.org/
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."--Alan Kay