[EuroPython] Re: EuroPython 2004

[Denis Frère]

Le Thu, Jul 03, 2003 at 01:56:02AM +0300, Heimo Laukkanen pianota:
> - More open spaces, free time to the schedule so that people can have 
> discussions
> 
> - Some evening program, for example on thursday - so that most of the 
> people - for example just within the tracks - would gather for dinner.
> 
> - More sprints before the conference
> 
> - Free beer

For that point, at least, we are assured to get some satisfaction :
last year Chimay provided us with some beer and some cheese. This year
the sales representative has changed and we were not in time to find an
arrangement. But in 2004, they will be there again: they promised and I
won't let him forget us.

> I just wonder that isn't there in Charleroi any business that would be 
> interested to get to support this large group of people and get them to 
> come into their restaurants or whatever.

This year, the Eden Brasserie opened specially for us. But don't expect
a restaurant to give free meals, even if the group is large enough. What
would be their interest then ?

> >We will also ask you to get involved earlier : very early talk
> >submission and very early registration (don't forget that if we succeed
> >in attracting more people, hotel booking may become a concern).
> 
> This is actually something that could be helped with 'community' - ie. 
> if people near Charleroi would be able to take a person or two to sleep 
> at their house and naturally get something in return. I mean it is 
> always much more fun to really meet new people and spend time with them, 
> rather than see another standard hotel room.

The Python community in Charleroi is not so wide. And if I take my case
as an example, I spent only a couple of hours home every night : if you
wanted to meet me, you'd better have a beer in a pub than sleeping in my
home. :-)

> And/or if it would be possible to get something for low budget travelers 
> - students etc., it could make a huge difference. A very good idea is to 
> match people together and rent apartments / houses for a week. I heard 
> atleast from one very succesfull project like this - and witnessed also 
> in Paris how this kind of approach brings people together and is 
> extremely fun.

In 2002, we managed to get a sport center where about 40 of us have
slept. But I can remember it was another big amount of time in setting
up a small website with pictures, answering mails, getting the payments,
etc. 
cf. http://europython.p3b.org/adeps

There is a another nice possibility : we could rent a whole center where
120 persons could sleep (dormitories). That's not very far (about 10 
km), it's in the wood, next to a sport track, there is an auditorium,
plenty of space, a huge kitchen, ... We could have common evening
activities, extra presentations, but then we should know early enough
that many people are interested, we can't rent this kind of place for
10 students. Are there 100 people ready to book before Xmas or someone
who wants to take the financial risk ?

That's why I was saying that we have to start now. Everything is
possible if YOU want and act now.

Good night,

Denis

-- 
Denis FRERE
P3B    : Club Python(-Zope) Belge --------- http://www.p3b.org
OS3B   : Club Open-Software(-Linux) Carolo  http://www.os3b.org 
Aragne : Python-Zope Solutions & Formations http://www.aragne.com