[EuroPython] Is EuroPython happening this year?

[Paul Boddie]

On Saturday 13 May 2006 16:13, Michael Hudson wrote:
> Michael <ms at cerenity.org> writes:
> >
> > By "organisers" here I mean the people who stood up and said "we
> > would like to host/run Europython", not the people pushing you to do
> > it. I've simply had no time recently to push for asking for talks,
> > and quite frankly at the moment I have NO confidence that the
> > current organisers can deliver what they offered.
>
> We'll get there in the end, we always do...

I think that while it's tempting to point the finger, things like EuroPython 
along with all its "assets" (Web site, materials from previous occasions, 
procedures, and so on) should be considered as ongoing, year-round 
activities. Imagine if the IOC left their Web site up with patchy information 
about the last Olympic games. Concepts like "current organisers" are 
misleading: there should always be more to the organisation of the event than 
just the people managing the stuff on the ground. And to bring up the IOC 
metaphor again, you don't generally have the previous hosts 'phoning up the 
next hosts saying, "We've got the torch here - when are you coming to collect 
it?"

> > Also, I remember you, Benedikt, boasting loudly that you would want
> > proposals in 6 months before the conference, and the same going for
> > registration. I had high hopes that CERN could do this, given your
> > long history.
>
> I'm a bit gutted at how this has turned out too.  But I think such a
> strong attack is unjustified and unhelpful.

Really, there should be nothing stopping the EuroPython organisation accepting 
talks for next year's conference right now. Sure, you won't have many people 
submitting talks now because it's way over everyone's horizon, but these 
issues don't change significantly on the basis of where the conference is 
held.

> > On the off chance I've missed something: is it now possible to register
> > and pay for registration? After all, I note I've only got 7 days to get
> > early bird registration now!!!! cf:
> >    http://mail.python.org/pipermail/europython/2006-January/005555.html
>
> Well, the other dates on that mail have slipped past as well.

Where we've fallen shortest may be in the promotion and the continuous 
reminding of people that the conference is happening: things one would 
normally brush aside as "hype" in popular culture. If people reading this 
list are in any doubt about the conference, it should be wondered what 
everyone else is thinking.

> > On a more serious note, can we find an alternate venue quickly ? I
> > have zero confidence that this is happening.
>
> If you think finding another venue in this timescale is even vaguely
> realistic, I'd like some of what you're smoking.

Having the conference in Amsterdam would satisfy both needs here, I think. ;-)

Paul