From jfine at pytex.org  Sun Oct 21 14:55:53 2007
From: jfine at pytex.org (Jonathan Fine)
Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2007 13:55:53 +0100
Subject: [EuroPython] EuroPython 2008 - please avoid 21-24 July - TeX
	conference in Cork
Message-ID: <471B4C59.5040109@pytex.org>

Hello

I presented at the 2007 EuroPython, and would like to present again in 2008.

However, I also intend to present at TUG 2008, the annual conference of 
the TeX Users Group.  http://www.ucc.ie/en/tug2008/home/

It will be held in University College, Cork from 21-24 July 2008.  This 
promises to be a major international event, particularly as it is TeX's 
  30th birthday.

I'd appreciate it if EuroPython did not clash with TUG 2008 (but meeting 
everyone's requirements regarding the date is probably impossible).

best regards


Jonathan


From lac at openend.se  Thu Oct 25 06:38:54 2007
From: lac at openend.se (Laura Creighton)
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 06:38:54 +0200
Subject: [EuroPython] Looking for profitable companies that rely on/develop
	Open Source
Message-ID: <200710250438.l9P4cs18002458@theraft.openend.se>

About a month ago I was at an EU meeting where I met David Callahan
who is Deputy Head of Unit for the European Commission in the
Information Society and Media Directorate General. (i.e. a very
important person, not a minor functionary) He is interested in
building the case that 'open source is good for Europe'.  It seems
that while he _knows_ of the existence of European companies who make
a living supporting Open source products or developing using Open
Source, he doesn't actually know many personally.  So he needs real
data with real companies, instead of just 'anecdotal evidence'.

If you have the time, can you send me a paragraph saying:

The name of your company
What Open Source products are contributing to your financial success
How many employees you have
and
if you would be interested in disclosing financial information to
him that could indicate how OS is helping European economies.

He is particularly interested in small consulting firms.  He thinks
that the EU hasn't been counting them when it has been trying to
measure its own IT industry, which results in people concluding
that we don't have much of one.

You can say more, of course, but since he will probably contact you
directly, there is no need to tell all in the first mail.

I've promised to send him lists of companies every week, so that his
mailbox doesn't overflow with mail from all you folk.

Thanks very much for your time,
Laura Creighton


From peter at maubp.freeserve.co.uk  Thu Oct 25 11:55:08 2007
From: peter at maubp.freeserve.co.uk (Peter)
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:55:08 +0100
Subject: [EuroPython] EuroPython 2008?
Message-ID: <472067FC.4080501@maubp.freeserve.co.uk>

Are there plans for a 2008 meeting?  I didn't see anything on the 
website about this...

http://www.europython.org/

Peter
[Biopython]


From lac at openend.se  Thu Oct 25 12:29:17 2007
From: lac at openend.se (Laura Creighton)
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:29:17 +0200
Subject: [EuroPython] EuroPython 2008?
In-Reply-To: Message from Peter <peter@maubp.freeserve.co.uk> of "Thu,
	25 Oct 2007 10:55:08 BST." <472067FC.4080501@maubp.freeserve.co.uk> 
References: <472067FC.4080501@maubp.freeserve.co.uk> 
Message-ID: <200710251029.l9PATHnM029423@theraft.openend.se>

In a message of Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:55:08 BST, Peter writes:
>Are there plans for a 2008 meeting?  I didn't see anything on the 
>website about this...
>
>http://www.europython.org/
>
>Peter
>[Biopython]

Yes, and we will return to Vilnius, and we haven't set the date yet.

Laura

From ms at cerenity.org  Thu Oct 25 15:03:22 2007
From: ms at cerenity.org (Michael Sparks)
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:03:22 +0100
Subject: [EuroPython] Looking for profitable companies that rely
	on/develop Open Source
In-Reply-To: <200710250438.l9P4cs18002458@theraft.openend.se>
References: <200710250438.l9P4cs18002458@theraft.openend.se>
Message-ID: <200710251403.23751.ms@cerenity.org>

Hi Laura,


A handful (aside from Clocksoft/Resolver/... :) that spring to mind for me 
(I'll forward your mail to them):
    * Thoughtworks
    * Blue Fountain
    * Open Advantage (OK, they're an open source consultancy who's services
       are free, but this quote may be useful in finding companies they've
       assisted to use open source: (they're also nice guys :-)
         "We have helped over 750 companies gain a business advantage by using
          open source solutions."

There's also the "open source consortium", who are a trade group who represent 
companies in this area.
   * http://www.opensourceconsortium.org/

Their list of members (which is probably useful :-) is here:
   * http://www.opensourceconsortium.org/members

It's not exhaustive though, I can think of at least 4 companies not on that 
list... (clocksoft, resolver, thoughtworks, c-dot consultants)

The BBC also relies on open source to deliver the BBC's online service.
Indeed its conceivable that the BBC couldn't deliver the BBC's online
service *without* open source. (Not just because of the cost aspects, the 
website relies heavily on modifications & extensions, some of which are 
published at www.bbc.co.uk/opensource )

He may also want to be aware that the EBU are also making similar moves in the 
open source world, to the extent there was a seminar recently there (which I 
was chairing :-). That's written up here:
   * http://www.ebu.ch/en/technical/opensource/

I've given talks on the BBC's use of open source before, but the one which I 
wrote up here is perhaps useful to him as well - http://tinyurl.com/yd4j2y .
This document is based on the presentation given in the "Business Briefings"
track at Linux World London Olympia 2006. 

The slides for that presentation are here: http://tinyurl.com/3c2xz6 - but I 
was having a go at lessig style slides (useful given the amount of material), 
which feel more like subtitles than slides, so the blog entry above is 
probably better. 

Bit of a brain dump I know, but hopefully useful :-)

Michael.


On Thursday 25 October 2007 05:38, Laura Creighton wrote:
> About a month ago I was at an EU meeting where I met David Callahan
> who is Deputy Head of Unit for the European Commission in the
> Information Society and Media Directorate General. (i.e. a very
> important person, not a minor functionary) He is interested in
> building the case that 'open source is good for Europe'.  It seems
> that while he _knows_ of the existence of European companies who make
> a living supporting Open source products or developing using Open
> Source, he doesn't actually know many personally.  So he needs real
> data with real companies, instead of just 'anecdotal evidence'.
>
> If you have the time, can you send me a paragraph saying:
>
> The name of your company
> What Open Source products are contributing to your financial success
> How many employees you have
> and
> if you would be interested in disclosing financial information to
> him that could indicate how OS is helping European economies.
>
> He is particularly interested in small consulting firms.  He thinks
> that the EU hasn't been counting them when it has been trying to
> measure its own IT industry, which results in people concluding
> that we don't have much of one.
>
> You can say more, of course, but since he will probably contact you
> directly, there is no need to tell all in the first mail.
>
> I've promised to send him lists of companies every week, so that his
> mailbox doesn't overflow with mail from all you folk.
>
> Thanks very much for your time,
> Laura Creighton
>
> _______________________________________________
> EuroPython mailing list
> EuroPython at python.org
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/europython