[Inpycon] Development Sprints

[Anand B Pillai]

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On Wednesday 15 October 2014 04:20 PM, Noufal Ibrahim KV wrote:
> On Wed, Oct 15 2014, Abhaya Agarwal wrote:
> 
> 
> [...]
> 
>> +1 but we need to be wary of the criteria we employ. Taking an
>> extreme example, disallowing students would also reduce the
>> number of first timers and beginners significantly but it is not
>> a good criteria to use (not to mention impossible to enforce).
> 
> I'm completely against setting criteria for an audience. I'm saying
> we structure it so that it attracts people of a certain kind.

I don't think we should structure it so as to attract only the
"experienced" people - the cream if you prefer. Then it would be
possibly not a complete community conference - but a conference only
for the community experts.

IMO, we should cater to all levels of audience - Rank newbies, Python
rookies, journeymen and masters should find something interesting to
listen to and talk about.

In short, I don't believe in this philosophy of "raising the level
every year". This is wrong. It should be about being more inclusive
every year - having the right mix of talks to attract a varied audience.


> 
> 
>> The impression of the conference is formed primarily by the
>> presenters. Complaint about the Pycon has not been that people
>> didn't meet other interesting people. Complaint is that the talks
>> were lacking.
>> 
>> So I think we should be raising the bar for the presenters. Which
>> will in turn lead to self selection of audience as well (with a
>> delay of one year).

When one says "raising the bar", I think there is a tendency to
confuse it with "complex topics". I don't think this is the case. For
example, there might be interesting things to talk about even in the
Python core library in PyCon - so if someone proposes an interesting
talk on say this topic - it could be looked into considering other
aspects and not thrown away just cuz it looks commonplace.

I personally felt this confusion was present in this year's talk
selection.

> 
> Yes. That was the gist of my earlier email. To atleast try, for a
> year, to make it a conference for serious users of Python rather
> than a gathering of first timers whose needs, and I mention this
> again, are better served by first timer workshops like the ones by
> in Python express.

Again, I don't think so. We cannot classify audience as people who
should attend Python Express as newbies and not PyCon India. That way
we seem to be implicitly creating a kind of caste system for audience
and slotting them to neat categories of "this unsophisticated guy for
Python Express" and "this super expert for PyCon India".

I think anyone who is having fun with Python is welcome to PyCon India.
Being serious with it is a personal matter.

However, I agree we need to improve the conference "recall" - the
stickiness of people who attend it to feel coming back for next year.
And not just because of the Food ;)


> 
> 
> [...]
> 
> 


- -- 
Regards,

- --Anand

-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Software Architect/Consultant
anandpillai at letterboxes.org

Cell: +919880078014
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