[Python-Dev] PyCon 2009: Call for sprint projects

[Jacob Kaplan-Moss]

Python-related projects: join the PyCon Development Sprints!

The development sprints are a key part of PyCon, a chance for the contributors
to open-source projects to get together face-to-face for up to four days of
intensive learning and development. Newbies sit at the same table as the gurus,
go out for lunch and dinner together, and have a great time while advancing
their project. Sprints are one of the best parts of PyCon; in 2008 over 250
sprinters came for at least one day!

If your project would like to sprint at PyCon, now is the time to let us know.
We'll collect your info and publish it so that participants will have time to
make plans. We'll need to get the word out early so that folks who want to
sprint have time to make travel arrangements.

In the past, some have been reluctant to commit to sprinting: some may not know
what sprinting is all about; others may think that they're not "qualified" to
sprint. We're on an ongoing mission to change that perception:

* We'll help promote your sprint. The PyCon website, the PyCon blog, the PyCon
  podcast, and press releases will be there for you.

* PyCon attendees will be asked to commit to sprints on the registration form,
  which will include a list of sprints with links to further info.

* We will be featuring a "How To Sprint" session on Sunday afternoon, followed
  by sprint-related tutorials, all for free. This is a great opportunity to
  introduce your project to prospective contributors. We'll have more details
  about this later.

* Some sponsors are helping out with the sprints as well.

There's also cost. Although the sprinting itself is free, sprints have
associated time and hotel costs. We can't do anything about the time cost, but
we may have some complimentary rooms and funding available for sprinters. We
will have more to say on financial aid later.

Those who want to lead a sprint should send the following information
to pycon-organizers at python.org:

* Project/sprint name

* Project URL

* The name and contact info (email and/or telephone) for the sprint leader(s)
  and other contributors who will attend the sprint

* Instructions for accessing the project's code repository and documentation (or
  a URL)

* Pointers to new contributor information (setup, etc.)

* Any special requirements (projector? whiteboard? flux capacitor?)

We will add this information to the PyCon website and set up a wiki page for you
(or we can link to yours). Projects should provide a list of goals (bugs to fix,
features to add, docs to write, etc.), especially some goals for beginners, to
attract new sprinters. The more detail you put there, the more prepared your
sprinters will be, and the more results you'll get.

In 2008 there were sprints for Python, TurboGears, Pylons, Django, Jython, WSGI,
PyGame, Bazaar, Trac, PyCon-Tech, OLPC, Orbited, PyPy, Grok, and many others. We
would like to see all these and more!

Sprints will start with an introductory session on Sunday, March 29; this
session will begin immedately after PyCon's scheduled portion ends. The sprints
themselves will run from Monday, March 30 through Thursday, April 2, 2009.

You can find all these details and more at http://us.pycon.org/2009/sprints/.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly.
Thank you very much, and happy coding!

Jacob Kaplan-Moss
<jacob at jacobian.org>