[python-events] Appreciation
DL Neil
NZPUG at etelligence.info
Wed Nov 20 17:23:29 EST 2024
Dear Folk,
Greetings from down-under (or, from the antipodes, if you speak Latin)!
Yesterday's event was the last of our PUG's Monthly Meetings for 2024.
Many thanks for all your good efforts in spreading-the-word!
We've made some significant changes this year and over the last few years.
Experimenting with virtual-tools put us in a good position when the
country (and subsequently, our largest city) used hard lock-downs to
combat COVID-19. Whereas other professional and technical groups fell by
the wayside, we became fully-virtual and opened the doors beyond the
geographic confines of our city-center - affecting not only the range of
folk we could invite to meetings, but also the speakers who could 'beam
in' from anywhere (and they did - still do!).
Since then, we've experienced greater difficulties in finding a
(semi-)permanent home for in-person meetings (ie increased security and
bureaucracy). Meantime, our virtual-membership had doubled our
Meetup-numbers (whatever that might imply).
Accordingly, when the "New Zealand Python Users' Group" changed its name
to "Python New Zealand", it was also decided to recognise that the
"Auckland Branch" had long out-grown the apparent confines of its
city-label, and we started the "Online Group" (even if, at present, I
lead both concurrently). In its first three~four months of life, the
Online Group has doubled its membership, month-on-month - however
unlikely such an explosion is to continue; and more importantly, with no
loss of active-attendees.
In 2024 it is easy to observe that Python is utilised in an
remarkably-wide variety of application-domains. Accordingly, the
difficulty of Monthly Meetings trying to offer not only something for
Beginners and something else for Advanced practitioners, but multiplied
by such a variety of application-specific tool-sets and topic-interests.
Consequently, the PyNZ Online Group is also experimenting with
gatherings beyond the traditional Monthly Meeting (of the entire group);
with what we might term "SIGs" (Special (or smaller) Interest Groups).
These recognise some of those specific topics and interests - I
transmitted an Event Request on behalf of the GIS-SIG, a few minutes
ago. Better still, they are involving more folk, more regularly - and
(to my relief) more leaders and contributors are stepping-up.
To-date, such meetings have typically been arranged at short lead-times.
Often they are more discussion- than presentation-oriented. However, if
and when possible, I'd like to start feeding their calendars through to
join yours - if such fits within this group's remit?
Another 'SIG' (which actually started quite some time ago, but has been
slotted under that umbrella-term) is the Python Learners' Co-op. This
has been a surprisingly successful venture. Rather than offering a
training course (with its attendant time, cost, effort, etc, demands),
this is a social and support group for newcomers to Python while they
are attempting a MOOC or other formal training-course, eg Community
College or 'night classes'. Despite folk working at different rates of
progress, on different courses, and in different time-zones (even
different home-languages); somehow we manage to coalesce as a community,
asking for assistance where needed, helping each other, and offering
encouragement. As well as the group currently under-way, another one of
these is planned to start in January, in the US time-zones' evenings.
In our part of the world, summer vacation-time coincide with Christmas
and New Year celebrations - and as our academic-year matches the
calendar-year; we joke that the country shuts-down during December and
January (the universities don't start their year until
end-Feb/early-Mar). Thus, we will be holding some lighter-hearted
lunch-time meetings for those who will be left working, keeping the
lights-on, whilst everyone else is relaxing at the beach. We call these
people 'the Vacation Exception Handlers'. Thus, a SIG which only
operates for a few months!
We're always keen to hear of ways to 'do' Python better, and would
welcome your suggestions. Also, and always, looking for speakers and
others prepared to volunteer contributions!
I also invested one year of wall-time (would you believe?) in persuading
PyNZ to join the PSF's Pro-Network on Meetup.com. Have been wondering
how that 'advertising channel' affects, influences, or complements the
work 'here'?
It might be a little early, but as well as our thanks, may I wish you
the compliments of the (coming) season and the very best Python-year in
2025!
--
Regards =dn
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