[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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