Advocacy Accomplishments (most recent at top)

• 2007/05/10 Issued call to Python community for help with 11 answers to Forrester Survey. Some responses received but not much content so will need to research the answers myself, due to short deadline of May 18th..

• 2007/05/09 Received working copies of select chapters of the college textbook "Understanding Computers", for reworking for the 12th edition. The work done for the 11th edition was just updating a few pages, while the 12th edition the publisher staff are allowed to do major rewrites of sections so Python will get higher visibility.

• 2007/05/08 Continually collecting [http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy/VideoLectures quality video lectures] for use by fledgling usergroups or others. Oddly there are not that many around it seems. Hopefully the ones from PyCon 2007, once processed, will help here.

• 2007/05/04 Participated in a teleconference with Forrester Research staff, wherein they reviewed their overall philosophy of how they conduct a survey and what can be done with it afterward. There was also a good question and answer exchange among representatives of the various dynamic languages in the call.

• 2007/05/03 Reviewed the [http://dfwpython.org/uploads/Forrester/DynamicLanguagesCriteria--Draft.xls draft criteria] and gave [http://dfwpython.org/uploads/Forrester/DynamicLanguagesCriteria--Feedback.txt detailed feedback] to Forrester Research about the criteria to be used in their survey of dynamic languages. The final survey form now looks like [http://dfwpython.org/uploads/Forrester/DynamicLanguagesCriteria--Final.xls this]. The survey has aggressive completion dates and involves interviews with selection community members, the names of which I am submitting. It also needs four samples of source code for specific problems, as well as essay-style answers, which I am handling myself. I've asked the community for help with the source code samples.

• 2007/04/26 Spent time learning Andrew's new scheme for content on www.python.org and created [http://www.python.org/doc/av/ a section for audiovisual materials], to be developed in cooperation with [http://www.showmedo.com]. The section has not yet been added to the main menu, pending creation/processing of new screencasts. There is also [http://www.python.org/doc/av/5minutes/ a subsection for the viewing of in-page videos]. These are where the "5 Minutes with Python" series of screencasts will go.

• 2007/04/25 Worked on outline for paper, "[http://wiki.python.org/moin/AdvocacyWritingTasks/StartingAUserGroup Starting and Running a Successful Python User Group]"

• 2007/04/25 Some cleanup and rework of [http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy the Advocacy wiki page] but more is needed.

• 2007/04/25 The [http://wiki.python.org/moin/OmahaPythonUserGroup Omaha Python Usergroup] provided [http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy/UsergroupSupport a sample tearaway flyer], for reuse by other groups.

• 2007/04/25 Convened an online meeting with the [http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy/UsergroupSupport/Committee Usergroup Support Committee], a small group of community members to provide input and take on some of the tasks of strengthening the usergroups of Python. This committee has a private mailing list <usergroup-advocacy@python.org>. The IM transcript of this meeting is online [http://dfwpython.org/uploads/Advocacy/usergroup-committee-minutes-20070425.txt here].

• 2007/04/19 Created a mailing list, <group-organizers@python.org>: "To share knowledge, of what works and doesn't work in running a vibrant Python usergroup. We seek members of existing usergroups to share their expertise and those who wish to start a usergroup near them and want help in getting started." This list has not yet been publicly announced, pending a blog to go along with it.

• 2007/04/15 Performed some auditing of existing roster of usergroups, noting dead links and building up a local spreadsheet of information. Much more is needed here.

• 2007/04/11 Received complimentary paper copy of college textbook "Understanding Computers", 11th edition, that now includes mention of Python.

• (break after PyCon and gap in contract)

• 2007/03/01 End of PyCon 2007

• 2007/02/23 Start of PyCon 2007

• (much preparation for PyCon 2007)

• 2006/12/03 Put candidate PyCon slogans onto poll site and let the community vote; tally the vote and report it to the graphic artist and swag coordinator.

• 2006/12/01 Fed material to author and reviewed writing of Python material in "Understanding Computers" college textbook (pub Mar/2007) to be published by Course Technology/Thomson Learning; lead passed to me from PSF.

• 2006/11/26 Led and finalized keynote speaker selection for PyCon.

• 2006/11/25 Participated in final selection of PyCon tutorials.

• 2006/11/21 Produced first draft of talk timeslot assignment.

• 2006/11/19 Participated in budget preparation for PyCon.

• 2006/11/17 Participated in final selection of PyCon talks.

• 2006/11/14 Get vector format of PyCon logo to the graphic designer.

• 2006/11/13 Made announcment re advocacy onto comp.lang.python, comp.lang.python.announce, and marketing@wingide.com mailing lists.

• 2006/11/11 Took a few quick photos at local bookstore for basic clipart for advocacy portal.

• 2006/11/10 Implemented a [http://advocacy.python.org/suggestionbox.html suggestion box] web form (Zope 3 component) that emails feedback to me at <advocate@python.org>; mail server on ximinez.python.org not configured to accept/deliver mail yet though.

• 2006/11/08 Implemented a [http://advocacy.python.org/docs/dept-careers.3600.en.1 web viewlet/component], under the Careers tab, that polls monster.com and dice.com once each day and plots the count of Python-specific job openings; retains up to 5 years of data.

• 2006/11/08 Established a [http://advocacy.python.org/getinvolved subportal], for those who want to help promote Python.

• 2006/10/31 Met over phone with Shane at O'Reilly to discuss how the various open source communities can work with O'Reilly; wrote up meeting notes on [http://python-advocacy.blogspot.com/2006/11/oreilly-seeking-ideas-on-partnering.html my blog].

• 2006/10/28 Presented a 2-hr code walkthru of [https://svn.python.org/www/trunk/advocacy.python.org/ the underlying structure of the advocacy portal] to the DFW Pythoneers, getting feedback and ideas.

• 2006/10/27 Coordinated with the PyCon graphic designer negotiating contract, getting it signed and so forth; we now have a photo montage at the top of [http://us.pycon.org us.pycon.org] although we're still looking for good photos.

• 2006/10/20 Worked short list of keynote speakers and got speaking commitments; we have [http://us.pycon.org/TX2007/Keynotes 3 firm] and 2 more candidates if our schedule has room.

• 2006/10/17 Contacted specific key individuals and send out emails encouraging various Python subcommunities to submit PyCon talks; we had 104 talk submissions for 2007 versus 70-odd for 2006.

• 2006/10/16 Added support for filterable documents to the advocacy site, and came up with a decent presentation layout for said documents.

• 2006/10/14 Prototyped up and did a code walkthru for the DFW Pythoneers showing how Python programs can participate on the D-BUS (desktop bus for Unix), querying and altering the hardware (such as detecting USB plug-in events and altering the laptop LCD brightness) using HAL. Also showed how to use the notification-daemon on D-BUS to pop-up balloon help and a brief touch on the wireless services provided by Avahi (zeroconf/rendevous) on the D-BUS. This talk came about as a result of my PyCon research into a possible One-Laptop-Per-Child keynote, where that project uses much of this same technology. [http://python-advocacy.blogspot.com/2006/10/tech-walkthru-d-bus-hal-notify-and.html Blogged].

• 2006/10/12 Reviewed the slogans for PyCon with the attendees of the DFW Pythoneers social, collecting input on how and what to select. We also discussed what we'd like to see at PyCon and how we could, individually, lead threads on comp.lang.python and other forums to encourage speakers to step forward.

• 200610/12 Worked on a [http://us.pycon.org/TX2007/TalkIdeas list of PyCon talk ideas], adding outlines to some, posting to comp.lang.python and comp.lang.python.announce. Also blogged the calls ([http://python-advocacy.blogspot.com/2006/10/call-for-members-of-panels-on-web.html here] and [http://python-advocacy.blogspot.com/2006/10/call-for-presenter-on-python-eggs.html here]) for talks and tutorials but I suspect those didn't get out because it was before any blog aggregators had picked me up. I have gotten a good offer for a talk about eggs, and a confirmed solid candidate for a keynote speaker.

• 2006/10/05 Gave a 60-min presentation at the local DFW Unix Users Group about dynamic languages and Python, as a follow-on to the main presentation given by Dave Thomas about Ruby and Rails. [http://www.dfwpython.org/static/DFWUUG_AboutPython/AboutPython.html My slides] are available on the club website, in [http://www.dfwpython.org/static/DFWUUG_AboutPython/AboutPython.txt docutils/restructured-text S5 format]. I'd guess the audience size was roughly 15-20 people. [http://python-advocacy.blogspot.com/2006/10/group-discussion-about-dynamic.html Blogged].

• 2006/10/03 Migrated over the prototype portal from advocacy.dfwpython.org to advocacy.python.org.

• 2006/09/30 Added sponsor logos back to PyCon site

• 2006/09/30 Reworked PyCon site to support IE

• 2006/09/28 Gained access to the correct portion of Python SVN to hold my creations, both software and content.

• 2006/09/25 Put out call for PyCon talk and tutorial ideas; post my suggestion list.

• 2006/09/22 Had a virtual host added to the Apache configuration for ximinez.python.org that points to the advocacy portal work area, along with cgi-bin for a few tools such as Nabu.

• 2006/09/22 Installed onto ximinez.python.org a tool set: Python2.5, Docutils, Zope 3.2.1, Pyscopg2 DA, Nevow/Stan, Nabu.

• 2006/09/22 Established on ximinez.python.org a root directory under which to install the advocacy tools and content.

• 2006/09/21 Got a DNS subdomain, "advocacy.python.org", pointed to ximinez.python.org, one of the python.org machines.

• 2006/09/20 Got an account on the PostgreSQL database on ximinez.python.org, under which to install the various tables for dynamic content.

• 2006/09/20 Got a shell account on the python.org machines and familiariing myself with the architecture and filesystem layout of each.

• 2006/09/17 Restyled the us.pycon.org website to something closer to the look of www.python.org.

• 2006/09/15 Assisted Doug Napoleone with sysadmin support for rolling out the new, Django-based PyCon Submission system.

• 2006/09/12 Produce a glossy sheet and a business card for a install fest being held in Australia. Set up a file library to hold them at:

  • http://advocacy.dfwpython.org/@@/collaterals/ (soon to be at advocacy.python.org instead)

• 2006/09/11 Subscribed to the pydotorg mailing list to get getting involved in discussions.

• 2006/09/07 Arranged for the creation of the mailing list <advocacy@python.org> and the email alias for myself of <advocate@python.org>.

• 2006/09/07 Finalized the contract for the position.

• 2006/08/25 Expanded collection of ArticleIdeas.

• 2006/08/20 Established [:Advocacy:list of magazines] for article submissions and starting collecting ArticleIdeas.

For active discussion on advocating for Python, please join the mailing list at [http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy]

CategoryAdvocacy