IRC Meeting #5
Minutes
(From an incomplete IRC log - thanks a lot, X-Chat!)
- Promotion:
- python.org now has an announcement for the Call For Proposals.
The EuroPython site now has a more visible "submit a talk" link.
- Benedikt has spread the word at CERN.
- The CFP should be sent to europython-announce.
Armin and the PyPy people could mention EuroPython at RuPy.
- Bea suggested contacting ZEA in order to get the word around in the Zope community.
- David suggested contacting Ron Stephens for the Python411 podcast.
Paul reminded everyone about EuroPython2007/ArticleForPythonPapers (and will edit it some more).
- Aiste will translate the CFP into Russian and try and promote it in the Russian speaking world.
Other "channels" have been informed - see EuroPython/2007/PublicRelations for a table and feel free to update it!
- Opening times: Aiste will inform the mailing list about facilities and their opening times/availability.
- Sponsorship:
- Contact points:
- The europython-sponsorship mailing list is still active.
- Michael suggested a sponsorship at europython.org address.
- Benedikt or Michael will look into Google participation.
- Commercial concerns:
Paul noted that PyCon feedback had been somewhat negative about sponsored talks.
- Michael said that sponsor lightning talks had been "mildly ridiculed" by some people.
Laura noted that some people regard PyCon as being "too commercial" and warned about having too many "talks about what people are doing at work" rather than cool stuff.
- David mentioned that "more employers are sympathetic to community events", referring to employers' expectations of what their employees are going to be doing at the conference.
- Packages:
- Harald mentioned that sponsors are comfortable with "gold/silver/titan" sponsorship levels and it can be a basis for negotiation.
- It was agreed that by having preset levels (or suggestions), it makes the conference look more marketable.
- Paul argued that being prepared was critical so that potential sponsors could be handled, but that being flexible (listening to what sponsors are used to) is important.
- Bea wondered about budget and venue issues.
- Aiste noted that four booths could be accommodated.
- Aiste will check with the hotel about sponsor streamers at the entrance (mentioned in the previous packages).
- The sponsor information template was located in CPS.
- It was decided that a better idea of budget coverage and facilities was needed for the next meeting, along with more ideas about what sponsors might want.
- Contact points:
- A time limit of one hour was suggested for subsequent meetings.
- Next meeting was suggested for Monday 16th April.
Time/Location
The meeting will take place on Monday 2nd of April (2007-04-02) 18:00 CEST (17:00 BST, 16:00 UTC/GMT) in the #europython channel on freenode.net. That's 5pm UK time, 6pm in most of Western Europe.
Agenda
No agenda yet. Suggestions:
- Finishing the theme descriptions in Indico: "education" and "social skills" are missing; "agile" needs reviewing; suggestions welcome about the others.
Promotion: we're on python.org now, but what other channels should be involved? See EuroPython/2007/PublicRelations for interesting avenues, along with some materials used by the PyCon organisers.
- Sponsorship. Any motion here?
EuroPython sponsorship has become fairly unobtrusive: Web site banners, some promotional activity at the conference.
In contrast, PyCon has maintained the previous "sophisticated" sponsorship plans: http://us.pycon.org/TX2007/HowToSponsor
Some resistance to promotional keynotes and lightning talks is detectable in the PyCon feedback: PyCon2007/Feedback/Comments
- Perhaps a dialogue with potential sponsors is better than the usual bronze/silver/gold categories.