PyOhio is a daylong regional miniconference being planned for the summer of 2008 in Columbus, OH.

We are very much still in the planning stages, and this page is being used to gather notes.

Budget

Let's try to avoid having one! If we can get a location for free and turn attendees loose for lunch, we can avoid this headache.

Location

Requirements:

• Ideally, space for 2 talks of ~ 50 attendees each, plus 2 Open Space groups of ~ 20 each
• Wireless! Absolutely crucial if we have sprints, very desirable otherwise

Places to check with:

• Ohio Supercomputing Center

  • They did, after all, put this on: http://www.osc.edu/press/releases/2007/python.shtml

• Universities
• High schools
• Library

  • The Columbus Public Library has a very generous policy on letting groups meet: http://evanced.columbuslibrary.org/evanced/lib/roomrequest.asp The only problem is the funny capacity: a 200-seating auditorium (OK but overkill) and two conference rooms (seating 15 and 10). That would suit a single talk track and two open spaces OK, but things would get funny in the afternoon when it's all open spaces.

• Private company
  • Anyplace with substantial Python-using population might be willing
• Training companies
  • The Cincinnati and Dayton branches of New Horizons have been friendly to user groups; is that true of Columbus?

• [http://www.oclc.org/conferencecenter/default.htm OCLC]

  • It looks like a nice facility, and it's said they have some Python users. My only worry is that they'll want $, but it can't hurt to ask.

Schedule

I suggest one or two tracks of pre-scheduled talks in the morning, with Open Space available outside. The afternoon can be an unconference, devoted entirely to Open Space.

Anyone who would like to schedule a sprint in conjunction with PyOhio should definitely do so!

And let's have Lightning Talks!

Gear needed

• Projectors: At least one per scheduled talk track; ideally, Open Space rooms should have projectors, too

  • CatherineDevlin can borrow one from work. Can anybody else? Don't sweat it too much until we know the locale, since it may provide them.

• Microphones, amplifiers, etc.
• Big board for Open Space scheduling

Brochure

Attendees should get a handout describing:

• what Open Spaces are & how to participate

• scheduled talks with their abstracts

Sponsors

Shouldn't be necessary, since we're trying to go without a budget. However, if any sponsors do appear, there are some things they could do for us:

• Buying lunch or snacks
• Swag or door prizes
• Paying for a locale (if all else fails)
• Paying for an after-party

After-party

Don't look at me, I'm a nerd. But it is a possibility...

More planning resources at [http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy/UsergroupSupport User Group Support]