Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > linux.debian.project > #9931 > unrolled thread

Input requested on "blockers" to organising Debian events

Back to article view | Back to linux.debian.project

Contents

  Input requested on "blockers" to organising Debian events Chris Lamb <lamby@debian.org> - 2018-08-19 00:00 +0200
    Re: Input requested on "blockers" to organising Debian events Martín Ferrari <tincho@tincho.org> - 2018-08-19 16:50 +0200
      Re: Input requested on "blockers" to organising Debian events Chris Lamb <lamby@debian.org> - 2018-08-19 17:40 +0200
        Re: Input requested on "blockers" to organising Debian events Martín Ferrari <tincho@tincho.org> - 2018-08-20 00:00 +0200
    Re: Input requested on "blockers" to organising Debian events Sean Whitton <spwhitton@spwhitton.name> - 2018-08-19 20:50 +0200
    Re: Input requested on "blockers" to organising Debian events Wouter Verhelst <wouter@debian.org> - 2018-08-21 15:40 +0200
    Re: Input requested on "blockers" to organising Debian events Paulo Henrique de Lima Santana <phls@softwarelivre.org> - 2018-08-21 16:40 +0200

#9931 — Input requested on "blockers" to organising Debian events

Dear -project,

I'm still on a bit of "DebConf high" so I was naturally wondering when my
next Debian event might be.

Of course, not all events need to be as big as a DebConf. Whilst we do run
a large number of non-DebConf events such as Bug Squashing Parties or
sprints [0] there seems to be no good reason why we can't consider more,
from the scale of a MiniDebConf such as the one in Hamburg [1] all the way
to a small & informal three-person sprint out of a random coffee shop.

As Project Leader it's my responsibility to try and remove as many
obstacles as possible to Developers getting stuff done, so I therefore
solicit your input on blockers to organising such events.

Specifically:

  - If you have not run an event before, what is the biggest reason
    why not?

  - If you ran an event before but you are no longer running it, why
    not? Are there any specific reasons you could point to?

  - If you are already running events, what would the biggest reasons
    or threats to you stopping?

(On a point of order, I'm sure many of the answers to the above are simply
"time". As we are all busy people this is always to be expected so I would
gently request not responding with this reason unless you feel you would
be adding a truly new perspective.)

 [0] https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents
 [1] https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents/de/2018/MiniDebConfHamburg


Regards,

-- 
      ,''`.
     : :'  :     Chris Lamb
     `. `'`      lamby@debian.org / chris-lamb.co.uk
       `-

[toc] | [next] | [standalone]

#9933

Hi Chris,

I have discussed with you many of these topics in private, but I think
it is worth sharing it with the community.

On 18/08/18 22:56, Chris Lamb wrote:

>   - If you ran an event before but you are no longer running it, why
>     not? Are there any specific reasons you could point to?

I did organise a couple of BSPs in Dublin in the past. Not being a
regular thing, it just did not happen again. Inertia is probably the
main factor, but after that I would add losing simple access to a venue
and some funding, because I don't work for the company that provided
those any more.

On the other end of the event size continuum, I also used to be very
involved in DebConf (global) organisation, but the eternal governance
problems burned me out.

I also many times considered submitting a bid for DC, the main reasons
not to do it were -apart from the governance problems- the very long
advance planning needed, and the amount of "traditions" carried over
than mean half of the work is spent on organising stuff that I believe
do not add to the conference.

>   - If you are already running events, what would the biggest reasons
>     or threats to you stopping?
Finally, I have run two SunCamp events, and I am still thinking on doing
a third one. My main worry is the trade-off between convenience and
cost: the venue we used has comparatively low prices, but it is far from
the airport. Even with these low prices, many people cannot afford the
cost, and thus the event lacks diversity.


In conclusion, money and the ratio between effort and benefit for the
community are the biggest blocking factors for me. If I want to help run
an event that than reach most of the community, I have to go back to
burning myself out in DebConf or spend too much time and effort raising
funds for a miniconf. If I want to organise something simpler, I must
resign myself to an audience that can afford travel and board themselves.

I think that if one wants to promote the organisation of more events,
the best way would be to offset some of the load to Debian proper.
Funding is the big one, and I believe it could be centralised. But this
also applies to other aspects that can take a lot of time, for example
conference organisation software, and other support services.

-- 
Martín Ferrari (Tincho)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#9934

[dropping myself from CC]

Dear Martín,

> I think that if one wants to promote the organisation of more events,
> the best way would be to offset some of the load to Debian proper.
> Funding is the big one […]

Can just briefly confirm that you are referring to Debian literally
funding the event itself / organising sponsors? (I ask because we
previously discussed some intermediate things such as Debian providing
up-front funds to reserve venues in good time etc.)

> also applies to other aspects that can take a lot of time, for example
> conference organisation software, and other support services.

Whilst I remember, I believe GNOME and KDE have re-usable systems to
organise their conference, seemingly making it fairly easy to spin-up
the repetitive infrastructure.


Regards,

-- 
      ,''`.
     : :'  :     Chris Lamb
     `. `'`      lamby@debian.org / chris-lamb.co.uk
       `-

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#9936

On 19/08/18 16:33, Chris Lamb wrote:

>> I think that if one wants to promote the organisation of more events,
>> the best way would be to offset some of the load to Debian proper.
>> Funding is the big one […]
> 
> Can just briefly confirm that you are referring to Debian literally
> funding the event itself / organising sponsors? (I ask because we
> previously discussed some intermediate things such as Debian providing
> up-front funds to reserve venues in good time etc.)

I was referring to the old idea of moving DebConf fundraising to Debian,
which does not necessarily mean paying for the whole event. But it does
mean centralising the effort, and trying to avoid sponsor burnout.

I think there are many possibilities, from the current
almost-completely-self-funded, to Debian funding 100% of the cost.

Providing a backstop is a great aid, but that does not reduce the amount
of fundraising work required. Other options like matching fund raised
from sponsors, or directly offsetting a percentage of the cost of
food+board, would be way less radical and still very helpful.


-- 
Martín Ferrari (Tincho)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#9935

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

Hello Chris,

On Sat 18 Aug 2018 at 10:56PM +0100, Chris Lamb wrote:

> I'm still on a bit of "DebConf high" so I was naturally wondering when my
> next Debian event might be.

This is nice to hear, thank you for sharing :)

> Of course, not all events need to be as big as a DebConf.

I would hope that they /should not/ be as big as DebConf: it would be
bad if there was not clearly a main conference, and instead that energy
were fragmented between several large conferences.

-- 
Sean Whitton

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#9938

On Sat, Aug 18, 2018 at 10:56:55PM +0100, Chris Lamb wrote:
>   - If you ran an event before but you are no longer running it, why
>     not? Are there any specific reasons you could point to?

I ran a BSP once at my company's offices [1]. The company stopped having
offices not long after, so that was never repeated ;-)

[1] https://wiki.debian.org/BSP/2012/12/be/Mechelen

-- 
Could you people please use IRC like normal people?!?

  -- Amaya Rodrigo Sastre, trying to quiet down the buzz in the DebConf 2008
     Hacklab

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#9939

Hi,

----- Mensagem original -----
> De: "lamby" <lamby@debian.org>
> 
> (On a point of order, I'm sure many of the answers to the above are simply
> "time". As we are all busy people this is always to be expected so I would
> gently request not responding with this reason unless you feel you would
> be adding a truly new perspective.)


Here in Brazil besides MiniDebConf Curitiba, we have tried organize Debian tracks with some talks inside free software events, like:
FISL (http://fisl.org.br)
Latinoware (http://latinoware.org)
Campus Party (http://brasil.campus-party.org)

Sometimes the owners of these events accept our idea, sometimes not.

The biggest problem for us is to pay expenses like ticket airplanes and accommodation to go to them.

Best regards,

-- 
Paulo Henrique de Lima Santana (phls)
Curitiba - Brasil
Membro da Comunidade Curitiba Livre
Site: http://www.phls.com.br
GNU/Linux user: 228719  GPG ID: 0443C450

Apoie a campanha pela igualdade de gênero #HeForShe (#ElesPorElas)  
http://www.heforshe.org/pt

[toc] | [prev] | [standalone]

Back to top | Article view | linux.debian.project

csiph-web