IRC log of #europython for Tuesday, 2010-08-17

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zethHello21:27
tibs_cambridgeHi there - does that mean the meeting is here?21:27
zethYes it is21:28
zeththe most important people are here already!21:28
tibs_cambridgeOK. I may have to disappear sporadically as family things happen in the background.21:28
zethme too21:28
zethMy wife had a our first baby on sunday21:29
zethso it is chaos here21:29
zethgood chaos21:29
tibs_cambridgeOh! Congratulations - hope they're both well21:29
tibs_cambridge(and you're not too tired!)21:29
zeththey are well and we are knackered21:30
ejsHi there21:30
zethHi!21:30
tibs_cambridgeHi21:30
ejscongratulations zeth21:30
zeththanks21:30
ejsWe will be at least one person 'short' - simon sends his apologies21:31
zethlets wait for five minutes21:31
zethto allow any one else to come21:31
zethif that is alright?21:31
ejsfine by me21:32
tibs_cambridgeSounds sensible21:32
tibs_cambridgeI hadn't (I'm afraid) thought to see if anyone else from Cambridge was planning to attend21:32
ejsYPy had a meeting Thursday, it came up there.21:33
tibs_cambridgeVPy?21:33
ejsPeter (qwertyface) plans to21:33
zethY = Yorkshire21:33
ejsYorkshire (really Leeds) Python21:33
tibs_cambridgeAh - sorry - font problems (hmm, must be fixable)21:33
ejsNew people there, but not the one from the python-uk list21:34
zethso I hope my mate steve can come on21:35
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Hawkzhi21:36
ejshi21:36
tibs_cambridgeHi there21:36
zeththen hi21:37
zethgreat21:37
zethso I wrote an epistle on the list21:37
zethhttp://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-uk/2010-August/001906.html21:37
zeththanks to anyone who had time to plough through it21:37
zethI hope it explains the state of play21:37
ejsFrom what I remember it all looked good21:38
zethSo the first item we should do, since people tend to have to leave21:38
zethis to decide if we are having another meeting21:38
zethin the future21:38
zethand if so when21:38
zethis this time of day and week good for people? If you have another chat in a month?>21:39
ejsThis works well for me21:39
tibs_cambridgeIt does sound like a good idea to meet, and a weekday is better than weekend.21:39
tibs_cambridgeTuesday is probably as good as any (I think), so long as it's not the first Tuesday!21:39
zethwell it would be bad to clash with a python group meeting21:40
zeththat is happening anywhere in the UK21:40
ejsYPy is on a Thursday so that's not a problem here21:40
zethso we pencil in 21st september?21:41
zethso shall we pencil in 21st september?21:41
zethand then change it nearer the time if it is a problem for anyone21:41
ejsthat looks great for me21:41
zethso21:42
zethwe didn't finish the site system yet, my fault21:42
tibs_cambridge<sorry - away for a moment> yes, that's good in principle21:43
zethI didn't write the code yet21:43
zethbut we did make a provisional list of mascots!21:43
tibs_cambridgeerm - you've had a good excuse21:43
zethyep cheers21:43
Hawkzmascot/colour scheme list, check21:43
zethwhich Hawkz will turn into nice graphics21:43
zethSince we have some people here from groups21:43
zethmaybe you can suggest better21:44
zethYPy - Yorkshire and Humber Python User Group21:44
zethMascot: Owl (with a white rose in its mouth or in the background)21:44
zethCambridge and East Anglia21:44
zethMascot: Deer (or Turkey)21:44
zethWe have a complete list21:44
ejsthe owl sounds good21:44
tibs_cambridgeI'm not quite sure about mascots, and would want to discuss it with other people locally!21:45
zethI think at europython that owl represents leeds or something21:45
tibs_cambridge- much as we discussed when the current group logo was being designed.21:45
zethI think at europython, someone said that owl represents leeds or something21:45
tibs_cambridgeWhy do we need mascots as such?21:45
zethAh you have a logo cool21:45
ejsit does seem to be around the city alot21:45
zethtibs_cambridge: You don't21:46
zethyou have a fine logo21:46
zethwe were just branding the groups as a default action21:46
zethsince most of the groups do not actually have active members (yet)21:46
tibs_cambridgeAh - are you also distinguishing the region from the local group (as in your document)>21:47
zethyes21:47
zethwell it depends on the local groups and the region of course21:47
tibs_cambridgeOK - I see (sorry, I haven't got the hang of the asynchronous nature of discussion yet, and there doesn't seem to be any way of telling someone is typing, at least on this client...)21:47
zethso the West Midlands has Birmingham at its center, so everyone could get there21:47
zethbut say the example of East Anglia21:48
zethCambridge and Norwich are quite far from each other21:48
zethso each region would presumably do its own thing21:48
tibs_cambridgeYes, we had grand hopes at one time, but there's no real way that someone from towards the coast would get to Cambridge regularly21:48
ejsAnd Yorkshire is just two large for "central" to work -  I think we already have two email lists21:48
zethThe python.me.uk website will try to represent all activity within the region21:49
zethso take London for example, there are four different groups claiming to be python groups21:49
zethThe mascot and branding on that level of the site represents the region21:49
zethwhich may or may not represent the groups21:50
zethis it okay?21:50
tibs_cambridgeThat all sounds sensible. I've no idea (in that respect) what a good mascot for East Anglia is - something that likes fens!21:50
zethSo for example tibs_cambridge might be the person who is the contact for Cambridge and East Anglia21:50
zethbut there could be layers below that over time21:51
zethone of which is cambridge21:51
zeththere might be other ones21:51
zethso our scheme hopefully will handle a bit of growth and decline21:52
ejsSounds good21:52
tibs_cambridgeYes, sounds very sensible21:52
zethtibs_cambridge: maybe you could think about what represents cambridge and east anglia :-)21:52
tibs_cambridge(and at that level, someone central suggesting logos makes much sense)21:52
zethDeers and Turkeys might be too Norfolk21:52
tibs_cambridgeBut Norfolk is big(!)21:53
zeth(I was born in Norfolk)21:53
tibs_cambridge(and mountjack deer even appear in the city gardens here occasionally)21:53
tibs_cambridgeAs I say, decide centrally and we can always change it later on...21:54
zethso the website is still ongoing21:54
zethtibs_cambridge: exactly21:54
zethNext topic21:54
zethtalk swaps21:54
tibs_cambridgeThis addresses one of the things I find scariest21:54
zethI have not done much about this either, except start to write a proposal for the PSF21:54
zethtibs_cambridge: I stop writing and allow you to explain what you mean21:55
ejstibs - scariest ?21:55
zeth(if you want)21:55
tibs_cambridgeIt's easy(ish) finding local speakers, but organising someone from elsewhere is a lot more complex, and help would be good.21:55
tibs_cambridge(explaining further)21:55
zethcool21:55
zethyes me too21:55
ejsright21:56
tibs_cambridgeHaving an external speaker means worrying about their travel, maybe accomodation, whether they will want to speak on a different day than the group normally meets...21:56
tibs_cambridgeand even whether "enough" people will turn up (especially if it is a different day)21:56
tibs_cambridge<that's basically it, I think> - most of this is what Zeth mentioned in his document.21:57
zethSo the current proposal is that the PSF might like to fund the travel. In return, we provide the venue, a sofa-bed for the person to sleep on and a meal.21:57
zethSo we are matching their funding with something of an equal value21:57
tibs_cambridgeCertainly in Cambridge I don't think funding a meal would be a problem, and our family can offer accomodation (for instance) if the person doesn't mind kids (!)21:58
zethperfect21:58
zethso we are not talking about executive speaker type thing21:58
zethwe are talking about volunteers21:58
ejsThere area a couple of YPy members that can offer a room and a meal should be easy21:58
tibs_cambridgeI think all of the most interesting speakers we're likely to want are also likely to be volunteers21:59
zethexactly21:59
tibs_cambridge(I'd go for having fuzzyman speak locally about just about anything, for instance)21:59
zethyep21:59
ejsditto21:59
zeththere are probably lots of people that we have heard at national meetings that would be good to ask22:00
tibs_cambridgeHaving travel funded, and that funding organised locally, would take away a lot of strain.22:00
tibs_cambridgeAnd a pool of volunteers to trundle around the country (!) would also be good...22:01
zethalso I like the idea that ordinary members who have given a talk at their local group can then give it at another group22:01
zeththey do not have to be anyone famous22:01
zethjust a normal member22:01
ejsYeah - this talk was great, anyone else want to hear it22:01
zethexactly22:01
tibs_cambridgeYes, there's at least one person locally (who unfortunately could probably not do it because of family commitments) who I think would be excellent22:02
zethso for 50 train ticket, a home cooked meal and a bed for the night, you can get quite far within the UK22:02
Hawkzcould we utilise ustream etc more? record planned talks for local user groups then upload to the site/livecast fir other groups, like a distrubuted europython? we have cameras etc, and one video/upload is easier to arrange than several22:02
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zethyou won't get from John o groats to lands end22:03
zethbut you would get a group or two across22:03
zethtalk of the devil22:03
tibs_cambridgeBut people may not want to travel that far for a group meeting, anyway22:03
zethhello voidspace22:03
voidspacehello22:03
voidspacein Romania22:03
zethwow cool22:03
ejshi voidspace22:03
tibs_cambridgeHello there22:03
voidspacehey22:04
voidspacehi22:04
voidspace\22:04
voidspacesurprised22:04
zethWe were talking about different speakers one might like to invite to their local group22:04
voidspacebah - sorry22:04
voidspacesurprised to find people in this channel22:04
voidspaceheh22:04
zethit is group leaders of local python groups22:04
zethsharing notes22:04
voidspaceI don't have a local group really22:04
voidspacecambridge and london are closest22:04
tibs_cambridgestealing the space while people aren't looking...22:04
voidspaceboth too far for me22:04
voidspacewife is stealing the laptop22:05
zethvoidspace: okay nice to see you22:05
voidspaceto look for cottages in the mountains22:05
voidspace:-)22:05
zethvoidspace: have fun in romaina22:05
voidspaceback in ten minutes or so22:05
voidspacethanks22:05
tibs_cambridgeHow do other people think about external speakers being at normal (weekday evening) meetings? Does that scale?22:06
zethit depends on the person22:06
tibs_cambridgeIs getting to a meeting in another city for (eg) 7.30, and getting food in before that, sensible for speakers?22:06
zethSomeone like me (well at other times than when we have just had a baby) would be able to do such a journey22:07
zethbut then I am on flexitime22:07
zethand have an employer that likes me to go to places to give talks22:07
tibs_cambridge(me too, although there's never enough of it!)22:07
ejsWell it works for me :) (1 hours travel by train to the meetings) - but again my work is flexable22:07
zethso I think we can just suck that one and see22:07
tibs_cambridgeOK, so it's a small sample, but it sounds like it's workable to try. Good22:08
zethI mean, we can just try it out and find out what works best22:08
ejsand if enough people can't do it then local groups can discuss the occasional weekend meeting22:08
zethdoing an ocassional meeting on a different night might result in engaging more people22:09
zethas someone who couldn't make the weekday evening meeting might come along22:09
zethso you lose some people and gain others22:09
ejsWe've been disucssing doing the occasional weekend meeting anyway for that reason22:09
tibs_cambridgeyes, I guess I'm just a natural pessimist22:09
tibs_cambridgeOn the other hand, unconference style events seem like fun (based only on the B'ham one last year)22:10
tibs_cambridgeand they don't take much organising above the space, and a promise of some attendees22:10
zethyes22:10
zethso I was thinking of asking the PSF for the right to claim up to 1000 in expenses per year22:10
zethit would give us enough to grow into22:10
zethwe don't have to spend it of course22:11
zethbut to the PSF it might not be such a large number22:11
zethconsidering the benefits they would get22:11
tibs_cambridgeIt does sound right up their street22:11
zeth(stronger local groups, more python advocacy, etc)22:11
zethso 1000 would be up to 20 events22:11
zethwhich would be loads22:12
zethand we are matching funding with equivalent value22:12
ejsyeah loads, particularly while we are getting things worked out22:12
zeth(bed for the night, room for the venue, meal etc)22:12
tibs_cambridgeIndeed22:12
zethThat is all I had on the agenda22:13
tibs_cambridgeShould we establish a page (or something) somewhere where people can suggest spearkers they'd want?22:13
zethgood idea22:13
ejsand the reverse - somewhere for people to list talks they have ready22:14
zethyes22:14
zeththat would be very valuable22:14
tibs_cambridgeTrue22:14
zethit might be something we can also enchance automatically22:14
zethbecause hopefully the python.me.uk should have all previous events in its database22:15
tibs_cambridgeAh - yes22:15
zethrate the speaker might be a bit overkill though!22:15
tibs_cambridgeI keep meaning to start writing up our meetings again (who spoke on what), and really must do so again - this may make me restart22:15
zethcool22:15
tibs_cambridgeRating is awkward - as someone who spoke (first time) at EP2010, it's very scary, and one is never sure how well one did, either way!22:16
zethSo I have brought up everything I have for this month22:16
zethtibs_cambridge: exactly22:16
tibs_cambridgeSounds good.22:16
ejswe really need to do some level of organising beyond (did anyone turn up with a talk), this would be a good prompter22:16
zethtibs_cambridge: and the way to become a good speaker is to speak more22:16
tibs_cambridge(I know, and there's a perverted fun to it)22:16
Hawkzmaybe we could incorporate this into the upcoming events on pinax - guest speaks to boost interest?22:17
tibs_cambridgeIn my previous notes-on-meetings, I've listed forenames of attendees - this seemed like a compromise on identity22:17
zethExactly I hope that the regional organiser will add an event into the python.me.uk calander, then we can do all sorts of fun things with it22:17
tibs_cambridgeYes, announcing guest speakers widely would be good.22:17
tibs_cambridge(aagh - another place to remmeber to announce meetings)22:18
tibs_cambridge(note to self: must write a script...)22:18
ejsFor us one would be a start22:18
ejsWe're araning putting someone in charge of that at the next meeting22:18
zethwell I am hoping to make the python.me.uk website automatically spam twitter and facebook and other places22:18
zethso you put the event into a form once22:18
zethand it is automatically promoted in various places22:18
tibs_cambridgeThat would be very cool.22:18
tibs_cambridgeIncluding the UK Python list, of course...22:19
zethyes good idea22:19
tibs_cambridge(speaking of which, will you announce next month's IRC meeting a few days beforehand?)22:19
zethYes good idea22:19
zethI was planning on this time22:19
zethbut I forgot22:19
tibs_cambridgeerm - good excuses again!22:19
zethand was spending a lot of time in a hospital22:19
zethso has anyone got any other topics? I am being told by my wife I have five more minutes22:20
ejsHopefully less than my boss - 3 days in labour22:20
tibs_cambridgeWill you summarise or put up the log of this somewhere central?22:20
zethsure22:20
tibs_cambridge(I'm afraid I'm not volunteering)22:21
zethShall I summarise it and spam it to the python uk list?22:21
ejsI think we've covered everything - and added to zeths workload22:21
zethit is all good22:21
tibs_cambridgeOh - one more thing - we do keep thinking of sprinting locally, and that's another thing that help with might be useful. But that's for another time...22:21
zethWe are not organising EuroPython!22:21
tibs_cambridge(!!!!!)22:21
tibs_cambridgeThanks for organising this - I think it could be valuable for the "keeping one another encouraged" angle alone.22:22
zethWe are not organising EuroPython! So the python.me.uk and local groups does not seem much work22:22
tibs_cambridgeI think organising two EPs was enough for anyone...22:22
ejsThanks for all the work you're putting into this Zeth22:22
tibs_cambridgeYes, definitely.22:22
ejsparticularly after EP and a baby22:22
zeththanks for coming to this meeting22:23
zethand we can chat again in september, when hopefully these things would have progressed a bit further22:23
tibs_cambridgeAnd we'll have had our next local meeting, too22:23
ejsand things can be organised a bit better locally (at least here)22:24
tibs_cambridge I shall mention this meta-group22:24
zethJust the fact that organisers from the West Midlands, Yorkshire and Cambridge have had an IRC meeting is a big step forward22:24
Hawkzcool22:24
zethtibs_cambridge: yes you can22:24
tibs_cambridgeHeh, my first time on IRC22:24
ejsMost of my group know about this - but I'll bring up what was discussed with them22:24
zethHopefully by next month we will have logins for you22:25
ejsYeah, good to have some group talking together and planning to do it regularly22:25
zethand Hawkz would have made us an OWL :)22:25
Hawkzis there anyone i need to work with on that front, front that group?22:26
zethwell ejs is from Yorkshire22:26
zethand tibs_cambridge from cambridge22:26
ejsYeah, I think as I turned up I'm the yorkshire volunteer22:27
zethbut I think behind the design, most of the features the python.me.uk offers should be the same22:27
zethyeah22:27
zethI think if we can get three themes done22:27
zeththat would be amazing22:27
tibs_cambridgeTrue22:27
zethi.e. with content in as well22:27
tibs_cambridgeAnd I promise not to grumble about our votive animal, whatever it be22:27
zethwell if Hawkz has not made one yet, I think you can pick22:28
tibs_cambridgeand filling in content the first time I'm good at (it's maintaining it that's harder)22:28
ejsYeah. When it's up I'll set up what I can for Yorkshire22:28
zethcheers22:28
ejsand then get someone else to do upkeep22:28
zethWe will give you a login when we are ready22:28
zethmight be sometime later in the month though22:28
zethdepending on how quick these baby things sleep22:29
zeth:)22:29
ejsFrom what I've heard not that much22:29
tibs_cambridgeIt depends on the baby - we had one of each22:29
zethGot to go now22:29
tibs_cambridgeThanks again; bye22:29
ejsThanks again zeth22:29
zethI have to change a nappy22:29
zethcatch you all later22:29
Hawkzthanks zeth! legend!22:30
tibs_cambridgeOh, the fun you have to look forward to!22:30
ejsewwwww22:30
ejswell that was more productive than most of my work meetings :)22:30
tibs_cambridgeCertainly than some I've had sometimes.22:32
tibs_cambridgeBye then.22:32
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