Hi All
This email is just a quick heads-up about two discussions we'll be having
on the list about future ApacheCons.
Currently, ApacheCon 2011 in Vancouver (in just under 2 months!) is the
only ApacheCon for which we have contracts, a venue, a producer etc. We
don't have anything confirmed for future events/years. We do want to have
future ApacheCons, but we need to decide what they should look like, who
to run them and where etc. Once that's sorted, then we can arrange the
conferences!
Recently, all ApacheCons have been held in conference hotels, run by a
commercial producer, and organised based on a contract that dates from
some time ago.
Going forward, I'd like to see us try two different models. One would be
similar to past ApacheCons, run by a commerical producer in a normal
conference venue. It would be broadly similar to recent conferences, but
we need to decide what we do (and don't!) want from a producer first. The
other model would be to go with a venue outside of the normal conference
hotel space, without the need for high ticket prices and room booking
that that normally entails, and run a more community event.
For the latter, SAP have kindly offered to sponsor us for the use of
some of their conference space in Europe. We need to decide when we want
to hold the event, what venue to go for (it looks like there are a couple
we could use), and a rough outline of the event. When that's sorted, we
can form a planners group, and kick things off! That's discussion number
one.
For the former, we need to re-evaluate our requirements of a commerical
producer in a typical conference hotel style event. What do we want the
producer to do? What won't we let them do that they might otherwise want
to? What things will we do? What roles will we take on? What roles will we
not, as we don't have the volunteers to support it? What can we learn from
other events out their run by other open source foundations, and the wider
community? What are the pitfalls to avoid?
The outcome of that will hopefully be a call for producers, which if all
goes well would then have a producer selected and a conference organised.
First though we need to decide what we want! That's the 2nd discussion.
I'll kick off these two threads shortly!
Nick
