First of all, overall, I was really pleased with the conference. Everybody did a wonderful job.
These comments are not to meant as criticism but rather as things I though could be done to do a better job next year. 1) The badges are too fragile. I spoke with any number of people who had broken badges. In prior years, we had little booklets, printed upside down, that worked better. The cost might be an issue. 2) I would like to see an app to enable carpooling. There are two parts to the app: a) carpool from were we live to Bellingham and b) carpool from where we're staying to the campus. I might write that app, I have to learn some server technologies for other reasons and this would be a good learning project. Do you have a preference what language/framework I should use? I would prefer python and flask. 3) More grills. The line for hamburgers, at one point, stretched across the parking lot. Also, I think we ought to insist that the people who are flipping the burgers wear gloves. It's a safety issue. 4) As usual, the boy/girl ratio was awful. There were also few people of color. I would like to figure out a way to encourage more women to attend. Since I am a rich white guy, I am totally unqualified to do anything about it. What I suggest is that we reach to organizations in the area that cater to women. Some ideas, and I have no idea if these are good ideas or not, include such things as a room for childcare for young children and babies (the game den is a wonderful idea - how well did it work?), a mother's room, and a refrigerator for storing food that is perishable. But these are just ideas I am pulling out of thin air. Ask the women why they aren't there. Since I wrote this comment, I have started reaching out to some women who weren't there. Several of them said they didn't know about it. Others said that they had too many family commitments. Also, ask the people of color why they weren't here. I haven't a clue how to do that. The Linux tutorials were WONDERFUL ideas, and perhaps if we emphasized to underserved communities that we are teaching people to use Linux from scratch. I would also like to invite a hiring manager or two to speak about how to come from zero to getting a really good job in the industry. 5) I would like to speak at LinuxFest 2020. When does the Call For Proposals open up? 6) I kept lost looking for the staircase between floors. I'd like to see signs that say "This way to the staircase". I can do that. -- Jeff Silverman, Linux sysadmin nine two four twentieth avenue east Seattle, WA, nine eight one one two -3507 (253) 459-2318 [email protected] (note the zero!) http://www.commercialventvac.com See my portfolio of writings and talks <http://www.commercialventvac.com/portfolio.html>
_______________________________________________ Fest-list mailing list [email protected] https://lists.blug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fest-list
