What is the PSF.notes

TITLE OF PAPER: What is the PSF? Q&A
URL OF PRESENTATION:
PRESENTED BY: The PSF Board and Officer
REPRESENTING: Python Software Foundation

CONFERENCE: PyCon 2005
DATE: March 24, 2005
LOCATION: 1st floor --------------------------------------------------------------------------

REAL-TIME NOTES / ANNOTATIONS OF THE PAPER:
{If you've contributed, add your name, e-mail & URL at the bottom}

Brief intro to what PSF is
    Do things that make sure Python remains free and open
    Sponsors PyCon
    Hires lawyers
    Holds Copyrights
    Fund python community initiatives where...
        Things where volunteerism falls short, or where projects need money
        Keeping JPython up to date
        Web site redesign

Grand aspect of the PSF
    New thing, projects just starting
    750,000 - 1,000,000 python programmers in the world
        (Infoworld Article)        


What you can do to help
    give money (see Donate button on Python.org)
        Please :)
    If you have a company that might want to sponsor
    Looking for volunteers at PSF
    Just let people know about it, advocacy

Questions (Timmy, Jeremy, Guido, David, Cousin Neil, Steve, Marvin ???)
Q:  When is new Python.org site rolling out?
A:  next couple of months (Steve)

Q:  It might be worth some effort to put in a lobbying / evangelism package
A:  Conversations are extremely powerful (sometimes even more powerful than html
    pages), but also a powerpoint would be a good idea
    Steve says everyone on board is available to participate in evangelism
    efforts and discussions
    
Q:  Corporate sponsorships for PyCon are too cheap.
A:  Steve says you're welcome to contribute more. Next year the sponsorship
    level will be a "suggested minimum."

Q:  What do people use Python.org for? Looking for audience feedback.
A:  Audience: Documentation, Downloads, Making python real in the minds of non
    python programmers

Note from Audience:
Edgewall (company that makes the Trac issue tracking system) has a Firefox
    plugin that adds a sidebar for quick access to Python documentation. Index
    for Python documentation...

PSF can now change the license for contributions to source code?

Important to have quick, palatable stuff for leaving on the desks of people who
    I consult.

Q: Please sharpen PSF mission statement for promoting Python. What concretely
    does it mean to promote growth?

A: Steve replies "perception is everything"...the point of this conference
    [hm...I didn't really follow his reply. -Brad]
    Whats to keep PyCon as the programer's conference
    Made mission statement as general as usual, so we don't get in trouble

Steve Notes:
    Board meets on IRC once per month and will accept public comments at that
        time
    Mail that is sent to PSF will be seen by all members of the board

Q:  How many of you use PyDoc.org?
A:  Do an Open Space

Q:  What is PSF doing to address perception as American-centric?
A:  [british guy steps aside, guy in a different accent says:] I can't agree
    that the PSF is American-centric.
    Questioner says PSF should attend international Python conferences.

Q:  If I was going to choose Python, I wouldn't go to the people that do it for
    advice. The news isn't focused on the community. --Ian Bicking
A:  Steve says you are all equally members of the Python community, so he   
    enjoins us to please contribute.
Q:  Python website doesn't reflect the community and its contributions, news..  

Q:  Back patting about how much good work has gone into documentation. Comment
    was from a teacher.
A:  Clap for Fred Drake


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REFERENCES: {as documents / sites are referenced add them below}

http://python.org/psf - Has a donation link
psf@python.org is a channel for suggestions and enquiries

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QUOTES:



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CONTRIBUTORS: {add your name, e-mail address and URL below}
Andy Wright <waw@well.com>
Nate Silva <nate@northwe.st>
Linden Wright <lwright@mac.com>
Brad Allen <bradallen@mac.com>

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