[python-advocacy] BoF notes are up; "standard" talk; starting groups

[Jeff Rush]

Catherine Devlin wrote:
> I hope that everybody who participated in the Promoting Python BoF
> session at PyCon has found their way to this list by now...
> 
> - the notes are up -
> 
> http://wiki.python.org/moin/PromotingPythonBof
> 
> (actually, they've been up for several days)
> 
> The discussion was very vigorous; dozens of ideas were thrown out, so
> we have plenty to follow up on.  Hopefully people here will start
> doing so!

Thanks Catherine for putting up that page.  I've added a branch off of it to:

   http://wiki.python.org/moin/StartingYourUsersGroup

that gives some notes of how we started the DFW Pythoneers group.  I hope 
other groups will join in as well.


> What interested me the most was Wesley Chun's mentioning that he's
> making an introductory Python talk and will post the slides.  I'd like
> to see a "Pushing Python starter kit" put together, to encourage
> individual Pythonistas to push it in their areas.  It would have a
> standard (but customizable) intro talk, advice on where to deliver it,
> advice on what common questions to be ready for (and how), and some
> general encouragement.  Perhaps Wesley's talk could become the core of
> it.

Yes, although I think there should be several such kits, depending upon the 
audience and duration.  Getting a non-programmer hobbyist into Python is 
very different from converting the IT department of some local business.

I'll write more on the wiki about this.


> Also, here in the wilds of (non-Cleveland) Ohio, a couple of us are
> thinking about how to get a local Python group rolling.  It would
> certainly help to find some of those "invisible" Pythonistas... if
> only we knew how.  Can anyone share successful stories of how you
> gathered critical mass to start local groups?

Your post is what triggered my adding the wiki page above about starting 
one.  Let's see what other ideas we can collect.  For one, I'd like to see 
what is different in creating a "student organization" versus a "public" one.

-Jeff