Re: FOSDEM 2019

[Pjotr Prins]

Thanks Amirouche,

On Thu, Aug 30, 2018 at 09:38:56PM +0200, Amirouche Boubekki wrote:
> On 2018-08-30 20:20, Pjotr Prins wrote:
> > Just to clarify, we will organize a two day Guix conference before
> > FOSDEM. That is pretty much in the box. We have room at ICAB, the place
> > we were last year.
> > 
> >   http://icab.be/
> 
> About the specifically guix event, maybe it's a good time to organize
> an install party. Also, let's be clear upfront if that the fringe event
> can include those kind of work: poster, workshop, tutorial... anything
> else to add?

I think we'll focus those days on the development effort. 

At FOSDEM it is possible to get a stand. That would be a good place to
help people start up. Or, if we get a dev-room, we can use it to
install stuff on the side. At least, make the offer.

Tutorials would fit there too.

> > In addition to the Guix conference there is the possibility to have a
> > dev-room at FOSDEM, but we need to apply for it. If the interest is as
> > underwhelming as it is now I think we better forget about it. These
> > things take effort to organize.
> > 
> > I think the 'minimalistic languages for big ideas' room has appeal to
> > a wider audience and some of our projects fit really well. Anyone
> > any project ideas? Or do we just forget about it? How about:
> > 
> > - Guile Guix build farm and Cuirass
> > - Sheperd (Guile)
> > 
> 
> Yes!
> 
> I posted previously a message on various Scheme related bulletin
> boards, with not many responses except in Racket Group [0] that boils
> down to "maybe we should do something".

Heh. Usually it is a small group of people that make it happen.

> [0] https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/racket-users/MehPv0ugBI4
> 
> I created a page at http://community.schemewiki.org/?FOSDEM2019
> 
> Like I wrote previously I was thinking out loud when I emailed guile-user
> about a scheme dev room, with the hope more people would answer the call
> but it did not happen.
> 
> What about the following names for the room:
> 
> - big fringe ideas
> - define
> - dev off
> - off tracks
> 
> This names or others might allow even more developers (whatever that
> means...)

Hmmm. If you look at the examples of last year - you should - you can
see they go for *major* topics.

I think we can play the small languages card because it is like a bin
for everything that does not fit the big guns. Manolis and I chose
minimalistic languages because Scheme fits so well :)

> to join the event from a broad horizon. Let's remember the event is Free and
> Open source Software Developers' European Meeting.
> 
> European make me think that about art, culture and history.
> 
> So this makes me think that it's about free. Art can be free. You feel free
> to dev
> an art form like mezangelle / code poetry / executable poetry.
> 
> European is not the USA nor Asia maybe there is something interesting to
> find
> to make it interesting for people from Europe and abroad to come to FOSDEM.
> What about social / ethno / anthroposcene?
> 
> Well, I speak a lot about art. That's the way I think of coding. It's a way
> (albeit new) to express oneself. It's a form of art and also a way to
> empower
> others to create art and communicate. code imo is about communication.

I fully appreciate this :)

> What do other people think about the name that room must be?
>
> I believe the schemewiki.org is more convenient because registration
> is not required.
> 
> Another thing I'd like to stress, is that last year most talks I read about
> were driven by big companies and stuff. And all the counter developer
> culture
> was spread in various rooms. Let's make a room for alternatives maybe? No so
> big
> communities that have a lot of potential or might just be moon shots.

I think that is a very interesting approach.

> I have a book called 'Open Space Technology' it's about organizing
> meetings and events. I will read skim over it tonight. And (try) provide
> feedback about the latest advancement in psychohistory engineering.
> 
> I hope to read some of your ideas.
> 
> 
> Here is another one: #zehefyu93 undo s:/3nce 4 a peacefu/ prosperity.
> 
> Just to come back on the righteous track, maybe one can invite speakers.
> 
> Let's get inspiration from racketcon 2018 and 2017 or clojureconj or
> whatever..
> 
> stop brainwashing,
> start brainstorming,
> and have fun.

Fun +1

How about a dev-room for 'fun freedom programming languages'. It may get a
white space talk. Then, if I think of the work on MES and Guix it may
not be that great a fit. My point is that we should name the room that
will fit these projects

- MES reproducible from soucre bootstrap
- Guile Guix 
- Guile Cuirass
- Guile JIT
- Guile Sheperd
- Lua JIT

and then more...

Note that 'fun freedom programming languages' is already too long a
name for a devroom.

> One has 6 months to prepare.

But we only have 3 weeks to apply for a dev-room.

Pj.