[OPEN-ILS-DEV] Proposing the 2012 Evergreen Hack-A-Way

[rogan.hamby at yclibrary.net]

Proposing the 2012 Evergreen "Hack-A-Way"

As we closed out the last Evergreen conference the Oversight Committee  
discussed looking at new ways to promote the common interests of the  
community.  As everyone knows, the Evergreen community is fairly young  
and as it grows the Oversight Committee is finding it's way.  The  
Oversight Committee began as a way to put Evergreen's assets in the  
community's hands and facilitate the local hosting of the annual  
conference.  Today, I would like to introduce a proposal for another  
task we would like to take upon ourselves and for which I volunteer  
myself.

I call it the Hack-A-Way, both because the goal is to facilitate  
hacking away at the code and as a pun off a getaway.  In short, the  
goal is to provide an opportunity, at the midway point each year  
between conferences, for developers to meet in person and to continue  
the momentum they develop at the conference.  This goal came directly  
out of the developer community, who find in person collaboration is  
extremely useful.

And frankly, promoting this labor benefits everyone.  This can not be  
under stated.  I speak for the Oversight Committee when I say this is  
a good idea.  I speak for myself when I say this is a wonderful idea.

So, how do we make this happen?

I'm proposing a combination of use of a host's resources and  
soliciting funds for this project.  A working group is forming with  
some from the Oversight Committee and some from the hosting site (once  
it's selected).

So, is this like a developer conference?

No.  This will be much more low key, more motel than hotel and more  
take out than fine dining.  There won't be seminars or classes, unless  
they spontaneously come out of the developers themselves.  However, I  
will ask for a local coordinator and ask for proposals from those  
willing to host it.  Those interested in hosting should send me an  
email stating their interest and what they can provide (even meeting  
room space with Internet is valuable) and who from their location can  
work with us.  The most qualified hosting site will be selected and we  
will work with them to select dates.

How big are we talking?

We're talking fairly small at first, though the more developers who  
can attend on their own dimes and the more grants we can give out will  
increase it's size I'm sure.  The developer community itself isn't  
very large.  Really, they do a lot of work relative to their size.   
This first year we may be looking at anywhere from half a dozen to two  
dozen.  Hopefully, in future years with more time to prepare we can  
grow it a little bit and I'm sure ideas will come out of the developer  
community to use the event to it's fullest advantage.

Isn't this basically a hackfest?

Yes.  I'm suggesting a name because as we go for sponsorships having  
an identifiable name is useful and the term hackfest is used very  
generically.

So, what would funds go to?

Everyone able to afford their own expenses would be expected to.   
Ideally, otherwise grants would be given out to help cover travel,  
food and lodging.  How many expenses we can cover will be determined  
by the number of sponsorships we can gather and the more we have  
attend the more sponsors we can probably solicit from.  Any excess  
funds will go the community pool.

How would we qualify people?

Well, other than requiring that it be developers, we haven't figured  
that out yet.  But doubling up on rooms is encouraged.

What else will money be spent on?

Not much, but I do hope to supply them with copious amounts of  
caffiene so assume a snacks and refreshment budget.  Awake coders are  
productive coders.

Can non-developers attend?

This is something we really need feedback from the development  
community on but the goal at this time is for this to be an event for  
those who contribute code to Evergreen and perhaps others active in  
the technical community, not to make it a mini conference.

So, where will this money come from?

Our goal is to seek sponorships for the event.  Individual donors can  
certainly give small amounts but we also hope that Evergreen related  
businesses and large institutions will be willing to buy sponorships  
since this work directly benefits them.  The hat will get passed  
around.   We will provide sponsorship levels and we will be working on  
finding ways to provide exposure for those willing to pay for higher  
level sponsorships and thus provide an incentive for donors to dig deep.


- Rogan Hamby