[Koha-devel] KohaCon11 hackfest: discussion

[MJ Ray]

Paul Poulain wrote:
> Le 26/03/2011 05:44, Koustubha Kale a écrit :
> > So is there a consensus emerging here about splitting the hackfest and
> > running in parallel?
> About splitting yes, about running in parallel, i'm still not convinced.

OK, so we have a consensus on part of it!

> Let me explain
> My main concern here is: if we run in parallel will put more pressure on
> experienced developers: we can't be at the same time teaching & hacking.
> So I'm afraid the success will heavily depend on how many experienced
> devs there will be ! And I think/suspect that this number won't be so
> high...

Firstly, you can't have more than a few experienced developers
teaching at the same time.  The others are being disruptive 
(typing and talking) or being disrupted (being quiet).

Secondly, let me go to the place where we've not dared: if it looks
like there won't be enough experienced developers at the hackfest,
should the conference look to use some sponsorship money to pay enough
expenses to attract more?

Would users like that?

Would any experienced developers hate it or want to put any
restrictions on payments?  (Like: all are offered the same amount.)

How do we define experienced developers anyway?

> I've another concern: having some rest. In USA, we didn't stop at all.
> Same in NZ. In France, we had a full week-end for visiting (well, not
> me, as I was at home), and started the hackfest on monday morning,
> highly motivated & rested.

I feel that the plan in NZ was much better than the one in France.

A weekend is long enough that funders will see it as a natural break,
an opportunity for people to attend one part and not the other, but
not long enough to travel far.  I think it is better to keep the event
together and let people visit things before or after.

Mentioning France brings another thing to my mind: what ways can we
have for people not physically there to take part in the hackfest?

How was that for people in NZ?  I think Nicole's blogging and the IRC
were pretty good for the little bit of time when I was not physically
there, available and had an internet conenction, but how was it for
people not there at all?

Thanks,
-- 
MJ Ray (slef), member of www.software.coop, a for-more-than-profit co-op.
http://koha-community.org supporter, web and LMS developer, statistician.
In My Opinion Only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html
Available for hire for Koha work http://www.software.coop/products/koha