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Re: Timing



Replying to all e-mails so far, not to invidividual people…


also sprach Stefano Rivera <stefanor@debian.org> [2014-08-30 21:58 +0200]:
> We could also try and be back-to-back with another local conference, to
> maximise international participation in it, and give DebConf attendees
> further excuse to come to Cape Town. On the other hand, that other
> conference would probably be run by some of us, and that may be asking
> too much.

I think this is something to keep in mind, but it's also not
something to rely on too much. For DC15, we tried to plan this,
and we'll succeed for half of it, but the other conference we wanted
to sync with had external influences outside of their control and
despite all trying, they are now going to conflict. So: don't go out
of your way for this.

> We could aim earlier, like May, and have a better chance of nice
> weather. Or just hope for the best.

I think, depending on the venue, weather shouldn't be a primary
concern. If the rooms are all in one building and there is ample
space to sit, hack, socialise in that building, we'll just stay
inside should it rain. If the dorms are elsewhere, we can try to
budget for umbrellas and/or tell people to bring raincoats.

It'll be far more important to be able to get a good venue and
affordable travel, and off-season does seem like it would make this
easier.



also sprach Nattie Mayer-Hutchings <nattie@decadent.org.uk> [2014-08-31 12:04 +0200]:
> (Personally, I pretty much certainly could not make it in
> December, due to Too Many Singing Obligations tending to happen in
> that month.)

I agree, December would be bad for many people. January might work,
although you'll conflict with LCA. February and onwards would be
fine (but do make sure you sync with FOSDEM in Belgium).

I think you don't have to stick to the May-September cycle. However,
high season means high travel prices, and having the conference
earlier than August means less time for preparations.

> For what it's worth, previous southern-hemisphere DebConfs
> (Brazil, Argentina) have taken place in the northern-hemisphere
> summer, I think.  I'm told the Argentinian one was distinctly
> wintery.

I remember DC8 and sure, it was a little colder, Argentinians wore
winter clothing, and I did have to put on a light sweater
occasionally, when the wind was too strong ;)

Weather is not something you should plan for, IMHO.



also sprach Bernelle Verster <bernellev@gmail.com> [2014-09-02 18:07 +0200]:
> Stellenbosch has different dates to the other universities. I couldn't find
> 2016 dates for Stellenbosch, but it looks like early September is doable:
> http://sun.ac.za/english/about-us/termdates-2014
> June vac: 27 June - 21 July 2014
> September vac: 6 - 14 September 2014

I think both of those would be fine, provided that the university
would be willing to provide us with a hacklab for 50 people before
the September vac, assuming you want traditional DebCamp (which is
not a conference, and thus a lot easier to organise somehow).

Housing should be the same as during the later DebConf, though, and
this might be hard.

> Any arguments for/against June/July?

Generally, you'll have people oppose as it's outside European school
holidays. However, you won't be able to please everyone, so no. And
we've had DebConf in June/July in the past,



All in all, I suggest to elicit the possible dates from venues and
then worry about the implications.

-- 
 .''`.   martin f. krafft <madduck@d.o> @martinkrafft
: :'  :  proud Debian developer
`. `'`   http://people.debian.org/~madduck
  `-  Debian - when you have better things to do than fixing systems
 
"the wonderful thing about standards is
 that there are so many to choose from."
                                                       -- grace hopper

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