Re: [Debconf-team] DebConf discussion: Purpose of DebConf

[Moray Allan <moray@sermisy.org>]

I hope people have had time to disagree by now, so let's take this as
an agreed list of DebConf goals.  I agree it's a good idea to stick it
on the website (not just wiki).

It seems interesting to me to cross-reference this with the 'priority
list' used in the last few DebConf venue decision processes,
http://wiki.debconf.org/wiki/PriorityList

One of the priorities of course helps with all the goals:
2. strong, mature, experienced local team

Below I've listed the other priorities against each goal they help achieve:

> Primary goals
> * Enable face-to-face interactions

1. "affordable" for both sponsors and attendees
5. quality and quantity of food and drink in close proximity
6. suitable accommodation in close proximity
8. travel logistics
9. accessibility

> * Provide talks and video

4. excellent network connectivity
7. presentation facilities

> * Provide time to work on Debian

1. "affordable" for both sponsors and attendees
3. good working spaces
4. excellent network connectivity

> Secondary goals
> ===============
> * Motivate contributors

1. "affordable" for both sponsors and attendees
4. excellent network connectivity
5. quality and quantity of food and drink in close proximity
6. suitable accommodation in close proximity
8. travel logistics
9. accessibility

The priority list points that would help motivate Debian contributors
are more or less the same ones that "Enable face-to-face
interactions", except that good networking discourages some
face-to-face interactions but helps motivate Debian people. :)  So
(besides it being a secondary goal), we should manage to meet this
goal quite well by working on the ones above.

> * Motivate the local community

I don't think any of the priority list points are directly relevant
here -- but, of course, it's often hoped that the presence of a
successful DebConf nearby will in itself be a major motivating factor,
so again, perhaps working on the direct goals is enough here.

-- 
Moray