The Underscore Archives

On 14 Feb 2008, at 12:55, Matthew Wilkes wrote:

>>>
>>> Who else on reading this mail from Matt thinks their career isn't
>>> going
>>> quite as well as they hoped?
>>
>> ha ha ha!
>> +1
>
> *ahem* Plone!
>

Yeah, come drink our Kool-aid :D

On a serious note though, this was the kind of event that really  
shows the power of communities like the Plone one.  I know people are  
probably sick to death of me talking about stuff like this but really  
it is quite amazing.  This event was organised mainly by two  
people... they were chatting over a beer no doubt at a conference,  
and said 'You know what, this technology is great, but where are we  
going long term? How do we compete with others? What as a business  
and a community do we need to improve to succeed?'.  One of them  
found a friendly company to host the event (Google) and put the call  
out for people to start talking about these issues and to come  
along.  In the end there were 48 attendees from about a dozen  
countries, plus a further 29 people who, whilst they could not  
attend, sponsored a total of $5130 with the Plone Foundation (again,  
funded by sponsors) match funding a further $5000.  This fund  
sponsored a travel scholarship which paid travel for 10 of the  
attendees, and some of the event expenses.

So in total there was probably in the order of $50,000 - $100,000  
donated in time and cash, primarily from small companies (like many  
on Underscore) and individual developers.

In the end, the 3 days of discussion, brainstorming, and vast  
quantities of flip chart paper and sticky dots were distilled down to  
around 50 specific measurable tasks, each with a designated champion  
to co-ordinate the task and oversee its progress:

http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.web.zope.plone.devel/17544

E.g my task is:

# Create a plan to help local user groups market Plone and Python to
local university students — talks, mentoring, publicize internship
opportunities, university sprints.
Champion: Matt Hamilton

So, whilst I'm here if anyone wants to get involved then give me a  
shout.  Matt Wilkes has already volunteered, and I'm sure I can  
pressgang some of the other Plonistas into giving their views. ;)

I have also started work on a further, more specific plan together  
with companies from Italy (Pisa), Norway (Torp) and France (Paris) to  
start a student exchange programme.  This will hopefully see  
university students doing placements on rotation at several companies  
e.g. a Bristol student would work for a month at Netsight, a month in  
Norway, and a month in Paris.  This will give students experience in  
the workplace, experience of different cultures, and also help cross- 
pollinate ideas between the companies.

Anyways... I'm back now, but my body still thinks its about 3am.. so  
I'll stop typing.. ;)

-Matt


-- 
Matt Hamilton                                       matth at netsight.co.uk
Netsight Internet Solutions, Ltd.        Business Vision on the Internet
http://www.netsight.co.uk                             +44 (0)117 9090901
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