[socal-piggies] suggestions for more topics and python community development

[Grig Gheorghiu]

Mel -- thanks so much for your insightful message. Your ideas and
thoughts resonate with mine. I'll make sure we discuss these things at
our meeting tonight and I'll let the group know how the discussions
went.

Grig

On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 8:45 PM, Mel Raab <automagc at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> I've had a look at what goes on in the python groups in San Francisco and,
> to a lesser extent, New York, by looking at their mailings.  They certainly
> have lively presenters but they also have something else, a sense of
> community, interactions that continue between meetings.  Such interactions
> form email threads and can provide assistance (help with syntax, help with
> identifying an available package, help with an approach).  Others can be a
> sharing of opinions or perspectives, a proud revelation of what a member is
> working on, hints at job or work opportunities, industry gossip, clues to
> upcoming training opportunities, connection making, etc.  The threads
> themselves sometimes seem like a written version of the type of
> conversations you might hear in the hall outside a meeting, except they can
> be weeks away from the nearest scheduled meeting.
>
> When I saw the recent posts here about interests in beginning, intermediate
> or advanced python training, and a desire for greater familiarity with
> Django, Google App Engine and SQLAlchemy, it showed that we have members at
> many levels of proficiency.  I think some members in LA have an affinity for
> python but feel that revealing inadequacy would be looked down upon, or
> might slow the group down.  Maybe that's why there's less community spirit?
>  On the other hand, python has been applied to so many disparate areas that
> it's probably impossible for any one person to know everything about how
> python can (or should) be used.  There certainly are some very intelligent
> and well versed members here in LA.  Everyone should be able to contribute
> somehow, and everyone, in some way or another, can benefit from interaction
> with others.
>
> The structure we have for formal meetings requires a presentation on a topic
> of the speaker's choice with most attendees listening.  This puts a heavy
> burden on the presenter and can cause strain when no presenter is
> forthcoming.  Maybe a consideration for improving the feeling of community,
> for engaging the efforts of more people and to create more opportunities to
> contribute is to also set aside time at meetings to come up with and to
> discuss straw projects.  How would you go about putting together
> such-and-such?  What are the relative merits of one approach or tool over
> another, especially when viewed in the light of suggested applications?
>  What pitfalls can you expect to encounter?  These would not be code writing
> sessions.  Rather, these would be higher level discussions on how to
> approach, on how to think about getting things done.
> As for writing actual code, for those who have the time and inclination, how
> about working on a small or interesting project together, perhaps along the
> way developing material to present at a subsequent meeting.  Maybe this
> means additional get togethers of some sort between meetings to continue
> work on such projects.  I've even seen a request in another city to allow
> one member to shadow some other willing member just to get an insight into
> how things get done in the mentor's world.  Except when writing code,
> presentations back to the group could highlight the efficacy of one
> approach, or the frustration of another, and how these experiences will
> effect future efforts.
> I recognize these suggestions may be on a lower plane than what is typically
> presented.  The inquiries for local training let me know there is desire out
> there.  It would be good to set conditions and opportunities for all
> members, whatever their backgrounds, to add to the energy of meetings.  By
> helping make a sense of community you really can't be certain whose
> contribution will land as a gem right in your lap, but you can be assured
> more gems will be produced.
>
> Mel Raab
>
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