[TIP] [OT] TiP BoF / PyCon 2014

[Terry Peppers]

Dear Goat Fans -

Many of you might have noticed that I've been abnormally silent about PyCon
2014 and the TiP BoF. I figure since we're about 5 weeks out from PyCon, I
should let the TiP list know a couple of things:

1. I won't be attending PyCon this year.
2. I'll be back.
3. Since I won't be attending PyCon, TiP BoF is on a break.

I have a family commitment that's going to knock me out of PyCon this year.
It didn't materialize until December and to be honest I really agonized
about not coming to PyCon. The completist in me, felt like (and continues
to feel like) I should be at every PyCon from here until the end of my
days. Anyway, I can't make the times work, so I won't be coming.

So this leads us to TiP BoF and why it's going to be on break - for this
year. I know people on this list will try and say, "No we'll organize it!
We can make this happen!" But given the two situations last year, I'm
advising everyone against this very course. I certainly think TiP BoF could
happen without me, but at the same time given the unpredictability factor
which has grown as TiP BoF has grown, I don't think it's wise for anyone to
shoulder the responsibility of having it this year. It's too much
responsibility and there's too much that could go wrong.

I've had a separate thread with Diana Clarke, Alex Gaynor, Doug Hellmann,
Titus Brown, Gary Bernhardt and Jesse Noller on the topic of TiP BoF. Given
last years situation, I worked hard on putting together a proposal for how
to change TiP BoF in ways that would be better for all parties. For PyCon
2015, I'll plan on making this happen which means things like a venue
change and a slight format change. Oh, there still will be lightning talks.
And we'll still give out the lab coat for best talk ... but we need to
pivot it just a little.

Also, there's no conspiracy. No one told me we couldn't have it. No one
told me that we shouldn't have it. In fact, no one but me suggested that we
change it. And I was continually encouraged in my efforts to pivot the
format. All of this deliberation and meditation has been of my own
creation.

I'm sad that I'm not going to see you guys this year. As Titus' talk last
year pointed out, PyCon and TiP BoF are things that I truly enjoy and have
energized my participation in the broader Python community. But for all of
the TiP BoF veterans, we've seen something grow in ways none of us could
have imagined. And with the growth comes a new set of responsibilities.

Baaa!*

- t.

*Goat speak for "Thanks!"
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