This is the initial planning for a miniDebConf in Portugal in 2024. NOTE: This event may become wider than Debian, and as such may be renamed (e.g. as an ANSOL event) if the Debian community feels it necessary.
Previous miniDebConf: https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents/pt/2023/MiniDebConfLisbon
Feedback relevant to the early stage planning is that February is too close to FOSDEM, and uncertainty about the format.
Latest discussions
9 October 2024. MiniDebConf to be held in Lisbon, January or February 2024. Tending towards end February to align with university schedule Weekdays to have two talks in the morning, recorded and ideally livestreamed, with hacking, sprints the rest of the day. This allows people at work to join for part of the day, or watch the talks remotely and then attend in the evening.
Main talks held on the weekend.
Other Debian related events in 2024
Debian Session at FSL, Aveiro, ~ October 2024 (TBC)
Festa Software Livre
miniDebConf or hackathon or sprint, Aveiro, Lamego or in that area, Sept/Oct/Nov 2024'
Debian Day as part of Software Libre day, 21 September 2024, Lamego.
associated with the Software Freedom Day.
Format
Feedback from miniDebConf Lisboa was both that it was too long, and too short, or too many talks, and too little talks. This means we need to set expectations about what to expect, and to do that we need to decide what we want. Please add your thoughts here and feel free to correct my interpretations:
To me a miniDebConf is, like the name implies, a small DebConf. Aside from the social aspect, DebConf to me is a place to report on what is happening in the Debian community.
A sprint is more focused both in intention and outcome, and more technical: working together on a specific project.
A hackathon is exploratory, trying to create something new, exploring how to continue with something. The intention is focused but the outcome perhaps less so.
A BoF, or Birds of a Feather is a conversation about something, putting your heads together. It can be a debrief or a troubleshoot. It is usually shorter, from half an hour to a few hours, but could be an event on its own too. I guess it could also be a dinner.
A festival is a more open-ended celebration and less concerned about what specific group is represented (Ubuntu, Debian, Wiki, etc). The intention is primarily social and the outcome is, well, social. Networking, finding collaborators, creating and strengthening community ties, creating ideas and momentum for hackathons, sprints and conferences. - indiebio preference, to co-host with the Festa Software Livre 2024.
So, what do we want? If we want more than one thing, fantastic! When do we want each thing? Please comment alongside the categories, or add your comments here.
(urbec)
- the social aspect of this years minidebconf happened mostly in the accomodation and during meals, so people not in the accomodation saw fewer of it;
- my own preference is to combine a mini debconf and a mini debcamp, eg like 3 days debcamp, 2 days talks, 1 day camp, 2 days talks, 1 day camp (yes, alternating).
- Generally, there is some temptation when scheduling to schedule as much as possible, though IMHO better to not make things too dense (and rather add a day more)
TODO
- See university dates, availability.
- Get relevant contact from the Festa Software Livre 2023 team for organising the venue
The 2023 Festa Software Livre was held at the Department of Electronics, telecommunications and IT at the University of Aveiro, from September 15th to 17th (over a weekend).
This is also the currently preferred venue for the bid for DebConf 2025 (and as a wildcard if Haifa 2024 runs into difficulties).
Other relevant events in 2024 that should not overlap too much:
?WikiCon 2024 ~ March
miniDebConf Berlin in May
miniDebConf Brazil in May
FOSDEM 3 & 4 February 2024
DebConf (planned for August/September)