[FOSDEM] Thanks for FOSDEM2007; ideas and questions for 2008

[Nicolas Pettiaux]

Dear all,

Fosdem was tough for me, as I could not attend more than the first
half-day, because of a bad lumbago (back pain). But this was as usual
very good and very interesting.

I therefore want to thank again all the organizors and helpers for
this great edition.

I have some ideas and questions for the next edition that I would
already like to share with you, as it is never too early to start
working on them.

1/ what are the dates of next edition ? Please do not put FOSDEM, if
possible, in any school holiday, as this makes it difficult for some
of us to attend. (as they could have other, for example family,
obligations)

2/ what about organizing a formal press conference and press contacts
to let the press know about this large and important event organized
in the capital of Europe, that draw several thousands of people from
everywhere in the world ? I am ready to organize this (the logistics,
the write up of the documents, the press contacts ...) with the
official Fosdem organizers who would control the content and the
philosophy ?

3/ About the beer event and the meals, we could use the facilities of
the ULB itself. ULB has, on the Solbosch campus, 150 m from the FOSDEM
central point, the university restaurant where 600 people can have a
beer and dinner together. If the university is asked enough in
advance, and the money is secured, it can provide very good food (cold
and warm), at an affordable price, with a nice location where many
people can attend and stay together. I am ready also to organize (with
the needed help) this and be the intermediary. The only condition for
a satisfactory organisation would be that the people register and pay
in advance the meals they would like to have (to minimize the
financial risks).

4/ Taking the opportunity of the large gathering of people interested
in developping FLOSS applications, who often like the idea of sharing,
and remembering the success of the education track organized in 2002
if I am right, I would like to organize an activity dedicated to
Education. This activity would *not* be aimed at the developpers
themselves, but more be aimed at European (Belgian, Dutch, French and
German first as they are the closest) teachers willing to share their
experiences of FLOSS in education with the developpers, meet the
developpers, ask them questions, listen to them ... In order to be
successfull, such a meeting need to be organised well in advance to be
announced to the teachers who do not follow the FLOSS informations and
react much slower.

Thanks for you comments and ideas,

Nicolas

-- 
Nicolas Pettiaux - email: nicolas.pettiaux at ael.be