[Kde-women] KDE women meeting

[Eva Brucherseifer]

Hi,

> The kde-women meeting should have is own program and I don't think that
> this would be realisable at the Conference because there will already
> be a whole conference program and you won't be able to participate at
> both programs. I don't think that it would be possible to get both
> programs in one schedule. The kde-women meeting should get talks,
> workshops and irc meetings as well. I think there will be a lot more
> than this, but that has to be worked out later. This all should happen
> in a special atmosphere. All women should get the chance to get known to
> each other and to have a good time together and become friends. And I am
> not sure, if that is possible in an atmosphere with hundred male
> developers around. That is a big crowd and I don't think that the
> kde-women meeting is meant like this.

Well, I wouldn't place the kdewomen-workshops in parallel to the conference, 
but rather make it take place in parallel to the other workshops. During the 
hackfest of the last conferences several developer and non-developer groups 
met for workshops. E.g. there were workshops for usability, koffice, kdepim, 
etc.
BTW, during the conference we also had several non-developer presentations and 
- male developers don't bite (at least they never did that to me ;-).

>
> I know that a lot of people fear that kde-women would become seperated
> from KDE, but I don't think that a kde-women only meeting means that
> this will happen. We want to invite every woman to join us and we hope
> that you all get involved with KDE. Contributors are needed in all
> sections and the kde-women meeting isn't only a meeting for women who
> already work on KDE. The goal of KDE women is still to help each other
> and we are all very glad when new women join us and we want to help them
> especially with such a meeting to get involved in KDE.
>
> I have another reason why I think that merging the meetings isn't a good
> idea. The conference includes a one-week hacking session. The
> kde-women meeting should be for every woman who wants to contribute to
> KDE and is interested in KDE. But that doesn't mean that all of us are
> able to code. Some may want to learn coding, therefore we plan a little
> workshop to find a starting point with C++/KDE/QT. Others are more
> interested in translation or webdesign or writing What's This and so on.
> I hope that a lot of new women will join kde-women and start to
> contribute, but they haven't to be a developer and I don't know why we
> should have a whole week hacking session. I think we should use the time
> of the kde-women meeting without saying we have a one-week hacking
> session and do what we are planning.

Well, as I wrote above, the hackfest istn't necessaryly a week where freaky 
male coders only sit in front of their laptops. Also nobody is forced to stay 
all the time. Most of the people arrived for the conference and each day 
during the hackfest some people left. The hackfest is basically a time 
without any fixed program (except meal times and some tourist program) and 
with computers and workshop rooms available. Everyone is free to do whatever 
he/she prefers. 

>
> I know that the financial part isn't easy and that the KDE e.V. has a
> financial limit. Nevertheless I would prefer a seperated meeting for
> kde-women, because it should be a kde-women meeting and not only a room
> for women activities at the conference. I think we should try to find a
> sponsor and organize the meeting seperately from the conference.

Once you have a concept for the conference you can approach the KDE e.V. board 
at kde-ev-board at kde.org or better the membership list 
kde-ev-membership at kde.org for financial support. I cannot tell you how the 
KDE e.V. will decide, but my guess is, that we can support the conference 
itself only little. Travel costs will probably granted once - either for the 
KDE conference or the KDE-Women conference. But again - this will need to be 
discussed then.

>
> I would be glad to hear any comment and any ideas for a meeting program,
> a location or a sponsor. And I still like to get mails who is interested
> in a meeting.

Well, I am interested, but very likely I won't be able to take part in a 
seperate meeting. Time is very limited for me :-(

Greetings,
eva

>
> Cheers,
> Frauke