[Python-grants] Who was at the BoF?

[Michael McLay]

Most everyone from the BoF has joined the list, so let's get started. 

One of the email address on the list was unreadable. A photo of the list is 
at:

	http://www.python.net/crew/mclay/PyCon/Python-grants.jpg

Does anyone have a guess at who the person between Michael and Arthur is on  
the list? (the fourth email address)

I've CC'd Philip Gaudette since he hasn't responded to the mailman request to 
be added to the list. I've also CC'd a couple names of people who were not 
able to attend the BoF. Who else should be notified of about the existence of 
the list? Perhaps the edu-sig and marketing-python list? How about c.l.py?

Here's the mailing list introductory description:

	This project was initiated at a PyCon 2004 BoF. The mailing list will be used
	 to investigate methods for raising funding for Python projects. 

	It looks like the easy road to grant money will be to push for funding the
	development of education related software. The Friday afternoon session on
	Education at PyCon reinforced the value of this approach. The initial target
	of the funding requests will be for the development of a "Fat Python"
	distribution. This will take the form of a bootable CDROM. The application
	on the CD will cover a variety of educational topics, in addition to
	teaching introductory computer programming.  We plan to develop a demo
	version of the CDROM in parallel with writing a grant request for funding.

Are there any comments, corrections, or additions?  I think we agreed to 
having everyone on the list start with an introduction. We also need to have 
everyone summarize their thoughts and comments from the BoF. 

In reviewing my bookmarks on Python I found lots of little gems I had 
forgotten about. Here's a quick (incomplete and biased by my bookmark file) 
list of example things that might be included in the "Fat Python":

	- Core Python distribution
	- GUI toolkit bindings
		- PyGtk
		- wxPython
		- PyQt
		- Others?
	- Databases and adapters
		- Gadfly
		- ZODB
		- adapters for MySQL, PostGres??? (do we then have to include the database?)
	- Scientific plotting applications
	- Numeric Python extensions
	- Editors & GUI Builders
		- Glade
		- 
	- Web tools
		- PyXML
		- libxml2
		- other XML packages
		- Quixote
		- Zope

	- Applications written in Python
		- GvRobot
		- WorkforceConnections (courseware through a web interface.)
		- Chandler
		- PyGeo
		- PythonCard
		- Shtoom
		- PyGE http://pyge.sourceforge.net/
		- QuantLib  (http://quantlib.sourceforge.net/)
		-
	- Documentation
		- Python Docs
		- Free Python Books
			???
		- Tutorials and FAQ on PyGtk
		- John Miller's Thesis

This is a rather random collection, but it does show that we have no shortage 
of material to include on the CDROM. Of course we will need to raid the 
Vaults of Parnassus and look at the Python listing on sf.net...

Should we start a wiki page to capture all of the possible packages? What 
should be the format for the wiki pages? Should we rank them by: 
maturity/quality? relevance to education? popularity? Should we add short 
descriptions of each application? screenshots? Reasons for suggesting the 
software for inclusion? What release of the software to include in the CDROM.

Will a separate version of the CDROM be required for Linux, Windows, and Mac 
OSX, or can a CDROM be made to be bootable for any of these systems?

How should we go about assembling the software? We don't want to duplicate a  
CVS for each application. So the target CDROM should probably select snapshot 
releases of each software package and use that for a given release of the 
CDROM. 

Where should the work take place; python.org or python.net?

In parallel with the CDROM project we also need to start drafting a generic 
document that explains the benefits of Python and why it deserves widespread 
support from funding institutions. I've written a couple documents that are 
related. The first is an example that I wrote as part of a proposed revision 
to the Python.org home page. The essay is at:

	http://www.python.net:9673/mclay/biz.python/Donations

A second document is a draft of a proposal that was targeting the NSF Math and 
Science Program. I learned about the program a few weeks before the proposals 
were due, so it was not possible to assemble a team of appropriate 
organizations in time for the deadline. It also predates John Miller's 
Thesis, so it lacks suitable references to his research results. 

	http://www.python.net/crew/mclay/proposals/NSFMandSproposal_v3.pdf

That's all I have time for today.