Re: The GitTogether

[Michael J Gruber <git@drmicha.warpmail.net>]

Michael J Gruber venit, vidit, dixit 30.07.2012 15:17:
> Jens Lehmann venit, vidit, dixit 29.07.2012 17:55:
>> Am 27.07.2012 13:45, schrieb Thomas Rast:
>>> Scott Chacon <schacon@gmail.com> writes:
>>>
>>>> GitHub would like to volunteer to organize and pay for these events
>>>> this year.  I would like to hold the developer-centric one in Berlin
>>>> in early October
> 
> Winter term classes start 10/15. Before 10/15 it will be easier to book
> university rooms if we need that.
> 
>>>
>>> Yay, Berlin!  I would be glad to join there; I would probably not have
>>> the time and resources to travel to SF this year.
>>
>> Same here.
> 
> Same.
> 
> Do we have contacts regarding (un)conference rooms in Berlin already? I
> might be able to ask around.
> 
>>
>>>> For those of you who *have* been to a GitTogether, what did you find
>>>> useful and/or useless about it?  What did you get out of it and would
>>>> like to see again?  For those of you who have never been, what do you
>>>> think would be useful?  I was thinking for both of them to have a
>>>> combination of short prepared talks, lightning/unconference style
>>>> talks and general discussion / breakout sessions.
>>>
>>> I was at the 2010 GitTogether in Mountain View.  I really liked the
>>> unconference format, and the way Shawn and Junio used it: just using the
>>> topic stickers as a sort of todo-list, not actually fixing any schedule
>>> in advance.  Oddly enough we also managed to avoid the usual consequence
>>> of open-ended discussions: getting stuck endlessly on an absolutely
>>> insignificant point.
>>
>> Yup, the unconference format with both common and breakout sessions
>> worked really well.
>>
>>> I think the discussions were very productive.  I would love to do more
>>> hacking than we managed in 2010, but I realize that this is not possible
>>> if we just meet for 2-3 days.  Perhaps one option would be to plan for
>>> 1-2 days of hacking after the discussion rounds, so that the interested
>>> people can stay a bit longer?
>>
>> I really like that idea and would vote for 3-4 days (maybe including a
>> weekend for those of us who have to take a leave from work ;-).

While the unconference format is successful, may I suggest a
track/topic: Especially if there's GitHub support and participation this
would be a good opportunity to discuss some GitHub specific issues in
person rather than via the list or support tickets. Two come to my mind:

1) GitHub for Git developers: I certainly don't suggest a change in
workflow for git.git, but you often hear Git developers say "we can't do
this or that on GitHub", and I think GitHub (and other projects using
GitHub) could benefit from the specific point of view and input of Git
developers to improve workflow support on GitHub.

2) git-scm.com: The old Git website and wiki certainly did not quite
meet GitHub's demands (e.g. reliability, looks), and git-scm.com
certainly does not quite meet the/all Git developers demands (e.g. list
discussion based decisions and actions, separation between the "free
project" and "business related content). In person it may be easier to
find a way forward which benefits all parts of the large and undefined
"Git community".

Cheers,
Michael