
What really happened at PyCon 2013 - LeafStorm
http://peak5390.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/what-really-happened-at-pycon-2013/
======
jetsnoc
I really enjoyed Pycon. I had never attended a Pycon, nor dealt with the
Python community at large but the day I listened to Jesse Noller's keynote I
knew I was in the right place. He discussed the values of teaching children,
being an inclusive community, and philanthropy. I thought I was attending to
get my Python on and discovered the warm fluffy side of a beautiful community.
These people really mean well.

At Pycon I met the developers and project maintainers of high-profile projects
I use all of the time like Django and SQLAlchemy. Heck, I paid $150 to receive
classroom training from Mike Bayer himself. How inexpensive is that to receive
training from the developer and maintainer of SQLAlchemy himself?

The tutorials were incredibly useful, the keynotes moving (Noller, Hettinger,
etc.), the sessions well-produced and all of the speakers well-spoken.

I feel like we stole my ticket for as inexpensive as the trip was for me and
several developers our company drug along.

How did they do? Awesome. I would like to say thank you to the PSF for such an
incredible conference. My entire dev staff will be attending next year!

------
h2s

        > Eben Upton, one of the creators of the Raspberry Pi,
        > shared with us the brilliant insight that many young
        > people used to have to “choose not to program” when
        > they turned their computers on, in order to play games
    

What a quote. I remember this. My family had an Amstrad CPC 464, and when you
booted it up, this is what it said:

    
    
         Amstrad 128k Microcomputer (v3)
         
         © 1985 Amstrad Computer Electronics plc
                    and Locomotive Software Ltd.
         
         BASIC 1.1
         
         Ready
    

The very next thing that appeared was the text cursor, the assumption being
that you would now begin to type code. You could _choose not to program_ by
putting a game cassette in the drive, holding Shift+Enter, and pressing play.
But by default, you were programming.

I love that the Pi attempts to revive this for today's kids. At the moment I
think the closest they come to anything resembling code is if they use Firefox
or Chrome and accidentally stumble into the developer tools.

~~~
simonh
If you think about it, a shell prompt is just as much of an invitation to
code. It's only really the GUI that changed this.

~~~
drbawb
I agree that the GUI is the likely culprit.

Though, as far as hacking goes, I'd almost prefer a BASIC prompt [or `irb`,
`idle`, or any other number of modern REPLs] as opposed to a shell prompt.

I can hack away at bash scripts... but bash just doesn't seem as warm and
inviting as BASIC was.

I think part of that is: shells are _primarily_ an interface to your
filesystem. They offer IO redirection and the ability to run arbitrary
executables.

While their scripting facilities are certainly "complete", and plenty usable,
I'd disagree that they're _designed_ for it.

When I fudge my fingers writing some Ruby, Go, Python, or Perl, the compiler
or interpreter is usually pretty helpful in guiding me to my mistake. Often
times it's also helpful in _suggesting_ the means to fix that mistake.

When shell scripting goes _wrong_, (as it often _will_ for a complete novice),
I don't think the shell is as helpful in correcting the mistake.

That's my $.02 anyways.

------
cloudwizard
I had a great time at PyCon. My son who is 7 attended young coders and learned
a lot. All the kids got Pi's too so now we have two Pi's to work on.

I did not even hear about the Twitter incident. I consider it a twitter
incident and not real.

~~~
izak30
It was really, really cool to see all the young folks around this year. I'm
glad your son could come.

------
peteforde
Great write-up!

I'm a Ruby developer, but it sounds like your community is really excellent.
I'd love to come check out PyCon sometime in the future.

~~~
steveklabnik
I almost went this year, and I often go to Python related events if I'm around
when they happen. You should go.

------
littlegiantcap
In the Adria Richards trial there are 2 upstanding people. Jim Frankiln (CEO
of Sendgrid) Who offered not only a pertinent, but fair fair reaction to this
entire thing, but also The Pycon staff members. Who, without ego or vendetta,
enforced the rules as described. I salute both of these people.

------
japhyr
Author here. It's so nice to see the conversation get back to all the good
things that go on at PyCon.

~~~
askedrelic
Hear hear. I learned a great deal about the IPython Notebook and Python 3 this
year. Pycon was a great time.

------
rzendacott
This is a pretty unrelated question, but how does one find out about these
conferences? I typically only hear about them afterward (Heroku's Waza and now
PyCon). Are there any that are known to be particularly good?

Additionally, any recommendations for which to try to attend as a first year
computer science student?

~~~
sgdesign
<http://lanyrd.com>

~~~
icebraining
Thanks! Such a shame that if you want something in Europe, you have to look
country by country, since selecting "Europe" returns no results.

~~~
piquadrat
If you're looking for Python cons, You should definitely check out DjangoCon
2013 in Warsaw, Poland (<http://2013.djangocon.eu/>, 15-19 May, possibly sold
out) and EuroPython in Florence, Italy (<https://ep2013.europython.eu/>, 1-7
Juli).

------
waterside81
You forgot StartupRow! 6 startups on Friday (we were one of them) plus another
6 on Saturday. Got to make some great contacts as a result.

------
mamoswined
"The PyCon Code of Conduct was tested twice that I know of, and it worked
well."

No.

Imagine if PyCon had a reasonable code of conduct instead of this "Sexual
language and imagery is not appropriate for any conference venue, including
talks...In particular, exhibitors should not use sexualized images,
activities, or other material. Booth staff (including volunteers) should not
use sexualized clothing/uniforms/costumes, or otherwise create a sexualized
environment."

Which I suspect was designed because a bunch of sex-negative feminists like
those at the Ada Initiative just don't _like_ booth babes. They have an
obsession with marginal things that they believe _might_ lead to sexism.

When I was more involved with Drupal, I wrote a letter against adding this
kind of language to DrupalCon's code of conduct, because I felt it should
focus on dealing with actual harassment instead of things some people don't
like. I think because I am a woman, people listened to me. Working in tech can
be dehumanizing enough as it is without having codes against an entire aspect
of humanity- sex, because it _might_ make some people uncomfortable. It's also
vague enough that it could turn into a witch hunt pretty quickly.

I started out in Python but it's been like six years since I used it
seriously, but if I were still involved I would try to get that removed from
the Code of Conduct.

~~~
hurfdurferson
A professional tech conference shouldn't have a code of conduct banning sex
talk which, by the way, is completely irrelevant to technology? Just because
you, as a woman, don't have a problem with it then _no other woman_ is allowed
to have a problem with it? Nice. Hey ladies, mamoswined ain't faded. Sexism is
OVER.

~~~
mamoswined
Irrelevant to technology? I don't think so. Let's ban everything some people
think is irrelevant to technology that might offend someone.

------
jnazario
to your point about intro programming courses and python:

my wife used to teach python to gifted middle schoolers as an intro
programming course. she brought this up at a regional educator's event when
the speaker asked if anyone was doing intro to programming in a language other
than VB (or something else, maybe Java). my wife raised her hand sheepishly
and said "I used python". everyone was suddenly interested.

the kids did great with python, but she eventually gave up on it because the
kids wanted instant gratification and slick UI games. she explored scratch but
got pulled in different directions in her teaching load. however, several of
her python students over the years have gone on to do interesting things at
university.

------
megamark16
To the top with you! This almost exactly mirrors my experience, right down to
last year being my first PyCon and giving a lightning talk this year for the
first time. It was an amazing experience, and I applaud all those who worked
so hard to make it great for everyone, Jesse Noller especially.

------
pwang
Thank you.

Also don't forget that we had an amazing Python Data conference during the
sprints, with over 300 people and featuring Peter Norvig and Fernando Perez as
speakers.

<http://pydata.org>

------
Articulate
This is a really great summary and it is too bad that so much great knowledge
sharing is going unnoticed because of the lure of controversy. Solid
explanation.

------
14113
I hope it's a good message that there were only 2 problems PyCon staff had to
deal with - but I wish the current shitstorm had stopped here:
[http://pycon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/pycon-response-to-
inappr...](http://pycon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/pycon-response-to-
inappropriate.html)

~~~
michaelochurch
Do we know that those pertain to the same incident? It seems likely to me that
they don't.

~~~
benatkin
They don't. One was at the testing BoF. <http://term.ie/blog/how-to-get-
banned-from-pycon/>

------
ncw
This was my first PyCon and I had an awesome time.

There were so many interesting talks and I have so many new ideas that I am
going to hack on when I get home. It's a shame that I didn't meet as many
people as I would have liked.

It's a real shame that all the good things that went on seem to have been
forgotten.

------
edgesrazor
Thank you - so good to hear something positive.

------
badloginagain
See, now this sounds like something I want to go to. It sounds like something
that would directly benefit me and make me a stronger programmer.

I was surprised at how damaging the "incident" was to my perception of pycon
overall. The only thing I really heard about the event was all this BS, so I'm
glad that this post really informed of the true value and importance of events
like these.

~~~
AnIrishDuck
I would highly encourage you to go next year if you're on the fence. This was
my first PyCon and it was phenomenal.

------
trusche
That's a very refreshing use of a link bait title for a change ;)

------
dinkumthinkum
This is good, it's sad that someone doing something stupid and making a
spectacle had to overshadow people getting together and doing interesting
stuff.

------
drobati
I have to admit; I read this title and rolled my eyes. I came back to it an
hour later just out of curiosity and what a pleasant surprise!

------
robk
"The last 24 hours have been some of the ugliest on the internet."

Uh, no. There are far far uglier things that happen on the internet. every.
single. day.

------
davidroberts
This is the PyCon news I wanted to see!

------
aneth4
How dare you linkbait non-gossip.

------
michaelochurch
Thank you for posting this. I wasn't at PyCon 2013, but I really wish the
discussion would get back to the fact that 99% of what happens when technical
people get together is positive and cool. It's really sad that the ridiculous
1% gets so much attention.

I actually don't think technology people are _that_ bad, not as a class. Most
types of ambitious male business people are a _lot_ more vulgar and perverse
than the technologists. VC-istan execs tend to have inappropriate, power-
imbalanced office affairs, traders and bankers go strip clubs more often than
is healthy... programmers swear slightly more than average and some are
socially awkward. Not the same category.

~~~
_delirium
That's an interesting point. I don't have any real basis to generalize, but I
_have_ been in a number of situations where business people think that tech
people are too politically correct. Coming from a general view that tech isn't
really a role model in that category to begin with, that was surprising to
encounter.

My limited time in Europe suggests that European culture on the whole is less
attentive on this subject as well. Rather notable lapses in that category also
occasionally make HN (<https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3975588>) but
usually it somehow avoids the radar, perhaps due to Europe otherwise having a
reputation as progressive/liberal.

~~~
ma2rten
Without overgeneralizing too much, Europe does not have the same culture of
political correctness as the US does. If someone makes a joke people get
offended less quickly. In this case people would just think of the jokers as
immature and move on.

The only exception I can think of is concerning the holocaust.

EDIT: Anyway, I can recommend anyone to live in another culture for some time
in their life. First you will feel alienated or even offended by many of the
things you hear and see. However if you look deep enough (and many people
don't) you will understand that neither your culture nor theirs is right.

~~~
_delirium
I'm an American who lives in Denmark, and I agree, but I'm not sure it is
people getting offended less quickly in general, versus on specific subjects.
There are plenty of ideas that Danes consider to be _completely_ crazy, not
really debatable in polite company. For example, suggesting that abortion
should be illegal, which is a mainstream position in the USA, is such a crazy-
far-right position in Denmark that you couldn't bring it up in a regular
social setting. Also, suggesting that healthcare should be a purely private
responsibility, not guaranteed by the state, would position you as quite far-
right, with even many far-right people distancing themselves from the full
extent of that position.

On the other hand, Danes can come across as rather crass about some subjects,
especially race.

~~~
bad_user
I'm a Romanian.

> _suggesting that abortion should be illegal, which is a mainstream position
> in the USA, is such a crazy-far-right position in Denmark_

Personally I think Americans are spoiled.

In Romania under Ceausescu (so before 1989) abortions were illegal. Hundreds
of thousands, maybe even millions of women (in a country with a population of
less than 19 millions) ended up doing illegal abortions under unhealthy,
unsanitary conditions. Many of them had health issues because of that,
thousands died or were prosecuted for it.

Many of the women that didn't manage to get an abortion, ended up with
unwanted children. Conditions were tough as we were living with harsh
austerity measures, many of these parents barely had enough money to put food
on the table, many of these children grew up in families that didn't want
them, many of these unwanted children were given up for adoption, filling the
streets with beggars.

Abortions may be murder, but making them illegal is also murder.

If you are interested in what happens when abortions are made illegal, there's
a good documentary movie about what happened in Romania. Search for " _Copiii
lui Ceausescu_ " (in translation " _Ceausescu's Children_ ")

~~~
Cushman
Perhaps you are not aware-- that is precisely the same situation as in the
United States until _Roe v. Wade_ in 1973. The phenomenon you're describing is
pretty common knowledge in our left-wing political circles; on the right, it
is deliberately ignored.

~~~
Kiruw
Uhm... no. This is factually incorrect. If it's "pretty common knowledge in
[your] left-wing political circles", that's fairly pathetic. Roe v. Wade
overrode state (and occasionally local)-level laws making abortion illegal,
but it did not suddenly switch abortion from "illegal" to "legal" in the
entire country. (How could that even happen... from a practical perspective?)

There were 193,491 legal abortions in the US in 1970. Prior to Roe v. Wade,
abortion was a state-by-state matter, and the lines were being drawn in fairly
predictable ways based on the right/left state-makeup of the time.

~~~
Cushman
Your point is well-taken, but I don't think it actually goes against what I'm
saying. Abortion in the US was not Federally illegal, but it was illegal for
many women and many women died for that. That ended when _Roe_ established it
as an affirmative right-- though perhaps not for good, as we're starting to
see again entire states where legal abortions are simply not available.

I do appreciate the correction, though I'd have appreciated it more in a more
constructive tone.

