Minutes from Meeting about DebConf 16 Cape Town planning Convened at 2014-11-19 19:32:57.614898 by tumbleweed in #debconf16-capetown on oftc Minutes ======= [19:32:57] STARTED (tumbleweed) [19:55:40] AGREED: ginggs to inquire about connectivity (nattie) [20:02:05] AGREED: indiebio to contact accommodation people about accessibility again (nattie) [20:29:18] ENDED (tumbleweed) Present ======= * Graham Inggs (ginggs) * Stefano Rivera (tumbleweed) * madduck * Raoul Snyman (superfly) * indiebio * Nigel Kukard (nkukard) * Nattie Mayer-Hutchings (nattie) * superfly_ * wendar Raw Log ======= [19:32:57] tibid: start meeting about DebConf 16 Cape Town planning [19:32:57] * tibid gets out his memo-pad and cracks his knuckles [19:33:15] tibid: I am Raoul Snyman [19:33:15] superfly: Done [19:33:21] ooo, it works! [19:33:26] tibid: I am Stefano Rivera [19:33:26] tumbleweed: Righto [19:33:36] tibid: i am Nattie Mayer-Hutchings [19:33:36] nattie: Yessir [19:33:42] (for people who haven't seen that before, it'll include real names in the minutes, as well as allow everyone to introduce themselves) [19:33:43] tibid: I am Nigel Kukard [19:33:43] nkukard: Alrighty [19:33:44] oi! i iz a girl [19:33:50] would so much like to say "Your mom" but yea [19:34:15] err agenda [19:34:14] so, minutes: http://whiteboard.debian.net/9fcb2.wb [19:34:47] I've done approximately nothing in the last week, but indiebio and ginggs have been a little more active, I think? [19:34:57] there's soooo much space for fooling around with that introducing thing. [19:35:12] yeah, I'm still busy with the report, I've lost Clare's prices. [19:35:27] :-(\ [19:35:30] I mean, the agenda, but it's starting to look like a report [19:36:28] wendar, do you have clare bock, apetite catering's prices in shorthand nearby please? [19:39:02] argh. I know we're all open source and all, but libre office sucks. my humble opinion. [19:40:17] helloooo? [19:40:19] as do all other office suites I've ever gone near [19:40:25] true [19:40:35] but I can't open clare's quote. [19:41:37] how do you force quit something in ubuntu? [19:42:16] killall soffice.bin [19:42:51] thanks [19:45:05] shall i report back so long? [19:45:07] oh yeah, office suites suck [19:46:18] please do ginggs, I'm almost up to speed :) [19:46:46] tibid: i am Graham Inggs [19:46:46] ginggs: Alrighty [19:47:30] ok, we have received the signed applications back from the DVC's office [19:47:53] nice [19:48:02] provisional booking for the venues for 2016 only opens around march 2015 [19:48:27] ok, we should note that in the bid [19:49:33] i have been in contact with three of the film caterers and exhanged a few emails answering questions, but no actual pricing received yet [19:49:33] and we navigated the black hole of finding someone who actually responds in the venues@uct realm!! [19:49:34] i think that's shortly after the decision meeting [19:50:14] i think that was all from me [19:50:14] do we need to decide which areas we want floor plans of? [19:50:30] ok, my agenda/report for catering is as far as it's going to get. [19:50:56] well, tumbleweed, are we still considering Leslie Social or kramer for the entire conference? [19:51:09] If I ask for one building only we can probably get more detail. [19:51:26] wendar probably can also give advice here [19:51:29] that's a good question [19:52:11] kramer is closer to main road [19:52:28] leslie has big venues [19:52:40] but I do like the feel of chem eng (and the pull we have, there) [19:52:57] I think they're all perfectly viable [19:53:27] My preference is 1. Engineering, 2. Kramer, 3. Leslie [19:53:42] tumbleweed: any idea of the connectivity in kramer? [19:53:47] But I think I'll ask for basic sizes, and location of plugs [19:53:58] ginggs: well, it wouldn't be any worse than anywhere else, right? [19:54:15] all these buildings have fibre [19:54:17] no idea, but guess it's the same campus wide. ginggs, does engineering have anything special that the rest of campus wont have? [19:54:43] i think upper campus is all the same, i have no idea about middle campus [19:55:01] but i can find out [19:55:28] tumbleweed: please make your bot note that [19:55:40] ginggs: can you remember teh URL of the site with uct network layout? [19:55:40] tibid: agreed ginggs to inquire about connectivity [19:55:40] Agreed: ginggs to inquire about connectivity [19:56:01] oops, i should have added "on middle campus" [19:56:57] (sorry, distracted) indiebio: I added apetite to the spreadsheet [19:57:27] thanks :) I finally found it and managed to open it, eventually. I put all the stuff on the agenda page too [19:57:29] and, agreed on preference for Engineering [19:57:08] http://nom.uct.ac.za/ ? [19:57:46] We may want one room from other building for opening and closing keynotes [19:57:52] wendar, how strong is that preference, should we even still investigate others? [19:57:52] but, I think not for the whole event [19:58:05] I will definitely book Leslie Social 2A for the plenaries. [19:58:06] what would we do for accommodation? halls? [19:58:23] is the break long enough for that? [19:58:27] for the video team, moving between venues is horrible esp, between buildings [19:58:30] Accommodation I have not had any replies, will be looing at Fuller Hall. It's within walking distance, [19:58:31] (sorry for daftish questions) [19:58:50] nattie: that's the plan,yes [19:59:00] tumbleweed: ok :) [19:59:01] indiebio: Snape LT! or Menzies 9 or 10 were also options for plenaries on smaller attendence [19:59:07] er, LT1 [19:59:11] BUT ginggs and I couldn;t quite figure out how a wheelchair will make it up without very fit uphill and long winding roads [19:59:23] yes, I'll book those anyways too. [19:59:26] nattie: http://www.uct.ac.za/calendar/terms/ [19:59:32] moving between venues is horrible, yes, but it would only be for 2 half-days [20:00:02] The way I see it, I expect tehse venues to be free (I asked but that question went unanswered, and I expect UCT to back this which would add support), and it will be holidays, so these won't be used either way. [20:00:05] indiebio: would a small campus cart be an option for wheelchair transport? [20:00:10] indiebio: the two main wheelchair users i can think of who might attend - one's actually very fit apart from the whole not-walking thing, and the other has a very snazzy powered chair [20:00:13] (just a couple of trips?) [20:00:28] wendar: like an airport cart thingie? [20:00:33] - superfly_ online [20:00:39] wendar: they exist (wheelchair transport) [20:00:41] wendar, Jammie shuttles have a wheelchair dedicated mini-bus, that we could rent, yes. [20:00:45] nattie: yah, sort of grounds-keeper carts [20:00:50] or the bus, yeah [20:01:10] I see it at the station, there's a blind academic that uses it too. [20:01:45] can you please note that I should bug the accommodation people again? I think they were busy with people vacating last time [20:01:55] we'll likely be arranging Jammie shuttles or similar for evening dinner outings, so we can ask about it at the same time [20:02:05] tibid: agreed indiebio to contact accommodation people about accessibility again [20:02:05] Agreed: indiebio to contact accommodation people about accessibility again [20:02:54] wendar, we can ask about Jammies now, but I'm a bit worried they might not exist in 2016 or something. They've been rather tumultous financially, I think, [20:02:57] indiebio: thanks so much for all this running around. I'm feeling rather guilty now :) [20:03:25] we should probably find out about jammies either way, and a private transport company, too [20:03:50] it's a great procrastination tool :) [20:03:55] and only a few emails, not a big deal [20:04:25] ok, I can do Jammie, but I think someone else must volunteer for the private transport quotes [20:04:39] perhaps superfly? [20:04:47] or nkukard? [20:05:37] not something I have any expertise in at all :( [20:05:43] oh ya, nattie, thanks for reminding. if we use UCT Upper and their accommodation, the dates are likely to be 6 - 16 July. [20:06:38] ginggs: http://www.icts.uct.ac.za/images/Network_Blueprint_version_5_5November2007.pdf - Kramer houses one of the distribution switches [20:06:51] so it is as well connected as Leslie [20:07:48] I'm sorry, I don't have the time :-( I'm just a fly on the wall [20:07:56] nkukard, doubt anybody has, we just need a bit of grafting [20:08:16] nkukard: i can help you formulate an inquiry mail if you like [20:08:22] I don't think the private transport thing is urgent. I don't expect transport to be a huge expense [20:08:29] but it'd be useful [20:08:53] I imagine a lot of people would probably want to try their luck with our minibus taxis :-P [20:09:51] indiebio, if my PA didn't quit cause she got cancer it would of been no problem at all :) , I fly out next week around europe giving advanced cloud infrastructure seminars and lectures :(, after that mid dec I"m 100% available [20:10:10] I wonder if we could arrange an Uber discount for the week? They are all Ubuntu-based. [20:10:25] nattie, indiebio , mid Dec I'm all yours :) [20:10:34] probably, Uber was sponsoring some TEDx events [20:10:47] ok, so what else do we need to cover? [20:10:50] they're also a bit controversial... but probably less so in SA [20:10:56] yeah [20:11:05] indiebio: you mentioned a 10% breakwater discount? Is that all they had to offer? [20:11:12] Breakwater - is 10% discount enough, wendar? [20:11:23] It looks like it. business types. ptsh. [20:11:24] I don't think that makes any difference to us [20:11:42] yeah, that's what I thought, that and the small restaurant killed breakwater for me. :/ [20:11:44] indiebio: the room prices for non-university were nearly double the university rate [20:11:58] so, 10% is something, but not enough to put it in our range [20:12:02] 'K, so scratch that then [20:12:14] so, I guess we go with the bid as UCT Main, with a backup of... [20:12:21] hmmm... TechnoPark? [20:12:45] this may simplify the bid drafting [20:13:04] if TechnoPark, then back to August? [20:13:34] technopark is approaching R1m, without accom [20:13:54] it's not cheap, but probably within range? [20:14:02] egads. i've never budgeted a million of anything for anything [20:14:13] and river club? [20:14:31] indiebio: you just want to play golf ;-) [20:14:47] indiebio: we don't have any kind of accom prices for that [20:14:59] but I assume they'll be similarish? [20:15:08] nope, their pub was just very inviting. and it's pretty and near water [20:15:18] (rather black water) [20:15:19] but aren't they rebranding shortly? [20:15:31] indiebio: we could plan a pub night at river club :) [20:15:34] hmmm, we could try uct acc? or is that putting all eggs in one basket? [20:15:46] with regards to the bid it's flying blind what with all the renovations... [20:16:19] I think I'm ok with technopark as a backup, with the understanding that that means significantly less money for travel sponsorship [20:16:26] nod [20:16:34] it's a safer backup bet than river club, because there are less unknowns [20:16:39] *nods* [20:16:50] though people might throw a strop at reduced travel sponsorship [20:17:07] but it's only a backup venue, anyway [20:17:11] agreeed [20:17:14] eeee [20:17:16] :) [20:17:21] yeah, we could always fundrais extra-hard to make up :P [20:17:29] we could have a bake sale :) [20:17:34] anyone good at cakes here? [20:17:40] not me. [20:18:11] OK. Anything else we need to talk about? [20:18:17] my stomach wants to discuss lunch [20:18:33] well, yes, catering. [20:18:34] (away from here) [20:18:40] I put the numbers on the agenda. [20:19:14] I contacted some hotel schools, only TTBISA came back (well, one or two others came back with no) [20:19:16] those numbers look fine. They are restuarant-level prices, so I'd like to think we could get cheaper. But we can budget with this [20:19:20] They sound really enthusiastic [20:19:30] that's nice [20:19:49] Yeah. Clare Bock also emailed again today to check back, she sounds very very professional. [20:20:05] I don't have experience with this. Are restuarant-level prices what we should expect from large scale catering like this? [20:20:06] I told her about the bid, but also said I'll keep her updated. Any comments to relay to her? [20:20:52] hello, i am sorry i missed the meeting [20:20:57] I have NO idea. I don't even know who to ask. But can give it a think. For now we have quotes for the bid... [20:20:58] not entirely [20:20:59] her numbers looked good, and flexibility for alternate diets looked good too [20:21:04] hi madduck! [20:21:15] i am in instanbul and while I thought I could be back at the hotel in time, traffic here is of another dimension. [20:21:23] :) [20:21:23] I'm curious to see what the movie caterers quote [20:21:35] madduck: it's fine. you can catch up later. we're just on catering now. [20:21:46] * tumbleweed could also contact our old office lunch caterers. They used to be really cheap [20:22:02] (R40 for lunch, IIRC) [20:22:19] this is also Cape Town. I am not enthusiastic on getting bargain prices... back on that old horse. but the movie caterers might do something different? [20:22:19] but this would be a big scale for them [20:22:37] anyways, we can refine that in due time. [20:22:41] Food Lab said they had a range of options [20:22:48] yeah, there's a long time to nail all of this down [20:22:52] we just need a budget for the bid [20:23:23] so it can be tailored to the budget, i asked them just to quote on the middle of the road [20:23:34] ginggs: sounds good [20:23:59] they said they had recently catered for Navy Week, and would base our quote on that [20:24:10] yeah, flexibility will be good, what sort of advance notice do they need? [20:25:31] madduck: i have no idea [20:25:47] OK, we're at 55 mins. Any other business? [20:25:55] not from me [20:26:02] ginggs: this is something to check so we know it early and might be able to negotiate as well. [20:26:20] i.e. in heidelberg, we have *rough* numbers 4 weeks ahead, final numbers one week notice [20:26:33] which is rather long but I bit into a rock trying to get shorter times [20:27:39] after the reconfirmation, I don't know how much more detail we have on attendee numbers. Do people e-mail saying they aren't coming? [20:27:52] rarely [20:28:40] in Portland, we told the caterers to anticipate roughly 80% of confirmed attendees would actually eat [20:28:40] ok, I want to call this, and go get lunch [20:28:53] and that turned out to be pretty accurat, IIRC [20:29:00] it did, yes [20:29:15] lunch sounds good [20:29:16] thanks! [20:29:18] tibid: end meeting