On 08/22/2011 01:25 PM, Karsten Wade wrote:
Cloud SIG folks:

We love the Fedora FUDCon model. Just as JBoss did with JUDCon, I'd
like to start a new users and developers-focused conference around
cloud efforts that relate to Fedora and, by effect, Red Hat's cloud
and virtualization efforts.

Not-so-tentatively called CUDCon, "Ruminate with us about clouds!",
the Cloud Users and Developers Conference (beginning) idea is:

* Go alongside an existing FUDCon.
** Existing base of users and developers who are naturally interested
   in the technical focus of CUDCon.
** Attract wider range and more sponsorship.
** Cross-seed people and talks so cloud-related talks at FUDCon are
   also part of CUDCon.
** Grow attendance at FUDCon by bringing in cloud-focused people who
   might not otherwise attend.
* Bring in open community cloud efforts of all backgrounds that are
  built on an open source stack that include Fedora or its
  remixes/downstreams such as RHEL, CentOS, etc.
** Nice-sized ecosystem without saying, "Everyone and everything."
** Sponsors should (MUST?) come from that milieu - be contributors to
   open community cloud efforts that fit within the Fedora/RHEL
   ecosystem.
* Participation point for upstream components that could play in/run
  on Fedora-family technology.

I'd like to run the first mini-CUDCon as a cloud track for FUDCon
Milan, then the first full-CUDCon at FUDCon Blacksburg 2012. (I'll be
contacting those organizers separately from here.) I'm interested in
your reaction to this idea before I get too much farther. :)

There are a few reasons for doing a stand-alone conference brand from
FUDCon and Fedora. One of these is that it's harder to argue that some
cloud efforts fit within FUDCon. For example, Red Hat's OpenShift is
built from Fedora-sourced components, on an open source architecture
that includes Fedora technologies, but it is not yet entirely open
source, so it doesn't have (m)any components in the Fedora package
repo. Some open cloud communities may want to play in the Fedora space
even if there isn't going to be a pure set of packages to install.
CUDCon is a place to have these crossover discussions, as a catalyst
and sowing-of-grass for future efforts.

Audience:
* People who may think, "Our open source cloud software is not in
  Fedora, so FUDCon isn't for us."
** They benefit from exposure to FUDCon.
** Way to include increased cloud interest without diluting or
   distracting the FUDCon focus.
** Cross-seeding with FUDCon possible but no mandatory, more relaxed
   exchange of ideas.
* Fedora-family of developers, administrators, and users (including
  RHEL/CentOS/Scientific Linux).
* Open source cloud enthusiasts.
** Folks who are interested in learning or teaching about open source
   cloud.
* Individuals or organizations developing and deploying in the cloud.
* Software companies with one or more open source cloud components in
  their stack.

As I add more information to this proposal, you can keep track by
putting a watch on this page:

https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/CUDCon_proposal
So my gut feelings on this:

* Having this at the *same time* as FUDCon would be less than optimal, as we've seen in the past with having FUDCon co-lo'd with JUDCon or Summit, or even FUDCon at the same time as other events (fosdem, etc.). People have to choose from one or the other, and can't make the most of their time at either event.  Even FADs run on the same days as $variousconferences wind up having people come in and out and not be able to get anything done.
* Having it before/after puts a lot of folks in the position of having to take off a full week from work, or else having to choose one or the other.
* I fear that despite having it under "different branding" - even having it at the same time as a Red Hat-sponsored "event" will give it the illusion that it's going to be very Red Hat-focused - possibly disenfranchising other folks from coming.

I really like the idea of having a Cloud Developer/End user-focused event, giving devs the opportunity to work amongst each other and find common ground, ways to work together, and getting to hear about the gaps that end-users are experiencing -- but I feel like having it be more independent, and getting some key folks in from other communities to help drive it and put it together, would make it much more unbiased-appearing.

We did have what was more or less a "full track," so to speak, of cloud-stuff at FUDCon this year, and that worked very well, even though it was somewhat Fedora-focused.

My other major concern is "what happens if it's super successful" (oh noes!) - how do we manage that with the limited Fedora budget that we have, or where are we getting money to sponsor what could potentially be another 100 folks showing up - as far as a "fudpub option", having enough rooms at a hotel at a point when FUDCon itself has blocked off only enough rooms for a Fedora audience, etc.

Generally, I think it would be far better off as an independent event, particularly if we want it to be an Independent Event - we can't say that we want it to be for everyone and that it's not Fedora-focused, but still want to leverage the fact that Fedora is onsite. I really feel like it's one or the other, but doing both I think causes a big distraction for FUDCon itself, and ties itself in a way to Red Hat branding that really makes it not independent, no matter how much we say otherwise.  Even calling itself an *UDCon is essentially reusing names that are given to other Red Hat conferences, which I suspect probably would just give people the impression that it's going to be very RHT focused.

Sorry to be all Negative-Nancy.  Like I said, I like the idea - but I don't want the idea, or FUDCon, to suffer - I think it could be very successful as something that is more independent, both in terms of attendees and output done.

-Robyn

- Karsten
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