Updates from DrupalCampDeccan spark-off meeting at Hyderabad

nice and detailed minutes prashanth,.

I guess there z already a pretty active group on FB with around 80 members @
https://www.facebook.com/groups/210181355676507/

Nice efforts have been put forward to the community. I am interested to meet the people who have proposed this draft. Please suggest a Venue/Time for the meeeting

Regards

Hi, Can you please also add action items for
1. Coordinate with local authorities about the event, Submit a formal letters etc
2. Have a team that can go around and find some bargains (Food coupons, discounted stay) etc etc

Appreciate the efforts put in by people who met on Saturday.

But its sad that we are seeing lesser collaboration than before. It would have been great if the Drupal Hyderabad group behind this community was also part of this meet.
The last minute change in venue was not appropriate when it was earlier agreed upon by all that we'll have the meet at Gachibowli. The team had also planned "Hello Drupal" for novices which was attended by a lot of people. It wouldn't have been practical to move all these people to a new venue. I don't think the existing team and its work so far needs to be undermined this way. The way we are all working is certainly not in the interest of the community.

Anyway, its not gone too far. I suggest we work together to make the event a success. I am sure the community will only grow stronger that way.

Cheers,
Sarath M S

I see a lot of duplicate content, efforts being put in organizing this event.

When we already have a official Drupal Hyderabad Facebook group(https://www.facebook.com/groups/drupalhyderabad/) why another was created here https://www.facebook.com/pages/DrupalHyd/241614012554488 .

Why are meeting minutes (http://groups.drupal.org/node/181804) being posted in a different discussion with no connection the actual event page(http://groups.drupal.org/node/181554)? Why is so many redundant posts about events are made? And really why the proposed organizer names uploaded on scribd with no download option & completely protected for not sharing? The names should have been posted on the hyderabad groups page and not locked in a flash based doc sharing service with all disabled options. And for what reason are Ipsita, hari, medhamsh, sarath, aruna, siva,srujan who were so much active for last 2 years in Drupal Hyderabad excluded in the minutes?

Who are the people who are co-ordinating from Bangalore & chennai? Why are Shyamala, anil614sagar who are active in those regions being excluded even from the discussion? How democratically the Deccan region is been included in this event? We want names.

Where are the previous companies who had been associated with Drupal Hyderabad camp in 2010? Where is prokarma, Melity, Srijan & V-empower? When they sponsored the 2010 event were they not interested to join the meeting? Did anybody even officially invite them before kicking off the event?

Also lot of decisions are being put just before some hours of the event (http://groups.drupal.org/node/181554 - before 17 hours)

This particular post http://groups.drupal.org/node/181464 (having 20 odd comments) requests for relocation meeting location from gachibowli to La Makaan, but actually this post http://groups.drupal.org/node/181554 has La Makaan as the venue. Where did Gachibowli come into the scene? In which post was it mentioned that Gachibowli was the venue for the kick-off meeting?

And somebody please explain why that before a website for the event was finalized (http://www.drupalcampdeccan.in/) it was not communicated to anyone? Does Drupal Hyderabad own the rights on the domain? Was it even proposed in any of the meeting minutes in this group?

Whatever intentionally is being done to sabotage the Drupal Hyderabad community is not accepted. People who are leading the confusion should take care that they are breaking the group and not making it. If a draft can be finalized by 20 people who decided to meet over a midnight for a major event in view of Dries visit, i can see how undemocratically things are moving and the members who are supporting those people i see as the virus which has infected the Drupal Hyderabad community.

Disclaimer: I am not associated with any of you working on Drupal out of Hyderabad. Am just plain audience of this thread.

Folks.

I am attending the Drupal Camp at Mumbai and actively participating with others in the community to make the Mumbai event awesome and useful for all. Things are taking good shape there and we are hoping it would be an interesting community event at the end of day.

It is seriously quite sad to see from outside whatever trust issues you folks are having organizing the camp in Hyderabad.

Please, call each other up.. show up on IRC at #drupal-in (all mumbai and rest of India folks were hanging out there all day).. talk to each other and sort things out quick.

I really hope good sense prevails and we see a hat trick of super awesome Drupal Camps at Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

:)

I think it's important that we view events in a positive frame of mind, and not make accusations. I would like to address a few doubts, questions raised.

@Medhamsh: Please refer to the thread on http://groups.drupal.org/node/181464 .

There was a sincere proposal from various quarters in the Drupal community to have a meeting in a place that was central to the city, so that it is inclusive.

There was a meeting that happened at La Makaan on Saturday. And, it was attended by real people active with Drupal since the last 5 years.

There was an open invitation extended to everyone who have been active with Drupal to take part in the conversation. The request to have this in a central location was for practical purposes. And, there were members who are part of the Drupal Hyderabad core group also present there. Amongst the participants were Asif, Ratnamala, Prajwala & Sai Tanay who also are the core team members of Drupal Hyderabad, who have been advocating Drupal in colleges in the region.

What was presented as minutes was an output of that meeting. And, it was a very productive kick-off, an kudos to everyone who came over to make it happen.

I sincerely request you to see the minutes, and team up to make the event a success.

@Sarathms: Half the core team of Drupal Hyderabad was at the event at La Makaan on Saturday. In fact, Asif and Sai Tanay went the additional distance all the way to Gachibowli on Saturday as well, and also Major Bharat Cingireddy, who though is not a developer, but an active advocate of Drupal in Hyderabad went over. Please read this article in The Hindu http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article108... to know what he has been doing in terms of Drupal Advocacy in the region.

So....yes, the Drupal Hyderabad group members are an inclusive part of this effort. And, the most amazing part of this is that many Drupal folk who have been active advocates of the same for the last 5 to 6 years were also present at the event.

@ Sandeepbillakanti: Let me assure you that your fears are unfounded. Allow me to answer your concerns. There is a difference between 'Groups' and 'Pages' in facebook. You 'JOIN' groups, and you 'LIKE' pages!

There is no duplication here :) The purpose for a 'page' is NOT to create any conversation. Conversations on Drupal happen here on g.d.o. Social conversations around local happenings on Drupal happen on the 'FB Group'. Things are still the same. A 'page' makes no difference.

Minutes were possibly updated on a new thread to start a positive conversation on feeback on the same. And, I think it's okay that to condense the post a doc was attached to be viewed at Scribd. What is the issue there?

The minutes have been posted for feedback, and pictures are being shared as well to encourage more people to participate.

All companies associated with Drupal are coming on board on by one. Srijan has taken the initiative to drive things in Delhi, and they have been engaging with the community there to make things happen.

Myself, I am one of the co-founders of Azri Solutions, and have been an active advocate of Drupal since the last 6 years. That doesn't mean I only go to colleges and train students. I spent most of my time advocating Drupal to educational institutions, companies, Non-profits and design solutions on Drupal. I have been working with a large Drupal team of amazing individuals and we have been working with contributions, participation etc. I am not sure if you chose to leave out my company's name in your list, but we also sponsored the 2010 event, and trained at the same.

Who is Karthik? He is a Drupal developer and Drupal trainer who has travelled across the country and trained at various Drupal events and co-founder of 84 Ideas. His company has been working with Drupal for the last 5 years. And, you will also see his participation at Drupal Camps in India in 2008, Gandhinagar and 2009, Pune. He also leads a team that has done some amazing work in Drupal. It is not gentlemanly to point fingers at folk without knowing their involvement in the community.

Guru & Ramesh: From Harvest-Soft, who have been working with PHP and Drupal for many years now.

Now, do you really want me to list out everyone's biography and experience with Drupal for you?

Yes, over the next few days, many others will be join us from different firms. Those who responded to the invitation to the Saturday event were there. Now, with regards to the rest of us in the corporate sector, we will be reaching out.

The event at La Makaan was an open invitation for EVERYONE. The minutes were NOT drafted by a bunch of people locked in a room, claiming they alone should have the right to think and decide. Everyone who came there participated in the conversation. So, please don't aim your arrows at the messenger who took the initiative to compile and communicate the aspirations of those who assemble.

The event was an open occasion for folk to leave behind their personal organisational agendas and come together to talk about what is the best thing to do. That is what we did

This is NOT a Hyderabad event. This is an event for and by folk in South India. The folk in Hyderabad just took the first step. And, as a pan south India effort, the attendees shared their notes with everyone, and also initiate contact with folk in Chennai & Bangalore and other southern cities. Please go see the threads in Chennai and Bangalore communities. There already are conversations with Drupal folk in those communities. And, we are engaging and inviting people to join in. Yes, Shyamala & Anil614sagar are also involved. Go see the forums where there have been conversations initiated with them. We also had a call today

Why only south India? Because there are some amazing events also planned in Delhi an Mumbai. We all decided to make it a good one for the folk in south an nearby regions from a practical convenience perspective.

Hence, the website drupalcampdeccan.in. It is a reference to 'Dakshin'. I booked the domain name, in the interest of saving time for all of us. Drupal is the trademark of Dries, and no one has any right on any domain name. You may have DrupalHyderabad.com, someone might have HyderabadDrupal.com. That is NOT the point. We need a place where communication can be put out. That is is all.

There are more people joining in from various cities. And, drupalcampdeccan.in is where information will be.

And, let me also add that I believe IIIT Hyderabad is a great place for this event to take place at, to showcase a deemed university in our city. And, I went to the university, spoke to the leadership there an confirmed the event. We also communicated the same to Acquia.

It was important that we confirm a venue, a real reputed destination to showcase. Now, will you question that as well?

Should I be shot for my initiative?

I can go on. Yes, there were folk new to Drupal, but experienced with managing amazing events also at the meeting. IEEE has India's largest network on engineering students and young practicing professionals, including many Drupal developers!

Now, in the interest of growing the community, it is important to be inclusive. No need for command and control. Invite people, leverage their capabilities and grow the community. That is the priority. Not creating committees and demarcating illusionary boundaries an excluding the larger community.

I am not even asking you to list your experience with Drupal here. If you care, please volunteer with everyone in making this event a success instead of picking on people who are doing things.

As for me, my partners any our team at Azri, we have been actively in contact with Acquia and Dries' team for quite some time now pitching Hyderabad as a destination. And, I am thankful to everyone in the community who have come forward to take the leadership in making this event a success.

Please join the ones striving to make a difference! Do not doubt their intentions and integrity.

Please focus on feedback to the minutes. Please focus on teaming up. The ball is rolling. People are already on to various tasks. Contact folk from Drupal Hyderabad as well, like Prajwala, Asif, Ratnamala, Sai Tanay, Ipsita and many of us to know more.

on behalf of Drupal folk in Hyderabad,

Venky :)

This is the top article of the "hot content" section on groups.drupal.org.... I just hope better sense prevails and all of us get back to "work". But I must say, I am loving the passion on display in the group. I just hope an equal commitment of passion is displayed in "Code Commits".

Guys, please settle down internal issues (if any) in the group first(Please have a meeting if required). This is only a suggestion, please don't bang my head :-). If you keep on quarreling on the forum, it will spread wrong message about the group. As a group we should be together and work as a team and make the event successful.

Any plan of organizing webinar for those who are unable to attend virtually? If you need any volunteers you can count on me.

FYI… I am a resident of Hyderabad and I have been working with Drupal for more than 5 years.

I'm just seeing this thread. Here's my 2c (if it's even worth 2 anna):

You guys are all amazing. You organized some of the most professional camps I've been to in about a 1/6th the time it usually takes to do it. In addition, it was the first camp in each city which makes it even more impressive.

This stuff happens all the time, everywhere in the world. Obviously, not just Drupal - it's the human condition, I've been on both sides of it as a disgruntled, ungrateful volunteer and as a secretive power-hungry leader :)

The truth is that in 99% of cases, everyone is just doing their best and with a compressed timeline, people make a lot of communication errors. Ultimately, I hope it didn't become such a drag that hugs and beers were skipped as a result of it. :)

I'm just sorry we had such a compressed schedule that Dries, Ron and I couldn't hang out all day :( At any rate, hope to see some of you in the next few weeks.

Best,
Jacob