Two NYC Summer Drupal Events

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ezra-g's picture

Two NYC Summer Drupal Events

There are two exciting and unique NYC Drupal events this summer. With over 2,000 local community members, the NYC Drupal group is one of the largest and most diverse Drupal user groups, and this summer’s events reflect that diversity.

The purpose of this post is to promote both summer NYC Drupal events and describe the key differences between the two:

Both events:

  • Have a strong community feel
  • Are great for both folks who are new to Drupal and long-time community contributors to learn more about Drupal, meet other Drupalers and get more involved in the Drupal community

DrupalCampNYC11 Unconference:

June 23, 2012

  • Sessions decided day of the event by consensus of all attendees
  • Focused more on impromptu peer-to-peer discussions than presentations
  • Single day
  • More intimate (smaller) group of attendees (< 175) sharing multiple rooms at NYU Poly in Brooklyn
  • Free, $25 suggested donation to attend

NYCCamp (pronounced "Nice Camp")

July 19-23, 2012

  • Session presentations proposed + selected in advance
  • Multiple days with keynotes and sponsored social events
  • Large attendance (Shooting for ~400)
  • Focus on code sprints and attendee contrib sessions
  • Free to attend

We’re excited that our community has grown to support multiple events that, in aggregate, will help improve the way we come together to contribute to the Drupal project. We hope that you’ll consider coming to NYC and joining us for both of them!


Sincerely,

NYC organizers for DrupalCampNYC11 and NYCCamp: Joe Bachana, Ezra Gildesgame, Eric Goldhagen, Willy Karam, Forest Mars, Brian Short, Annie Stone, Scott Wolpow.

Comments

More key differences

Alex UA's picture

This is an interesting attempt at diplomacy, but ultimately falls far short of accomplishing that goal (also, thanks for speaking for "NYC"- it appreciates it). Some more key points about NYCCamp that make it different:

1- It was planned in total secrecy, was not brought to this site or the for any sort of discussion or vote prior to the site going live, and has been a total affront to the hard work of the organizers of the official NYC camp.
2- It has "secret sponsors" that are somehow related to the organizer. In order to avoid a Conflict of Interest the organizer has decided that they should disclose less, meaning the organizer doesn't understand what a CoI is, why it is a useful concept, or how to remove a CoI from a decision making process.
3- It currently does not have any sort of plan for how it will take or spend the money of its sponsors (secret and otherwise) if and when the DA decides not to act as fiscal sponsor for the camp. Last I heard, this was up in the air
4- The "accountability" for the event's money will be handled by the two of the organizers, as well as the main organizer's sister. I'm uncertain why we were even told about the sister, since in other areas clear CoIs were handled by secrecy (again, the opposite of how things normally work in a fully functional organization or community).

Anyway, whatever, if you want to go to and/or sponsor or attend the camp, despite the divisive and aggressive anti-community aspects to it, go for it (let me save your fingers some typing- the response to the divisive actions of Forest, Brian, and Willy are what are causing this division, not the justified outrage from the other folks involved). The NYC group didn't have anything to do with planning the event (as in, it wasn't planned within any of the official channels), and I have lost any faith in any of the organizers to do this in a way that won't piss off everyone involved. Oh, and thanks for "teaming up" on the one organizer of the other camp that decided to show up to the NYC meetup. Ezra, you said it wouldn't be any sort of official anything (just a discussion?), and yet you posted this very official looking announcement as a result of what sounded like a ganging up on the only person who was involved in the planning of the official camp (classy! and they say I'm a bully!). Whatever... keeping to one's word is so quaint, I really don't know why I expect anyone to actually follow that tired old saying.

Last- can someone stop the embarrassing tendency to post these sorts of overly drama-filled posts to the front page of g.d.o? We already have a DCoC thanks to the NYC group, and now there's all this BS, so why can't this just stay within the NYC group rather than get posted to the front of g.d.o?

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberg
ZivTech: Illuminating Technology

Hi Alex,This post is the

ezra-g's picture

Hi Alex,

This post is the result of collaborative work done asynchronously (outside of the meetup you referenced) in collaboration with all of the organizers listed at the bottom.

We made this post because we felt that it would be best to first focus on making these events awesome, and then regroup for a candid, in-person conversation amongst the organizers in order to help avoid friction in planning future events.

This post-event meeting will be the venue where we can have a respectful, face-to-face discussion about the disagreements that remain and how to move forward in a productive way.

As a result, I'd ask you to respect the wishes of organizers for both events and stay tuned for updates from that meeting. At the very least, we'd all appreciate if you would respect the wishes of everyone listed and help us preserve a respectful tone, even when we disagree.

Like I said...

Alex UA's picture

You went directly against your own word. So why should I believe anything else that you say/write?

Like I said: go for it and do whatever you want, you don't need my permission to do anything.

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberg
ZivTech: Illuminating Technology

Alex, In the spirit of the

tom_o_t's picture

Alex,

In the spirit of the Drupal Code of Conduct, I kindly ask you to be considerate and respectful in your posts about this topic. If you have concerns about the way an event is being run, please take it up directly with that event's organizers.

With regards to your concerns of bullying, I've followed up directly with the people involved and asked them to reach out to whichever of the group organizers they are comfortable discussing this with.

Thanks, Tom

Alex UA's picture

I tried to save you the time to type, but again, the actions that caused the division are the problem, not the reactions (and I don't see how my reaction was even slightly over the line given what has transpired). I do have concerns, and have raised them already. But, so what? The organizers of NYCCamp have already made their move, establishing a fait accompli/"fact on the ground" (the ultimate in aggressive "negotiating" tactics), what exactly are we even discussing? Given that posting in public, even when it's contentious, is an extremely important part of collaboration (especially when there is obvious dissent), I'll just assume that you meant that I should tone down my rhetoric, so... is there something specific you're concerned about (other than me raising uncomfortable facts), or else anything else you're unclear about that I could clarify?

Also, given that the rest of the group was specifically told that the meetup would not serve as any sort of referendum, and thanks to Ezra posting to the front page of G.D.O. we now now it actually was, would you mind adding that to the list of items you discuss with the group organizers? Regardless of how it was justified (it's just a conversation!) it was used as an opportunity to turn the overall group against the other organizers (of which, I am not one), which is exactly what those organizers had feared that it would be used for.

But, whatever, I'll shut up for now (I won't even defend myself, so go forth and attack the messenger), other than to clarify what I said earlier. I wasn't directly involved in any of this, I shouldn't have let myself get pulled into it, and now I'm the bad guy for standing up for those people who feel trampled by this "process". Obviously, the problem is my conduct. So long, and thanks for all the fish!

Alex Urevick-Ackelsberg
ZivTech: Illuminating Technology

What is the community?

cpelham's picture

Are there limitations to who and how and under what conditions the Drupal NYC community namespace so to speak may be leveraged?

Personally I don't have a problem with someone pitching an event to a meetup group or subgroup, finding that those people don't want to help organize it, and then going ahead and organizing it with other people. People are free to compete...

But I do wonder about whether people (and certainly about whether this groups.drupal.org group) should advertise a "community" event that has anonymous sponsors and non-transparent finances without saying so up front. It seems push-back about that is to be expected as it really seems contrary to the spirit of Drupal and open-source IMHO. I think the group organizing the event should have refused to accept large corporate anonymous donations because it certainly makes one suspect that there is a hidden agenda about which we would not be comfortable if we knew (otherwise why hide?). but I'm interested to hear other points of view about it.

I think this discussion is good for the community and not toxic and we should do our best to keep our emotions in check and be forgiving of others when they do get upset because this is what it takes to work through difficult issues in true community fashion.


Christopher Pelham
Director
CRS (Center for Remembering & Sharing)
http://www.crsny.org

CRS (Center for Remembering & Sharing) is an arts & healing center located just south of Union Square in Manhattan.

Anonymous donors.

brandorr's picture

While I'm just as curious as the next guy or gal as to who the anonymous donor(s) are, and why they were kept anonymous, I don't see anything wrong with accepting/giving anonymous donations to (what I believe is) a good cause. There are many good reasons to make anonymous donations to a good cause. And there are many reasons to suspect anonymous donations to a bad cause.

Personally, I am not strongly questioning the good luck of our community to have donations made anonymously, especially considering that attendance will be free and that the organizers are known entities whom I largely trust to use sound judgement in accepting donations, and very much doubt it's Oracle or Microsoft making these donations in an attempt to astroturf a Free software community, nor do I believe the that NYCCamp is a clandestine attempt to fund a political action committee focused on political attack ads. Transparency-wise, I believe it's more important to see how the money is spent.

If I am wrong, and it turns out there is some sort of agenda, it will be apparent during the event, and I will eat my words. I am using my best judgment here, and assume that everyone is doing what they believe is best for the community, which is why I have also agreed to help the organizers with conference related tasks during the conference. (It doesn't hurt that the conference will be 3-4 blocks from my apartment.)

Cheers,
Brian

P.S. - Other communities I am involved with, including Debian, have no issue accepting anonymous donations.