Get together in Australia in December?

Hi there !

After the missed opportunity last spring, we are coming back to you with a new proposal :

Enrico is going to Australia from 1st-12th december (maybe some more days !)
Myriam might be happy to join from the 4th - end of december
Lynne was almost ready to go but finally is not able to… :frowning:

As we discussed a lot the product vision and strategy with @enricostn, @CynthiaReynolds and @simoneluijckx at OuiShare Fest when we met and worked on a first retrospective (post on it to come), we think we need to find some space to sit around a table and discuss deeply our respective product visions and strategy and a curation process (we have some proposals from the retrospective !). For example, in Spain they really want to develop buying groups features. In France we do also but we also have some big meaningful projects in need for a marketplace to whom we would like to be able to answer (see discussion about GLP, upcoming news from today, I’ll share them on Slack). So France would like the product to evolve toward a more modular approach so that those big users can have their own front end and integrate the modules they need in their own graphic environment / user experience, etc. This is just an exemple of the kind of things we would like to discuss and agree upon in terms of product vision. Today we pull the product in one or the other direction depending mainly on who can finance a feature that is a priority to them…
Of course we would work on other things as well, maybe discuss on strategies for “customers acquisition” (I don’t like that term but it speaks well… we need a minimum number of users for our platforms to be sustainable…) and explore more into details our business models. The agenda will be participative and we will organize some survey from the first retrospective we did at OuiShare Fest to get also more feedbacks on the main challenges we face and would like to work on collectively.

SO it would be awesome if we could have a few more people from other instances maybe in those discussions ? We won’t decide anything anyway and rather write proposals that you will be able to comment. Or we can plan regular feedback loops during those days. But if @tschumilas , @NickWeir, @CynthiaReynolds (who else ?) could free some time and budget to come, that would be awesome… Like a first small version of an OFN global get together in fact :wink: And December is summer in Australia, yeahhh !

We have been working together for more than three years, and most of us, we have never seen each other. I am deeply convinced that we can get so much more done if we sit together for 10 or 15 days ! I’m sure that the money we would invest for travels will be paid back in terms of the time we would earn !

So, who is IN ?

Ping @Kirsten :slight_smile:

2 Likes

Thanks @MyriamBoure - I agree that we get so much more from face to face time. I also like your modular ideas. I would love to have time planning with you all. The BIG problem for me is a strong environmental commitment I have made about avoiding flying. I have looked into the idea of getting to Australia via cargo ships but it is too expensive.

I don’t know what the answer is…

I also think that @lin_d_hop would have more to contribute on these big development strategy discussions than me. Maybe we could have a mini UK planning/strategy session and then fund Lynne to come to a global discussion in Aus…

For me the December meeting in Aus is a matter of time not budget. I think I could find the money. BUT I’m teaching until Dec 12, and can’t justify a 24 hr trip for a few days of meeting time. BUT - I’m thrilled to arrange a HO with a group there - even if I need to get up an a strange hour.

But I also have another proposal. @lin_d_hop and I have had some early discussion on slack re: finding funding for a global OFN meeting. I’ve looked into SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Resources Council) Connection Grants here and it looks promising. The Wilfrid Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems has agreed to be our convener/host, and all meeting space would be provided. We would write the proposal to cover travel, accommodations and food. We need matching funds - but this can be ‘in kind’ and we could consider any current OFN development funds/time as matching. I think we could get up to $25,000 - so enough to fund 7-9 people, Maybe we could pair this with a second proposal ? Proposal deadlines are Nov 1, or Feb 1. We would need to pick dates in 2018 - would need to be after July. (Maybe in August and people might want to combine it with family vacation?).

So we definately need a global meeting - but I need more lead up to clear my schedule. I’m really happy to work on a proposal for a global meeting in Canada - would be thrilling. But Dec in Australia does not work for me unfortunately.

Whilst a getaway to Australia this winter sounds absolutely delightful, and face to face is by far the best way to move us forward. December is simply not an option for me.
@sigmundpetersen interested in going on behalf of the Nordics?

@tschumilas I am game for a Canada hookup next year, let me know how to help :slight_smile:

Maybe in December some of us can work on some discussion at product level to share with the greater community right after but especially take advantage of having @oeoeaio, @maikel, me and other people deeply involved into OFN code (but also vision) like @sauloperez (that would awesome) and crack down our technical bottlenecks in the same time zone and in the same room.

Thoughts?

1 Like

Not only at product/vision level but getting to work together at dev level would also have a huge positive impact. It would hopefully unblock many features and put our views in sync. I’d really love to work with you face to face.

Although a gathering on the first half of December fits well on my agenda, my problem is about money… that is a considerable expense and there’s no incoming money in Katuma yet :sweat_smile:

If the value added to the project by having you there @sauloperez would make us earn a lot of money on the Spree upgrade, maybe it worth chipping in your travel bucket ? What do you think ? I guess it’s a 6-700€ budget for the flight if you take it now, if 3 instances put 200-250 and that make us save that money from the Spree upgrade bucket, maybe that worth it… what do you think @enricostn @oeoeaio @Kirsten ? Just thinking at the project rather than instance level :wink:

The UK budget is very tight but I am happy to chip in 100€ personally towards a travel budget.

2 Likes

Sorry, but I can’t accept money from people’s pocket. We’ll find a way. Don’t worry.

We see pretty clear that this would save all of us quite a lot of money. A couple of plane tickets are definitely cheaper than months of development.

After a quick discussion with @MyriamBoure we have a proposal that I hope works for everyone.

@enricostn and I could work on the spree upgrade from Australia, among other things, as our humble free contribution to OFN. No charges. Our idea is to share our travel expenses only: @enricostn’s return ticket (he also has to reschedule it) plus my two-way ticket. We will then invoice these costs to each of the intances involved in the spree upgrade.

Again, paying by hour two people working full time for 10-15 days would be anyway more expensive and we will definitely be faster working together with @oeoeaio and @maikel.

What do you think about it?

I vote 100% FOR :slight_smile: Happy that OFFrance contribute to financing that on the new slot of money we were about to put on the Spree upgrade :slight_smile:

Totally happy to have some of the Canadian $ going to the spree upgrade to go toward your travel costs - and so looking forward to meeting you in Aus. Can everyone update the spreadsheet with travel dates - I need to book my flight and will try to overlap with you all as much as possible. @sauloperez @MyriamBoure @enricostn

1 Like

Can everyone update the spreadsheet with travel dates

which one @tschumilas? I can’t find any link in this thread.

Maybe this one ? https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-QHL1imCLP9CVAPyrEg6D8shk4T_L1WB32b3JDZnOz4/edit#gid=0
I land on the 5th around 15:35 something :slight_smile: It’s happening yeahhhh !
Let’s prepare that carefully so that we get the most out of it !
Cheers

1 Like

There has been a plot twist at home and my partner Judit and I will be in Australia from the 20th of November until 2nd of January. We will spend the days before your arrival plus some days after you guys go back home visiting the country. So excited!

May not be very relevant but I just updated the spreadsheet @MyriamBoure.

Booked my flight!!:heart_eyes:
arrive Dec 6 am, depart Dec 15 am

1 Like

so excited!!

what day do you get here?

this is just getting all too much. soooooo good :slight_smile:

2 Likes

I arrive Wed Dec 6 at 9:45. (I’m flying into Melbourne - right - should have confirmed that before - but just assumed :slight_smile:) Really excited - I’ll sleep (sort of) on the flight - so a bit of coffee and I can ‘hit the bricks running’ with you folks. I have some things I’d like to chat about - will make a list. I’m also thinking we can save the funds transfer fees and I can bring AUS $ travellers cheques with me for the development work. That way it will just be the exchange rate, and a smaller fee. I think that will work - won’t it? I’m hoping the stars align and I hear about the second grant before too long, then I can work out exactly what we’ve got for development.

After much soul-searching I have decided (again!) not to fly out to join you but i have noted the dates that you will be doing stuff https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-QHL1imCLP9CVAPyrEg6D8shk4T_L1WB32b3JDZnOz4/edit#gid=0 and put them in my diary in case it works for me to join in by zoom/hangout/mumble.
My offer of 100€ towards a travel budget still stands.

2 Likes