Joomla! Discussion Forums

Hello,

we will inform you about our ideas for the International Joomla!Conference and Joomla!Day. We don't want to go to much in details so we can first discuss the main line for the event.

Some facts:
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Title: International Joomla!Conference and Joomla!Day
Location: Media Park Colone
Time: end of September (three days)
Theme: Building Bridges
Call for Papers (end): 3. April 2007
Programm published: May 2007
Language: English

Conference and Expo
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The theme for the 2007 conference is “Building Bridges”. The conference helps to gain knowledge, develop tools, build successful applications and improve skills.
Building bridges:
* To CRM, legacy systems, other OS CMS software
* Between 1.0.x. and 1.5 Joomla! software generation
* Inside Joomla! to Linux – php – mysql and their commercial service suppliers

Bringing together Joomla! developers, partners, commercial service suppliers, end- users and others, the 2007 International Joomla! Conference & Expo will every day feature a focussed range of tutorials and sessions, giving attendees new views of the Joomla sphere – everything from an overview of the latest business applications and project developments to an in-depth look at safety, scaling, optimization and Joomla!’s inner working.

The conference is designed for managers, CIO, CTO’s, Joomla! developers, designers & hosting companies. Although each day has a special focus, the all days conference is a perfect brief encounter with business and community aspects of Joomla! and partner projects.

The first day is focussed on professional developers in the php-mysql-Joomla!  Open Source field. In depth courses will be available to link and interact with adjacent OSS technologies. Attendees are technology minded. High level workshops give direct added value to their work, hobby or community effort.

On the second day commercial service suppliers meet business decision makers and end-users. Our organisation facilitates this social event and makes it useful at the same time.
End-users experience the value of Open Source based development in their own pace and level. Business application are widely presented in the Expo.
For decision makers this day focuses on overview and building bridges. In a relatively small period of time they get an impression of the value of Joomla! in business applications. The key issues of putting the pieces together, the Joomla! Open Source Framework and other related OSS frameworks, will become more transparent to them.

The third day is the traditional Joomla!day. The community flocks here as well as businesspeople that like to hang around a bit more. To taste two bits of Joomla! culture. Parallel and plenary sessions vary in level and span applications in business, non-profit and home applications.

We have planned this as joint adventure between the Dutch and German JoomlaDay Organisations Teams. To make the work as effective as possible we have the topics divided and one team is responsible.

Robert
+ Programs
+ Side events / shows
+ Food, beverages

Henk
+ Sponsor handling
+ Manage design, repro
+ Manage countryteams

Cheers
Henk van Cann and Robert Deutz

Hi,

I hope I'm not crashing a private party, but I've contributed to the Dutch Joomla!Day twice before. I'd love to volunteer for anything you guys need on this international conference. If I know some time in advance when those days would be, I could schedule them in, so it would be possible for me to be present.

If you already have enough resources, I'll just be around as visitor 

Regards Robin

Thank you Robert, I will have to adjust my holiday plans....

Thank's Robert and Henk for putting together this initial concept.

As we discussed already the term "Joomla!Conference" is a bit critical but however we still have time to solve those things.

A Joomla!Day that brings together people from whole Europe will be a great happening for all of us. Looking forward to meeting all of you there.

Alex

To answer the question & remarks: It is a global event and I will look for contributors in the different countries to make the event successful. We need positive contributors. Indeed we have decided some things already that proved to be successful in the past. Objections to a great Joomla! gathering? Somebody has got to take the lead. Still a lot is open for constructive debate. Let us do it that way.

Some questions my behalf:
What would you like to change in the current setup?
What type of attendees would like to meet in Cologne?
How could you contribute to the organisation?
Do you have sponsors to support the event in money and exposure?

We will integrate good suggestions in our program & organisation.

Cheers,
Henk

I've made my comments in the prvate event team forum.

I'm all for a big event just want to see it a success

The idea of organising the three days Int. conference is to work closely together with county-teams.
I would like to get in contact with people that want to fulfill the role of "countrymanager".
But first let me go into more detail concerning the budget & sponsors.

A 3 days conference costs some money and we do not have it.

So we worked out the following idea to get sponsors in an acceptable way for the Project:
- no less than 3 main sponsors
- in total 7 pavilions of local sponsors per (language) region or per country
- many possibilties to present small budget parties as well.
- not for profit: the event has to break even
To the break even goal I want to add: the event could raise great funding for Joomla! as a project, and that is still an option. Choices will be made concerning the financial goals by the core team.

The Mediapark is a great location for a conference, we have an option on one of the buildings groundfloor, 1st level and basement. Perfectly suitable for keynotes, main sponsor expo, pavilions of local sponsors, other events, parallel sessions etc.
We will work with an professional local agency in Cologne that takes care of the operation: subscription, payments, receipt, badges, etc. Robert will look after that and make arrangements.

Well that is some info for now. Back to the question: who is willing to help? The country(language)manager helps translate all the events communication to native language, gets local sponsors, issues the call for papers etc etc, we do not have a fixed idea on the role yet.

Please let us know when you interested to work together with us on the Conference in Cologne, sept 2007.

Just a suggestion:

Some business (this is a must for most non profits) set up processes to slect their providers. This way, I can´t put my cousin business to manage the reservation system or select a venue just for my frienship relation with the owner.

Transparecy is needed to avoid missunderstandings. Take this not as a crtic, just as a suggestion, right? As you said, this kind of events have a big budget...

The Joomla! conference in Cologne is canceled.
Thanks to those that were willing to contribute.

Cheers,
Henk

Why?

It was a great idea, IMO.

That is a long story. I will not bother you with that. Abstract:
It was more than just an idea, we had a reservation for a great conference spot, costs calculations & set-up & ideas on sponsoring.
We needed the status of a "conference" to tie ends together financially at a calculated risk.
It became obvious that the core team would not decide positively on this name-issue this week.
That implicates the reservation ends & Cologne will be canceled.

If you wonder why the use of the name "conference" is not granted, ask the core team.
If you wonder why we can not go using any other name (like e.g. "International Joomla!days"), ask us.

We take our loss of energy & time, do a U-turn and will have much more spare time in summer :-)

Cheers,
Robert & Henk

Thanks for your explanation.

PS: I do not think it is a loss of time and energy if you share your experiences

So why couldnt it be called International Joomla!Day or European Joomla!Day?

The organisation of the Joomla! event in Cologne calculated the budget & discovered that we can not act on the exposure of International Joomla!days. Therefore we asked for a decision on the name Conference, because in its sponsoring, set up and exposure it would be a Conference. We can not go without the name. For the core team / OSM it was optional to earn money for the Project.

We think our proposal for the conference had everything an event of that size needs. And it did fit very well in the culture of the Joomla! project and neutralized the objections against a "conference" made earlier. We could have made a lot of exposure and a leap forward for the Joomla! Project that would have culminated in a few days in Cologne.
But we simply need the "grandeur" of a conference to do it. To get the right sponsors in place in the right set up.

To explain this a bit more: we do not want to go out and ask three main sponsor to pay 12.000 euro each for the second best event in the Joomla! world. Because a main sponsor will want to be on the greatest event: the conference. And if we do not have this sponsor money available; it would be a big financial risk to take.
The number of expected international attendees will drop for the same reason. And that has its effect on local sponsor in the pavilion set up. It is all related.

only a name to me and doesnt make a huge ammount of difference to me what it is called. But I guess its your call

It is a good choice to stop working, if the people they do the work don't have the possibility to choose a name. At the last it isn't a question about a name but it is a question about trust and expertise.

As I have learnt myself recently with joomla weekly news. It is not worth throwing the rattle out of the pram. Far better to find a solution to a problem.No problem is unsolvable. A problem is only a new challenge to reach

Surely, but sometimes I be tired to pick the rattle up and laying it back in the pram.

I do agree.
For what it's worth:
Joomla! European Colloquium
Joomla! European Symposium
Joomla! European Expo
Joomla! European Gathering
Joomla! International Symposium (Europe)

etc.

Hi, all.
This brings nothing. The core team would want to decide again. This lasts again for weeks. We would be recipients of orders again. And all this does not have the same place value in the eyes of the sponsors as a Conference. In addition, the sponsors already the Conference had adapted. One should remember, too, who has established the Joomladay.This was not the core team. These were the German and Dutch organizers. And now? The core team is ordering us now, what we may do?

Cheers, Uli

Should you have the option to organise and manage the main Joomla! event in the world "officially"?

Why?

And why do you expect the full Core Team support to your proposal without any discussion, suggestion or, as you said, "order"?

AFAIK you are free to run an event, and you are free to name it whatever you want providing that you do it legally. You could do it even against the Core Team willings, recommendations or "orders". But then you won´t have the Joomla! project support. That´s all and I am sure you will be able to find a win/win solution.

Uli

I know you are angry and upset but please get your facts correct.

This is not quite right, discussions took place. The first already in September in a little circle. The second discussion in December, the project was introduced for the first time there. The third in the private event forum with a changed project orientation. Everything the core team did not want due to the second discussion was eliminated here.
I save myself further details.
It is certain now that we organize nothing in Germany this year.

What is wrong, Brian?

You knew the outcome of the discussions yet you chose to ignore them and expected that under the threat of a deadine etc you would be able to do what you wanted to do anyway.

How wrong you were. Wether you agree or disagree with a decision you have to abide by it and not attempt to sneak your way in via a backdoor.

It is a real shame that you have taken this approach and shows how little you think of the Joomla community in germany. Fortunately there are people who care about Joomla in Germany and I am sure they will be more than happy to organise a joomladay in germany now that you wont.

just for the report

If anyone willing organise a joomla event in germay, he is welcome!
If anyone willing organise a international/European joomla event anywhere, he is welcome and he can get all informations/ideas I have.

We have defined the terms and conditions for us if we are making the event. We can't find an agreement with the core team. This isn't a problem for me, I am not very sad about this. That's live. We have different positions, we both have our reasons for the positions.

Let us stop here and go to our work.

Tssss... no comment
Only one:

I am a professional event manager and everybody thinks here, he knows everything better than me.
I agree with Robert

Our considerations have been explained in the private forum (under "what is in a name...."), where it belongs. I do not agree with your "analysis" of how things went, Brian. We infromed you in the private forum. And that is about it.

I will continue to do the good & positive work for Joomla! in the Netherlands. No hard feelings. Cologne? where is that? 

Hi all,

yes I take the suggestion from Robert and close this thread now.

Just a comment for all to know.

Yes there had been talks going on. Yes it was communicated since last year December that Joomla! conference is a reserved word and we would not allow this name to be used. Other names are of course possible and as Robert already said someone who is interested in taking over this event is welcome to do so.

From my side thanks to all of you for participating in this talk and for the very intense work you put into it. I totally understand and accept the emotions and comments we had.

Alex