16:58:13 <pwaring> #startmeeting
16:58:13 <MeetBot> Meeting started Mon Apr  3 16:58:13 2023 UTC.  The chair is pwaring. Information about MeetBot at http://wiki.debian.org/MeetBot.
16:58:13 <MeetBot> Useful Commands: #action #agreed #help #info #idea #link #topic.
16:58:19 <pwaring> #topic Roll call
16:58:23 <tumbleweed> o/
16:58:24 <pwaring> as always, say hi if you're here
16:58:26 <tzafrir> hi
16:58:32 <bhe[m]> o/
16:58:33 <srud> Hi
16:58:36 <DLange> \o/
16:59:15 <PirateBady[m]> hi
16:59:37 <kannan[m]> hi
17:00:21 <pwaring> #topic Finance
17:00:38 <pwaring> the venue contract and advance payment are marked as pending - is that still the case?
17:01:19 <Anisa[m]> Hi :)
17:02:03 <srud> We got the contract.. Need to review and send to SPI for signing..
17:02:33 <srud> Hopefully this week
17:02:52 <pwaring> ok
17:02:55 <pwaring> anything else on finance?
17:03:18 <tumbleweed> we just set the prices for self-paid food
17:03:33 <tumbleweed> https://salsa.debian.org/debconf-team/public/websites/dc23/-/merge_requests/34
17:04:17 <srud> Forgot to add in agenda.. We might need some advance payment for conference dinner venue.. We plan to confirm and book in the coming week or so..
17:05:44 <pwaring> we can pick that up next time then
17:05:50 <pwaring> #topic Website
17:06:07 <pwaring> there's a merge request for visa and accomodation pages on the website
17:06:11 <pwaring> #link https://salsa.debian.org/debconf-team/public/websites/dc23/-/merge_requests/33
17:06:23 <pwaring> is there anything else we need to discuss / update?
17:06:26 <PirateBady[m]> reviews for that MR are still unresolved
17:06:32 <PirateBady[m]> we're working on it
17:07:26 <tumbleweed> great. Yeah we should land that for opening registration
17:08:16 <[pirate]praveen> hi
17:09:48 <pwaring> #topic Sponsorship team
17:10:07 <pwaring> current items are the written agreement/MoU with FOSS United and the LPI certification exams
17:11:45 <[pirate]praveen> MoU with FOSS United, last draft, sent to FOSS United for feedback
17:11:56 <[pirate]praveen> I think we can say yes to the LPI exam if no one feels strongly about it
17:12:37 <pwaring> if it doesn't cost anything and won't upset sponsors that seems fine
17:13:33 <tumbleweed> I assume it'll need a spcae to happen?
17:15:38 <[pirate]praveen> we will have to discuss the details with them - what all they need other than space
17:16:12 <[pirate]praveen> space we may have to give a free slot in one of the halls
17:16:29 <DLange> power and wifi usually
17:16:36 <DLange> but in a room so people can take exams
17:16:45 <DLange> doesn't work in a busy hall somewhere
17:17:55 <pwaring> shall we leave local team to discuss the details and come back next time?
17:17:57 <[pirate]praveen> we can ask them what all they need and decide based on that, if we can provide that
17:18:20 <[pirate]praveen> Anisa[m], ^
17:18:39 <tumbleweed> the size of space would depend on sign-ups
17:19:52 <pwaring> #topic Visa team
17:20:23 <pwaring> otehr than the merge request mentioned previously, is there anything that needs updates / discussion on visas?
17:20:47 <tumbleweed> yeah, we need to form a team
17:20:55 <tumbleweed> that means collecting email addresses and updating the alias
17:21:33 <srud> tumbleweed: that is in process..
17:21:47 <tumbleweed> great
17:22:00 <tumbleweed> that's probably a prerequisite for opening registration
17:22:09 <tumbleweed> there will be queries, and somebody who is going to be on the team should get them
17:22:17 <kannan[m]> nope, we are still trying to contact the relevant minteries
17:22:18 <kannan[m]> s/minteries/ministeries/
17:22:18 <kannan[m]> s/minteries/ministries/
17:23:08 <pwaring> ok, registration is next on the agenda anyway
17:23:11 <pwaring> #topic Registration
17:23:14 <kannan[m]> we are forming a team to volunteer for visa related queries and suppor.t
17:23:24 <pwaring> most of the registration changes in wafer are now live
17:23:28 <pwaring> #link https://salsa.debian.org/debconf-team/public/websites/wafer-debconf/-/issues/39
17:24:49 <tumbleweed> everything we need *should* be there now
17:26:19 <tumbleweed> if anyone hasn't tried it yet, you can on wafertest.debconf.org
17:27:44 <pwaring> other than visa info, is there anything blocking opening registration?
17:27:53 <DLange> Is it still realistic to get a web i/f for approving registrations?
17:28:11 <tumbleweed> yes, it can be done
17:28:18 <DLange> great, thanks!
17:28:27 <tumbleweed> if we know how people want to do it
17:28:40 <DLange> I'd prefer to have that before opening registration then. For the ease of use on the bursary team.
17:28:45 <DLange> o/ utkarsh2102 :o)
17:29:00 <utkarsh2102> \o
17:29:14 <pwaring> also I have just noticed that the 3 in the DebConf 23 is chopped off (top left of the website)
17:29:23 <DLange> tumbleweed: let's do a break out after the meeting with utkarsh2102
17:29:31 <DLange> or any time tomorrow, if you prefer that
17:29:37 <utkarsh2102> ooooh
17:29:41 <tumbleweed> sure
17:30:29 <bhe[m]> pwaring: Are you on firefox ?
17:31:11 <pwaring> bhe[m]: yes
17:32:03 <pwaring> doesn't need discussion now, I just noticed it
17:32:15 <bhe[m]> pwaring: I noticed this last week. Passed to Pirate Bady . Its not a problem in chromium.
17:32:25 <pwaring> k
17:32:35 <pwaring> #topic Progress on Haifa DebConf
17:32:38 <pwaring> tzafrir: over to you
17:33:08 <tzafrir> Hi, carina and I have been workig on several options.
17:34:59 <tzafrir> Carina was in touch with some people at the Technion. The prices of the dorms are quite good.
17:35:24 <tumbleweed> and availability?
17:35:26 <tumbleweed> dates etc.
17:35:30 <tzafrir> Other than that I'm checking some other alternatives just in case this fails.
17:36:27 <carina> יש חדשות טובות וחדשות רעות: החדשות הטובות הוא שאם יתאפשר לקיים את האירוע באוניברסיטת הטכניון, אז מבחינת המחיר יש שיפור. דיברתי עם משרד המעונות באוניברסיטת טכניון הם אמרו שההצעה עבור *כנסים פקולטיים* היא 95 ללילה, 4 ש"ח למצעים ללילה, נקיון על חשבון המארח
17:36:39 <tzafrir> It's still not quite clear if the'll have place avilable on Jul-Aug. They said they will surely have more free spots on September.
17:36:41 <carina> OOPS
17:36:43 <carina> There is good news and bad news: The good news is that if it is possible to hold the event at the Technion University, then in terms of the price there is an improvement. I spoke with the dormitory office at the Technion University, they said that the offer for *faculty conferences* is 95 NIS per night, 4 NIS for sheets per night, cleaning at the expense of the host (350 per apartment). That is, about 30 dollars per night, not including meals and cl
17:37:36 <tumbleweed> does that need some kind of internal sponsorship to make it a faculty conference?
17:39:09 <carina> no, but it does have some challenges, mostly from the faculty itself
17:39:47 <carina> There is another matter:  The thing is that during the summer vacation they are late for camps, so the number of places is limited. Size of up to 80 people. Many places become vacant in September, and the semester does not start yet, and then you can host more people.
17:40:36 <carina> which also brings the 2nd option given by the dormitory:
17:40:42 <DLange> What's the weather like in Haifa in September?
17:41:06 <carina> good question! it's quite hot
17:41:30 <tzafrir> Typically a bit less bad than August (on the average), but not that different.
17:42:15 <DLange> ok, sounds like a DebConf in Haifa in September is a useful option
17:42:35 <DLange> what was the second option in the dormitories, carina?
17:42:54 <DLange> (before my weather question derailed you, sorry!)
17:43:43 <carina> the temp might not be very high ( 25-32) but it's a bit humid.
17:44:28 <carina> no problem, it's   definitely a consideration
17:46:33 <tumbleweed> *wave* i have to run off
17:46:48 <tumbleweed> if there's anything else I'm needed for, ping me here
17:46:57 <pwaring> is there anything else we need to discuss on Haifa now?
17:47:04 <DLange> tumbleweed: reg confirmation meeting then tomorrow?
17:47:38 <carina> yeah..
17:47:56 <carina> The other option is not through the faculty, and is what they call "camps". But she was reluctant to give a price quote (also regarding a faculty conference, so I'm only 99% sure she gave the right price) before we exhausted the "faculty" option.
17:49:41 <pwaring> ok, thanks for the update!
17:49:45 <pwaring> #topic Meeting schedule
17:49:51 <pwaring> next meetings are 17th April and 1st May
17:49:54 <pwaring> same time, 17:00 UTC
17:49:57 <pwaring> #topic AOB
17:50:00 <pwaring> anything else?
17:50:49 <carina> 1,492 / 5,000 Translation results Translation result The bad news is that I spoke with the Director of External Relations at the Computer Science Faculty at the Technion, and she said that they are looking into it (more on Zafir's last email sent at the beginning of March) and therefore they have not yet returned a reply to Zafir's email yet, but the chances are not high. Though it was not a sure "no"
17:51:41 <carina> oh sorry, my computer is dragging a bit (even more than me)
17:52:35 <carina> sorry, if it's ok I'l just give the rest of the update ..?
17:52:45 <DLange> please go ahead
17:53:23 <carina> I pressed a bit and asked what could be done to increase the chances and she said that one of the problems is that there is not enough interest among the lecturers and said that some of them have previous commitments to other conferences (maybe...). She said that it would help if there was an "inside partner" who would be willing to take it on, preferably from among the researchers. In other words, what is currently missing is a lecturer who will "t
17:55:27 <carina> she hinted that this time should be used to maybe try contacting someone on the staff to officially be the lead in comunicating with the technion
17:56:34 <carina> There are several other channels at the Technion that I checked:
17:57:58 <tumblingweed> Sounds like we all need to work our social networks and see if we know anyone on the inside there
17:58:45 <tumblingweed> DLange: I brought up confirmation in the bursary channel
17:59:30 <carina> that would be the best option, but maybe not the only one. they said we should first exhaust the possibility of a conference on behalf of the faculty. and then try other options
17:59:59 <carina> so i  will try to contact a couple of prof's i'm slightly familiar with
18:01:16 <carina> maybe, if it would be possible, it could be a good idea to cc in the email other people from the community who are also in the academic
18:01:23 <DLange> that sounds great, thank you carina and tzafrir
18:01:30 <pwaring> yep, thanks for the update
18:01:36 <carina> thank you
18:01:42 <pwaring> and thank you all for coming, see you in two weeks!
18:01:44 <pwaring> #endmeeting