CUDCon proposal

(Proposal --Quaid 22:48, 22 August 2011 (UTC)

I love the Fedora FUDCon model. Just as JBoss did with JUDCon, I'd like to start a new users and developers-focused conference around cloud efforts that relate to Fedora and, by effect, Red Hat's cloud and virtualization efforts. Maybe it goes beyond that?

Tentatively called CUDCon, "Ruminate with us about clouds!", the Cloud Users and Developers Conference initial ideas are:


 * Go alongside an existing FUDCon.
 * Existing base of users and developers who are naturally interested in the technical focus of CUDCon.
 * Attract wider range and more sponsorship.
 * Cross-seed people and talks so cloud-related talks at FUDCon are also part of CUDCon.
 * Grow attendance at FUDCon by bringing in cloud-focused people who might not otherwise attend.
 * Bring in open community cloud efforts of all backgrounds that are built on an open source stack that include Fedora or its remixes/downstreams such as RHEL, CentOS, etc.
 * Nice-sized ecosystem without saying, "Everyone and everything."
 * Sponsors should (MUST?) come from that milieu - be contributors to open community cloud efforts that fit within the Fedora/RHEL ecosystem.
 * Participation point for upstream components that could play in/run on Fedora-family technology.

I'd like to run the first mini-CUDCon as a cloud track for FUDCon Milan, then the first full-CUDCon at FUDCon Blacksburg 2012. (I'll be contacting those organizers separately from here.) I'm interested in your reaction to this idea before I get too much farther. :)

There are a few reasons for doing a stand-alone conference brand from FUDCon and Fedora. One of these is that it's harder to argue that some cloud efforts fit within FUDCon. For example, Red Hat's OpenShift is built from Fedora-sourced components, on an open source architecture that includes Fedora technologies, but it is not yet entirely open source, so it doesn't have (m)any components in the Fedora package repo. Some open cloud communities may want to play in the Fedora space even if there isn't going to be a pure set of packages to install. CUDCon is a place to have these crossover discussions, as a catalyst and sowing-of-grass for future efforts.

Audience:
 * People who may think, "Our open source cloud software is not in Fedora, so FUDCon isn't for us."
 * They benefit from exposure to FUDCon.
 * Way to include increased cloud interest without diluting or distracting the FUDCon focus.
 * Cross-seeding with FUDCon possible but no mandatory, more relaxed exchange of ideas.
 * Fedora-family of developers, administrators, and users (including RHEL/CentOS/Scientific Linux).
 * Open source cloud enthusiasts.
 * Folks who are interested in learning or teaching about open source cloud.
 * Individuals or organizations developing and deploying in the cloud.
 * Software companies with one or more open source cloud components in their stack.

Concerns

 * 1) Not enough stand-alone from Red Hat.
 * 2) Competitors won't feel welcome.
 * 3) Not-working-with-Fedora-or-RHEL won't feel welcome.
 * 4) Draws away from FUDCon.
 * 5) Too distracting with multiple focus.
 * 6) Cross-interest pulls people from one event to the other.

Consensus

 * 1) There needs to be a stand-alone neutral-ground open source cloud conference, and it doesn't appear to exist.
 * 2) It must be clear from the start that it's not e.g. "just a Red Hat thing."
 * 3) It needs more sponsorship than the FUDCon budget.

Proposal variations

 * 1) Figure out how to work CUDCon with FUDCon effectively.
 * 2) Stay as CUDCon but just be stand-alone from the start.
 * 3) Find a new CUD name and be stand-alone from the start.