>> (how about sponsoring members at least get
>> a sticky decal on a Python Kingdom decal sheet,
>> like Yahoo! puts out? -- calling it a Kingdom
>> feeds the Monty Python conceit of having
>> knights, like Sir Laura (I was also suggesting
>> passports awhile back, for $9.95 from the PSF gift
>> shop, get a stamp for each Pycon and/or
>> EuroPython you attend)).
>
> Too cheesy... we have standards. ;-)
>
The Yahoo! decal sheets were pretty slick at OS Bridge, I'm uploading a picture:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/
With the passports, it'd be fun to imitate real nation state passports very closely, with similar watermarks and official-looking bling.
When this Python geek goes through passport control, it'd be fun to fumble and hand 'em the wrong one by mistake, then apologize, give 'em the "real" one (whatever that is). And don't forget to embed RFID! (see if Stallman gets mad, give him a free one).
I don't know if any of our sponsoring members are rich enough to have a fleet of Gulfstreams or LearJets, but if they wanted to take the PSF logo and apply it to the tail of one of those airplanes, I think we should seriously consider accepting that offer, unless we really think the company involved is too cheesy (but then it probably wouldn't have jets? -- not necessarily, Swiss have jets, and cheese both).
That's pie in the sky talk I realize.
Speaking of which, how about spending the money on a real flag, the kind you run up a flag pole and unfurl? Maybe at future Pycons, like at a Hyatt or whatever, we could ask 'em to fly it somewhere, maybe under the US or Georgia one, or the Italian one if this is Rome (Vatican?).
My role model is OLPC to some extent as I think G1G1 was pretty brilliant, despite the low turnout. The goal was worthy and we think spreading awareness of free tools is like offering free medicine in some situations, i.e. you don't have to take out a loan to manage your banking system, just write it in house, no "piracy" need apply.
I'm not sure I buy that the Python community is intrinsically averse to marketing. The "Python fits your brain" and "batteries included" tag lines were both worthy and effective. Congratulations to the people behind those.
The free spin Python gets from xkcd is to-die-for, all the more so because it's free. Pythons in general are good advertising (we have one, it's beautiful) and we hardly pay them a dime.
I think what turns people off is the idea of "aggressive push advertising" which stomps on sister languages i.e. we obviously love the Republic of Perl and have no interest in profiting at the expense of our close allies across the board. I'm all for a big tent approach and think my "just use it" tag line, homage to Nike's, is properly neutral in this regard ("just use something else" is equally valid).
I'd love to see Camels on some jet tails, not talking about the tobacco company's.
Hey, I realize my suggestions sound over-the-top and unrealistically expensive, but if you think of a TV show designed to teach real skills, like Sesame Street for geeks and geek wannabes, then these "world domination" memes could just become part of the woodwork, i.e. the backdrop for the show is "geeks making it happen" and guess what, it ain't so bad. Not too 'Mad Max', not too 'Blade Runner'.
Kids are really learning relevant stuff for a change in this parallel science fiction TV world (this "other tomorrow") that seems a lot less hellish -- so a good recruiting tool, for geekdom in general (the show would be more like "OSCON meets Make:" i.e. a mixture of software and hardware, device controlling by means of scripting, with lots of socially meaningful "helping people" type stuff that our women more enjoy (guys are more easily satisfied, by simple explosions, loud noises...)).
We'd want real geeks for talking heads, lots of skits like on Monty Python. Could be fun. Presumes a culture that really cares about its young people though, so maybe Japan or like Russia?
Kirby
