As you probably know, there is annual convention called Flock. This year’s is happening in Cape Cod, Hyannis, MA and will begin the morning of Tuesday, August 29. Sessions will continue each day until midday on Friday, September 1.

I have asked all of the session leaders from Flock some questions.
And now you are about to read one of the responses.

Python Coding Dojo by Till Maas

What is the goal of your session at Flock?

In the Python Coding Dojo we will train coding, collaboration and discussing code with the Python language. The goal is to exchange our experience and ideas to become better coders and contributors.

What does it affect in the project?

Most of the Fedora Infrastructure is written in Python. Therefore improving our Python skills will also improve all the tools around Fedora. Additionally it also has an important social impact. The participants will build up trust by coding publicly in a safe environment and hopefully learn to better communicate ideas and talk about code. I believe that the concept of a Coding Dojo should also be adopted and could be used on other events. After being part in a Coding Dojo it will be a lot easier to organize one.

What does your talk focus on?

The main focus is on learning to communicate and to code together.

Without giving too much away, what can attendees expect to learn or do in your session?

The participants will learn that asking for help when coding is great and that they do not need to be ashamed for their code or coding process. Also they will get insights from other participants about the Python language and train how to discuss code.

Who should attend?

Everyone with an interest in Python coding should attend. They should be open to discuss code and accept other opinions in a friendly atmosphere. Due to the nature of a Coding Dojo it is possible to bring people with different skill levels together and learn from each other. Due to the interactive nature of a Coding Dojo, there will be a limit on how many participants will be able to actively participate, though.

What do you do in Fedora/how long have you been involved in the project?

I joined the Fedora Project about 12 years ago starting as a user and packager. Since then I contributed to several areas by submitting patches to Infrastructure projects, running the upstream release monitoring service, cleaning up Fedora as part of Release Engineering. Also I represent Fedora at conferences as an Ambassador.

What attracts you to this type of work or part of the project?

I love the Fedora Community because everyone is very friendly and welcoming. There are so many intelligent people I can learn from and there are so many different areas that there is always something new to learn. If I see any space for improvement I can easily provide a patch or investigate issues because everything is open. Being at Fedora Flock is a great opportunity to connect with all the people and the Coding Dojo will be a great place to exchange knowledge.