PyCon UK Retrospective, and How to Learn Python

This is the October monthly meeting. Normally some of us go on to the pub afterwards.

As is traditional, those of us who went to PyCon UK in Cardff will talk about what good stuff happened there. Since many of the talks are recorded (see https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChA9XP_feY1-1oSy2L7acog for what is up so far) this should also help as guidance to which talks you might want to watch.

I'd also like to have a conversation about how one goes about learning Python. This is a question I sometimes get asked, and I have a more-or-less pre-prepared answer, but my own learning of Python is from long enough ago that I'm probably missing good ideas. So it would be nice to hear from people at all stages of learning Python, especially including those who are still learning it (with ideas of any good, or bad, resources they've found, and what problems they face), and anyone who actively teaches it.

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**How CamPUG uses meetup.com**

We mainly use meetup as a way of publicising meetings, at which it is very good. We also use the RSVP mechanism to get some idea of how many people will turn up to a meeting, but this is very inaccurate - at best, we normally get between half and two-thirds of the "yes" numbers attending.

We do not require people to pay for meetings, or acquire tickets, and we do not "take a register" of who actually turns up. We don't even insist that people have to use meetup to indicate they're coming. It is important to me that this be a free and open meeting.

This does mean that we could have a problem when a meeting is very popular and reaches the practical room size - i.e., how many will safely fit in our meeting room. Given our new venue, we don't think that is likely to happen in the near future, but we have put a limit on the number of "yes" RSVP replies: larger than we think might be comfortable in the room, but hopefully not too large.