How is the Python Software Foundation like a lighthouse?

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How is the Python Software Foundation like a lighthouse? What role does the PSF play in the Python ecosystem, and why? LOREN CRARY FOR PYCON TANZANIA, 7TH DECEMBER 2022

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About me Loren Crary Director of Resource Development Python Software Foundation Twitter: @lorencrary

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● Lawyer by training ● Previous 7 years worked for a small East African education organization ● Last trip to Zanzibar was in 2017 :-)

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● Brooklyn, New York ● My real boss: Penny (a four kilo chihuahua mix)

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● My ﬁrst keynote & ﬁrst conference talk EVER! ● It is so special to have it with you at PyCon Tanzania. ● Thank you for sharing this milestone with me!!!!!

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Python & the Python Software Foundation

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Python! ● Python is by some measures the most popular coding language in the world ● It’s used in popular apps that you probably have on your phone in your pocket right now, like Instagram ● and as far away as Mars! ● At least in the US, it’s the most popular language taught in intro computer science classes at universities Perseverance's Selfie at "Rochette" by NASA

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Public Goods

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What is a public good? Photo by Jarod Burns, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42368467

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Public Goods - Deﬁnition in Economics 1. Non-excludable - You can’t stop anyone from using it. 2. Non-competitive - One person using it doesn’t prevent the next person from using it.

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1. Excludable - You can stop someone from using it. 2. Competitive - One person using it means someone else can’t. Public Goods vs Private Goods

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Outdoor art, architecture and music Public Goods - Examples

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● Spoken languages ● Wikipedia ● Environmental protections ● National defense Public Goods - Examples

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Is it a public good? ● Piece of pizza

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Is it a public good? ● Piece of pizza ● NO. Excludable AND competitive

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Is it a public good? ● Movie in a theater? ● NO - Non-competitive BUT it is excludable

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Is it a public good? ● Fish in the ocean

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Is it a public good? ● Fish in the ocean? ● NO - Non-excludable BUT it is competitive

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Is it a public good? ● Street light? Andrey Belenko from Moscow, Russia, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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Is it a public good? ● Street light? ● YES. Non-excludable AND non-competitive Andrey Belenko from Moscow, Russia, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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Is it a public good? ● The Python programming language?

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Is it a public good? ● The Python programming language? ● YES!!! Non-excludable AND non-competitive

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Can you think of your own example?

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Who usually pays for public goods? Photo by Jarod Burns, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42368467

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Why don’t companies pay for public goods? 1. Non-excludable 1. Hard to make users pay

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Why don’t companies pay for public goods? 1. Non-excludable 2. Non-competitive 1. Hard to make users pay 2. No incentive to stop freeloaders

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Public goods only exist if someone will provide them even though they can’t charge.

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Public goods Recap: Photo by Jarod Burns, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42368467 1. Non-excludable - You can’t stop anyone from using it. 2. Non-competitive - One person using it doesn’t prevent the next person from using it or use it up. 3. Hard to charge for them so they need someone to provide who doesn’t mind not charging users

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Python Software Foundation

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The Python Software Foundation (or PSF) is the organization behind the Python language.

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History of the Python Software Foundation ● Founded in 2001 ● Initially created to hold the Python intellectual property

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What does the PSF do? ● Community ● Infrastructure ● Investing in Python & Tools

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Community ● PyCon US ● Grants to community groups and events ● Code of Conduct ● Keeping the community connected

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Infrastructure ● Python.org ● Python intellectual property ● Python codebase & new releases

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Investing in Python & Tools ● Python Packaging Index- PyPI.org ● CPython Developer-in-Residence ● More to come!

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Back to Public Goods

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Why does the PSF do this work?

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Because they are public goods.

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Analogy: Building a road

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Chris Yarzab, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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National Parks Gallery via Picryl Aggre-gator1, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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The Python Software Foundation “builds roads” for the whole community.

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Some things the PSF is working on ● Bring more Python users into engaging actively in the Python community ● Bring Python to more people ● Strengthen communication with the community

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Ask both what you can do for the PSF AND what the PSF can do for you

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What can you do for the PSF? ● Become a member ● Volunteer for the PSF or PyCon US ● Donate ● Join a working group ● Run for the board

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What can you do for the PSF? ● Become a member: https://www.python.org/psf/membership-faq/ ● Volunteer for the PSF or PyCon US: https://www.python.org/psf/volunteer/ ● Donate: https://www.python.org/psf/donations/ ● Join a working group: https://www.python.org/psf/workgroups/ ● Run for the board: https://www.python.org/nominations/elections/

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What can the PSF do for you? ● Grant funding for your group or event - like for this event! ● Chance to talk at PyCon US - This year’s CFP is open for another few days! ● Resources for Python questions

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What can the PSF do for you? ● Grant funding for your group or event: https://www.python.org/psf/grants/ ● Chance to talk at PyCon US: https://us.pycon.org/2023/speaking/guidelines/ ● Resources for Python questions: discuss.python.org or for beginners check out https://www.python.org/about/gettingstarted/

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How to reach and follow the PSF ● https://www.python.org/psf/ ● Blog: pyfound.blogspot.com ● Newsletter: https://www.python.org/psf/newsletter/ ● Twitter: @thePSF ● Mastodon: https://fosstodon.org/@thepsf