Sumana Harihareswara's Talks & Presentations

I'm Sumana (pronunciation), the founder of Changeset Consulting, and I frequently write and speak on open source, management, and other topics. I also perform stand-up comedy specifically written for tech audiences, and speak on podcasts and panels.

Invite me to speak.

Contents:

• Upcoming
• Keynote addresses
• Other conference talks and presentations
• Technology and adjacent topics
• Fandom and adjacent topics
• Podcasts and interviews
• Stand-up comedy
• Invite me to speak

Upcoming

openSUSE Virtual Conference, June 18th 2021, 19:30 UTC/3:30pm EDT, online: "Rescue and renew a project: How to get legacy open source projects unstuck", a 30-minute talk (slides).

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Below is a list of some of the public talks and presentations I've given, with links to audio and video recordings, notes, slides, and transcripts.

Keynote addresses

• Penguicon 2017 (Guest of Honor, schedule including "Things I Wish I'd Known About Open Source in 1998" and "What If Free and Open Source Software Were More Like Fandom?")


• LibrePlanet 2017: "Lessons, Myths, and Lenses: What I Wish I'd Known in 1998" (schedule, video, in-progress transcript)


• FLOSS Community Metrics Meeting Winter 2016: "What Should We Stop Doing?" (written version, slides, video)


• Wiki Conference USA 2014: "Hospitality, Jerks, and What I Learned" (transcript, video, audio)


• code4lib 2014: "User Experience is a Social Justice Issue" (written version, video, version published as a code4lib Journal article in 2015)


• Open Source Bridge 2012: "Be Bold: An Origin Story" (written version, video)


• Professional IT Community Conference 2011: "The Only (Intentionally) Funny Talk You'll Hear Today" (video)

Other conference talks and presentations

Technology & adjacent topics

• 2021:
  • The Perl and Raku Conference, June 10th 2021, online: "Rescue and renew: how to get legacy open source projects unstuck", a 50-minute talk (video, slides)
  • Upstream, June 7 2021, online: "Sidestepping the PR Bottleneck: Four Non-Dev Ways To Support Your Upstreams" (video, written version).
  • PyCon US Maintainers' Summit (online, May 9-13): Presented a prerecorded ten-minute talk "Researching the leadership gap for legacy projects" (transcript), and participated in "Funding open source work" and presenter Q&A panels (video forthcoming).
  • Python Virtual Training Summit as part of PyCon US (online, Thursday May 13): presented a fifteen-minute live talk "Tools we need to teach project management" followed by questions and answers (video, based on this blog post)
  • MenderCon (online, May 13 2021): "Starting an Open Source 'Repair Shop'" talk (video)
  • RailsConf 2021, mid-April: "How to Get a Project Unstuck" talk (video)
  • GitHub OCTO Speaker Series, 30 March: "What Would Open Source Look Like If It Were Healthy?" (video on Twitch, video on YouTube, transcript)
  • MozFest 2021: "Apply for Grants To Fund Open Source Work" (video and skillshare discussion, 10 March); Blog followup with summary of discussion, 15-minute prerecorded video, rough script and slides for video
  • MozFest 2021: "How To Get A Project Unstuck" (discussion, 9 March); Blog followup with summary of discussion
  • Linux.Conf.Au, 25 January, on "How To Get A Project Unstuck -- And Fixing The Skill Gaps That Got Us Here". Outline and links; video.
• 2020:
  • PyLadies Southwest Florida meetup, Nov 19th, 2020. Online. Spoke on my career path, and a few Python tips (video recording, notes).
  • EuroPython sprints, July 25-26. Online. Coordinated a sprint on Python packaging.
  
  
  • PyOhio, July 25-26, 2020. Online. Gave a ten-minute talk: "Apply for Grants To Fund Open Source Work". Video, slides and text.
  
  
  • I attended the 2020 Exascale Computing Project Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas, USA, 3-6 February 2020, and spoke in Better Scientific Software sessions about my maintainership writing.
  
  
• 2019:
  • I was a panellist at Sustain NYC, in New York City, USA, on 25 November 2019.
  
  
  • I presented a 30-minute overview of PyPI's application security model as a guest lecturer to an NYU appsec class on 18 November 2019.
  
  
  • I spoke on a MOSS panel and led a Python packaging workshop at MozFest 2019 in London, UK, in October 2019.
  
  
  • I led the arts festival The Art of Python, and a Python packaging/distribution open space and sprint, and participated in the Maintainers Summit, at PyCon North America 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
  
  
• 2018:
  • At RubyConf Los Angeles 2018, I co-presented "Code Review, Forwards and Back" with Jason Owen (video).
  
  
  • At PyGotham 2018, I co-presented "Python Grab Bag: A Set of Short Plays" with Jason Owen. Video and notes are available. We also held a preview performance on Sunday, September 30th.
  
  
  • At Open Source Bridge 2018, I led an unconference session on Python packaging; one attendee took notes.
  
  
  • I led a Python packaging/distribution sprint at PyCon North America 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
  
  
  • Panel, "Social Media in Theory and Praxis: What is at Stake Now?" at the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center, in New York, NY, on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Description:

    Use of digital platforms and tools like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Google has altered cultural production, political processes, economic activity, and individual habits. This event is a presentation and panel discussion on several pressing issues in social media and digital literacy featuring five invited scholars, organized and moderated by The Graduate Center Program Social Media Fellows. The speakers bring expertise in a range of timely topics including: grassroots use of the Internet, feminism, free and open source project development, labor, appropriation, peer production, virtuality, networked cameras, and big cultural data analysis.

• 2017:
  • "Code Review, Forwards and Back", with Jason Owen, at PyGotham 2017, October 6, 2017, in New York City (video on YouTube, video on PyVideo).
  
  
  • I led a session at WONTFIX Cabal (Maintainerati) unconference for open source maintainers on February 15, 2017, in San Francisco, California, USA.
  
  
  • I was invited to offer ten minutes of testimony (and then answer legislators' questions) at the New York State Assembly's public hearing on government oversight of forensic science laboratories on February 8th, 2017 in NYC (PDF with more info, hearing calendar webpage). This was a hearing held jointly by the Assembly Standing Committees on Codes, on Judiciary, and on Oversight, Analysis and Investigation. I spoke on the importance of auditability and transparency in software used in devices the government uses in laboratories and field tests, and open source as an approach to improve these. And I testified to the efficiency, cost savings, security, and quality gains available by using open source software and by reusing and sharing open source software with other state governments. PDF of my testimony as written, video, witness list, transcript.
  
  
• 2016:
  • PyCon North America 2016: "HTTP Can Do That?!" (video recording). Learn how to get more performance, testability, and flexibility out of your web apps, using features already built into HTTP. I walk you through case studies exploring good (and bad) ideas, using Python, your browser, netcat, and other common tools.
  
  
  • OSCON 2016: "Inessential Weirdnesses in Open Source" (written version). Free and open source contributors and leaders who are already comfortable with our norms and jargon learn how to see their own phrasings and tools as outsiders do, including barriers that often slow down new users and contributors, and to make more hospitable experiences during their outreach efforts.
  
  
  • LibrePlanet 2016: "Inessential Weirdnesses in Free Software" (written remarks, video). Also: lightning talk "What is maintainership? Or, approaches to filling management skill gaps in free software" (written version).
  
  
  • Great Wide Open 2016: "Hidden Features in HTTP". Wednesday, March 16, 2016, in Atlanta, Georgia (slides).
  
  
  • FOSDEM 2016: "Comparing Codes of Conduct to Copyleft Licenses" (written version, video [83 megabytes, downloadable or streamable as "comparing-codes-of-conduct-to-copyleft-licenses.mp4"])
  
  
• 2015:
  • Open Source Bridge 2015: "HTTP Can Do That?" (slides, video)
  
  
• 2014:
  • AdaCamp Bangalore 2014: Ada Initiative Impostor Syndrome training (facilitator's notes)
  
  
  • Open Source Bridge 2014: "A Few Python Tips" (solo; materials, video) and "The Outreach Program for Women: what works & what's next" (with Liz Henry; slides, video)
  
  
  • Wiki Conference USA 2014: Ada Initiative Ally Skills Workshop (as part of unconference)
  
  
  • PyCon 2014: "What Hacker School Taught Me About Community Mentoring" (poster)
  
  
• 2013:
  • Wikimania 2013: "Transparency and collaboration in Wikimedia engineering (2013)" (video)
  
  
  • Open Source Bridge 2013: "Just Don't Lick the Cookie: an open discussion about organizational dysfunction" (with Kellie Brownell; video) and "Diversity in open source: What's changed in 2012 and 2013" (panelist; video)
  
  
  • Open Tech NYC 2013: "Sumana Harihareswara introduces you to your Open Tech neighbors" (notes, video)
  
  
• 2012:
  • Wikimedia tech talk, 2012: demonstration of how to fix a bug, including investigation, git commit, getting it reviewed and merged, and closing the Bugzilla ticket
  
  
  • Wikimania 2012: "Transparency and collaboration in Wikimedia engineering (2012)" (with others) and "What Does THAT mean? Engineering Jargon And Procedures Explained" (solo)
  
  
  • Open Source Bridge 2012: "Outreach Events: My Triumphs, My Mistakes" (with Asheesh Laroia; notes)
  
  
• 2011:
  • Wikimania 2011: "How to get what you want from MediaWiki developers" (video, notes)
  
  
  • Open Source Bridge 2011: "Learn Tech Management In 45 Minutes" and "What's New in MediaWiki 1.17 & How You Can Help"
  
  
• 2010:
  • Open Source Bridge 2010: "The Second Step: HOWTO encourage open source work at for-profits"
  
  

Fandom & adjacent topics

• 2021:
  • WisCon, Saturday, May 2021, online: comedy host for the Otherwise Auction.
• 2020:
  • Worldbuilders fundraiser, December 2020: I hosted "Imaginary Book Club" (video), speaking alongside Andrew Willett, Zed Lopez, and Brendan Adkins.
  • NASFiC (the North American Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention), August 2020: I served on two panels:
    1. "Imaginary Book Club" (moderator)
    2. "Running SF/F Organizations" (participant)
  • WisCon, May 22-25, 2020. Online. I was the host for the Otherwise Award auction on Saturday night, and served on a panel on Sunday afternoon about the renaming of the Award.
• 2019:
  • At WisCon 43 (2019) in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, I served on:
    1. "Ethics In The Good Place And Crazy Ex-Girlfriend", panellist.
    2. Tiptree Auction: comedian and auctioneer, as recorded in this cartoon.
    3. "Imaginary Book Club", panellist.
• 2018:
  • At WisCon 42 in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, I was the auctioneer for the Tiptree Auction and served as a panelist for "Dreamwidth Power Tips".
• 2017:
  • I served as the Tiptree Award charity auction's auctioneer at WisCon, May 27, 2017, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
• 2016:
  • MidAmericon II: Nine program items. August 17-21, 2016, in Kansas City, MO. Specifically:
    1. Panelist, "The Interstices of Historical and Fanfiction"
    2. Panelist, "The Imaginary Book Club"
    3. Panelist, "Bad Boy Woobie"
    4. "Comedy Tonight!" (About 30 minutes of stand-up comedy during a three-person showcase)
    5. Panelist, "The New Space Opera Golden Age on the Screen"
    6. Auctioneer for Tiptree Award Auction
    7. Panelist, "The Art and Science of Fiction Translation"
    8. Panelist, "Comics Confrontational! Social Issues in Recent Comics"
    9. Panelist, "Representation in Comic Books: From Absences to Affirmatives"
  • WisCon, May 27-30, 2016, in Madison, Wisconsin. Three sessions:
    1. Panelist on "The Fandom Awakens" (on Star Wars)
    2. Comedy auctioneer for the charity auction benefiting the James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award (more)
    3. Panelist on "SIX SEASON SERIES BASED ON THE THREE-PART TRILOGY BASED ON THE SINGLE BOOK OF THE NOT ANOTHER F*CKING RACE PANEL" (comedy game show focusing on people of color)
• 2009-2015:
  • various Foo Camp and WisCon panels and sessions 2009-2015, e.g., "Models We Use to Understand the World", "Facebook and Its Discontents", "Must Pleasures Be Guilty?", "SF/F and Higher Ed", "Lighthearted Shorthand Sans Fail", and "How Should Magazines and Anthologies Review Submissions?"
• 2014:
  • Foolscap 2014: "Powerpoint Karaoke" and "You, Yes You, Can Do Standup Comedy"
• 2008:
  • Seattle MindCamp 2008: "Powerpoint Karaoke", "You, Yes You, Can Do Standup", "Zany Insta-Debates", and "Three Models of Power: A Political Science Lens On Your Organization"

Podcasts and interviews

• Tidelift's Free as in Fridays livestream 2021: a one-hour live conversation about open source maintainership and my work.
• FOSS and Crafts 2020: 75-minute interview on sketching, fanvidding, standup comedy, and maintainership
• Open Source in Business 2020: one-hour panel, including Sumana Harihareswara, on "Consulting on Open Source Strategy" (view on Crowdcast)
• Software Developers Journey podcast 2020: one-hour interview with Sumana Harihareswara about her career path (highlights and quotes)
• Real Python podcast 2020: one-hour interview with Sumana Harihareswara and Georgia Bullen on our pip resolver work and Python packaging
• FLOSS Weekly 2020: a 64-minute video interview on pip and Python packaging (briefly mentioning Changeset Consulting and my comedy and theater performances)
• Mozilla Open Source Support program 2020: a 2min14sec video interview on PyPI, MOSS, and how we used the MOSS money to drive PyPI forward
• The Rabbit Hole podcast 2019: interview on open source sustainability, maintainership, sensationalism among bards who sang the Odyssey, how PyPI is like Wikipedia, and what we think is paranoid, and a second interview discussing PyCon and The Art of Python, my past talks and plays, "Halt & Catch Fire", what conferences are for, and the feeling of giving a bad talk
• The Recompiler podcast 2016: Interview with Sumana Harihareswara
• OSCON 2016: Interview with Sumana Harihareswara
• Open Paren 2015: "Sumana Harihareswara" (video)
• Passionate Voices 2015: "Sumana Harihareswara" (video)
• The Media Show 2015: "How does Wikipedia create content?" (video)
• Smart Planet 2013: "Opening up the open source community"
• inSCIght (The Scientific Computing Podcast) 2012: "Ladies Who Learn And Code"
• Open Source Bridge 2012: "Sumana Harihareswara talks about the open source structure of Wikimedia and Wikipedia" (video)
• OSCON 2011: interviewed on "the role of leaders within free software and free culture communities...the work of the [Wikimedia F]oundation, the relationship between developers and content providers, and a number of other topics." Video: Part 1, Part 2
• Stumptown Syndicate 2011: interview at Open Source Bridge (video)
• Bitch Radio 2011: "Women in Open Source"
• Hour of the Wolf April 2010: interview about "Thoughtcrime Experiments", with Leonard Richardson
• Outer Alliance March 2010: interview about "Thoughtcrime Experiments"
• Like Minded Studio 2009: "Sumana Harihareswara"

Stand-up comedy

• 2021: ÖzgürKon. Stand-up comedy about open source software life (30-35 minutes). Video forthcoming.
• 2020: SeaGL. 20 minutes of stand-up comedy about FLOSS. Video forthcoming.
• 2020: GUADEC. Stand-up comedy (20 minutes) as part of the virtual conference's social events. Video forthcoming.
• 2016: Worldcon (MidAmericon II): "Comedy Tonight!" (About 30 minutes of stand-up comedy during a three-person showcase)
• 2015: AlterConf (17 minutes; video)
• 2014: Subdrift NYC
• 2011: a half-hour standup comedy act, performed at various New York and DC locations, Community Leadership Summit, Open Source Bridge, and the Google Summer of Code Mentor Summit (video)
• 2003: Bear In Mind (transcript)

Invite me to speak

Please contact me to invite me to speak (seriously or comedically) at your event or organization, or on your podcast, or to give testimony in a legislative or judicial hearing. If your organization or conference is for-profit, I will be much more likely to be able to speak to you if you offer an honorarium.

Availability: I am available in person starting in August 2021, and for virtual events starting in May 2021. Except in extreme circumstances, I need two months' notice to deliver a talk (including performing stand-up comedy), and two weeks' notice to speak on a podcast or panel.

About me: Sumana Harihareswara is a project manager, programmer, and standup comedian who leads a consultancy to help open source projects level up. She led the rollout of the new PyPI.org, and has worked on Zulip, HTTPS Everywhere, Mailman, MediaWiki, and several other open source projects. Most recently she has managed improvements to pip's dependency resolver and user experience, and has expedited the release of new versions of pipenv and autoconf. She's working on a book to teach what she's learned about rejuvenating legacy open source projects. She earned an Open Source Citizen Award in 2011 and a Google Open Source Peer Bonus in 2018, and participated in Recurse Center in 2013 and 2014. She lives in New York City and founded Changeset Consulting in 2015.

Topics for my serious talks include: Careers and management in free and open source software, consulting in open source, grants and corporate sponsorship to fund open source work, mentoring midlevel open source contributors to grow maintainers, the Python software packaging toolchain, HTTP, and Python.

My comedy sets (10-30 minutes long) include: What weird unusual licenses should the Open Source Initiative consider next? Where's the fine line between maintainer success and maintainer burnout? Should we alias git reset --hard to git regret --hard? I've been in free and open source software for years, and I perform stand-up comedy about it. I joke about why I don't use Facebook, bug reporting and why it ought to be taught in schools, what it means to "succeed" in free and open source software, and more.

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