Frequently asked Questions
- About the conference
- About Canberra
- How does transport around Canberra work?
- What are the venues for the conference?
- What is the deal with parking at the conference?
- Supporting the conference
- Speakers
I have a great idea for the conference!
We love to hear your ideas! Several people have already contacted us with their ideas for the conference, and some of them are great. We don't promise we can implement every idea, as our organisational resources are limited, but we'll consider each suggestion on its merits.
Please send your ideas to our contact address.
What is the theme for the conference?
Not every linux.conf.au has had a theme. What normally happens is that the conference committee asks the papers committee to select the best papers from the call for papers, with a specified bias in the selection. Examples of such bias might be "skew towards speakers we haven't heard from before", or "we want to hear about Open Source cloud tools". We asked the papers committee to source the best technical content they could, and we think that is reflected in the programme for the conference.
What is a miniconf?
Miniconfs are a unique aspect of the linux.conf.au experience. First introduced at linux.conf.au 2002, they are now a traditional element of the conference. Miniconfs are smaller one day events which are run on Monday and Tuesday of the conference. They are intended as an incubator -- both of future conferences and speakers. The miniconfs are selected as part of the Call for Papers process which was run in June and July 2012.
Because miniconfs are an incubator, elements of their organisation are less formal than the main conference. Specifically, the person who proposes a selected miniconf runs their own smaller Call for Papers for content, they also chair the miniconf on the day. Because miniconfs are incubated future conferences, sometimes the delivery of the event is a bit rough around the edges. That's fine though, because its all about nurturing communities in a safe environment.
linux.conf.au supports miniconfs by providing a venue, logistical support such as video projection, and promoting your event. In return, miniconf organizers are not authorised to seek separate sponsorship arrangements for their miniconfs, and presenters at miniconfs should not describe themselves as linux.conf.au speakers. All delegates at your miniconf need to be registered for the main conference as well. Miniconf speakers do not receive free admission to linux.conf.au.
The Call for Miniconfs is now closed. If you have any more questions, please email contact@lca2013.linux.org.au.
What will tickets cost?
We announced initial pricing in a recent blog post. Please refer to that for pricing details.
When do registrations open?
Registrations for the conference opened on 1 October 2012 with a limited number of early bird tickets at a discounted rate. Once we sold all the early bird tickets we reverted to selling tickets at full price.
When will the programme be announced?
The programme is now online here.
Can I bring my children to the conference?
Yes! We would love for you to bring your children to the conference, and hopefully start inspiring the next generation to enter this exciting industry. We will have a dedicated parents' room, and qualified child carers. To get information and to sign up for childcare, subscribe to the parents' mailing list. You can also read our blog post about childcare here
Is there an ical file for the conference?
Yes! You can download the file from this link
How does transport around Canberra work?
We have a page describing transport options around Canberra, and a blog post explaining some of the extra stuff we're putting on for the event.
What are the venues for the conference?
We now have pages up which lists the venues for the conference, the venues for the social events and the official accommodation options.
What is the deal with parking at the conference
We now have a page covering parking options.
I am interested in sponsoring the conference.
linux.conf.au prides itself on our excellent relationship with our sponsors, and we welcome inquiries from potential sponsors. For further information about sponsorship options, please contact sponsors@lca2013.linux.org.au.
You might also be interested in our Why Sponsor page.
I am interested in volunteering at Linux.conf.au 2013
It is awesome that you're interested in volunteering for the conference. Depending on how much time you have, and whether or not you live in Canberra, there are two ways you can help out with the conference:
- For Canberra people with a lot of spare time, we're more than happy to have people join our conference team. It should be noted that this is a large commitment over the months leading up to the conference including meetings and delegated tasks. If you're interested in this, please mail contact@lca2013.linux.org.au and we'll go from there.
- For people who want a more limited involvement, regardless of their location, we always need a large number of volunteers to help with the conference for the three weeks surrounding the event (a week before, the conference, and a week after). You can now express your interest in volunteering at this page.
Thanks for your interest in helping out with LCA2013.
Is there travel funding available?
linux.conf.au has a long history of treating our speakers like rock stars. This includes travel funding for speakers who can't make it to the conference otherwise. This funding normally takes the form of assistance with airfares, accommodation, or both. However, the budget for travel funding is limited, so we ask that speakers who have other funding options please consider using them. Requesting travel funding from the conference does reduce your chance of being selected to present at the conference, as there are always more requests than we can afford.