Yesterday, Team FOSS.IN met face to face for the first time in 2007, to set in motion plans for this year’s event.

This is the earliest we have ever met (usually, we start around July), but we had decided last year that starting early will ensure that we can consolidate on ideas and make more things happen in a far more comprehensive fashion. Also, many sponsors and potential speakers from abroad have been asking us for details of the event so that they can start planning around it.

The result of the 11am to 7:30pm meeting, attended by almost everyone of the 20-strong team (including some of the non-Bangalore members), was a wide range of suggestions and even some decisions.

I am not yet at liberty to say what we came up with, but I can certainly tell you that the era of the old Linux Bangalore/FOSS.IN format is over.

Based on yesterday’s discussions, we will now be gathering data that will allow us to take decisions on things like the venue, on the scope of things, things we hope to achieve, etc.

One thing is sure – there is no way we can do this all on our own, so you can expect a call for participation real soon now – both for the event and Team FOSS.IN.

Speaking of Team FOSS.IN: I can never say this often enough, but you have no clue what a feeling it is to be sitting in the same room with the team, discussing things, with each member focusing on his or her responsibility area, in turn making presentations, leading the discussion, etc. This is the 9th year that many of us have been working together (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and now 2007), and beginning the process was like putting on a comfortable pair of old shoes. And over the years, new members have joined in – younger people who in time will carry on the tradition into the future.

We have about 8 months to go for this year’s event. Discussions will start soon on the mailing list, so if you want to be part of this effort and not miss any announcements, make sure you join up now.

Eligibility for talk slots is changing drastically this year as well. The focus of the event has always been to get more people to get involved and contribute to FOSS projects (not advocacy, but real contribution such as coding or writing documentation or testing, etc.). So you have plenty of time to look around, get involved, and be a contributor by the time the event rolls around.

More about all this as things crystallize, but until then – stay tuned.