Open Source Search Cambridge (UK) 2009
29th September 2009Conference now over
The conference is now over - it was a great success, thanks to everyone who participated. Details of future plans will appear here in time - we hope to organise another conference next year.
Open Source Search Cambridge was ...
A chance to hear informal presentations from users and developers of open source search systems, followed by ad-hoc discussion and hacking.
Open to any and all members of the open source search communities - whether developers or users.
Timetable
The meeting will run from 9.30am until 4pm - though you're welcome to join us in the pub afterwards.
The following times and activities are provisional, but give an indication of what to expect from the day.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9.30-10.00 | Registration, and tea / coffee / chat |
| 10.00-12.30 | Talks and presentations, with intervals for more tea / coffee / chat |
| 12.30-13.30 | Lunch. More tea / coffee / chat |
| 13.30-16.00 | Separate group discussions, demos, tutorials. Tea / coffee / chat |
| 16.00- | Adjourn to pub. |
Food / Drink
We will be providing tea, coffee and soft drinks throughout the day. We will also provide a buffet lunch.
No alcohol is permitted on the premises, but we are likely to move to a nearby pub at the end of the day!
Registration
Although tickets for the day are free, advance registration is essential, to ensure that we have sufficient space (and food!) for everyone.
To register, contact us at register@searchevent.org. Please include the following information to allow us to plan the day optimally:
- Your name, and any relevant organisation.
- What software your primary interest is in. eg, Xapian, Lucene, Solr, Sphinx.
- Whether you're a user or a developer (or both) of search engine software.
- Whether you'd be interested in giving a short presentation (or lightning talk).
- Any special dietary requirements.
Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis - so get in touch now!
Wifi / power
Wifi access will be available in the venue.
Power outlets may be limited, though we will provide plenty of extension cables, so please bring fully charged devices & spare batteries to reduce demand, if you are able to.
Location
Friends Meeting House, 12 Jesus Lane, Cambridge CB5 8BA, UK (map)
The venue is near the centre of Cambridge, a vibrant university city with a long history of Information Retrieval research and commercial development.
Transport
- Train
- Cambridge railway station is a 25 minute walk away, or a brief bus or taxi ride. Trains run frequently from London, and take around 50 minutes.
- Car
- Park street multistory car park is 100 yards from the venue - this
usually has spaces during the day, but is fairly expensive to stay for the
whole day (currently, £20). Alternatively, the city has several
park-and-ride car parks on its outskirts, where parking is free, and the bus
costs £2.20 per passenger from the machines at the park and ride site (£2.50
from bus driver).
See the council's website for more details of parking in cambridge.
- Bike
- There is a bike rack directly outside the venue. If you're particularly worried about your bike, there may be a very small number of spaces available in a rack in the venue.
Discussion
There is a wiki at http://searchevent.wikispaces.com/ which is being used for planning the aftenoon sessions, meeting up outside the main meeting, and listing suggested accommodation. Feel free to add your own comments (and contact us on info@searchevent.org if you have any difficulty accessing it).
There is also a discussion mailing list for general discussion about the event.
Accomodation
If you would like to stay in Cambridge, take a look at the wiki page on accommodation, and if you require more advice, contact us on info@searchevent.org.Sponsor
Open Source Search Cambridge 2009 is being sponsored by Flax
Contact
For further details, contact us at info@searchevent.org.