Students lightning talk, or how we got screwed

[Stéphane Maniaci <stephane maniaci gmail com>]

Hello all,

Today was the first day of the DesktopSummit, and a very exciting day
for KDE & GNOME summer of code students who were to present their work
at 17:15 in the big auditorium. Big time for us, or should I say most
of us since three GNOME students (including myself) got cut off the
talk not earlier than 5 minutes before the beginning. Lydia Pintscher
told us that there were no slots left and that they had no time for
us, basically.

Really? So a couple weeks ago we got her email [0] asking who would be
there and present, and we (the three students) answered promptly,
saying we would attend and present. Then finally, it just doesn't
happen?

We're students, and we know our work is not the most important thing
happening at the DesktopSummit, but that's the essential reason why we
come. We're proud to be part of this, and showing off our work is part
of the deal. Being wiped off without any apology or earlier notice was
a big, big disappointment, to stick with nice words.

Next year, please make sure all students get time to present, or
extend the session, or make the students fight for their talk,
whatever it takes, but make sure this does *not* happen this way
again.

Thank you.

- Stéphane Maniaci.

[0]: http://mail.kde.org/pipermail/kde-soc/2011-July/000707.html