Python Software Foundation Fellow Members for Q1 2020

We are happy to announce our newest PSF Fellow Members for Q1 2020!

Q1 2020

Al Sweigart
Website, Twitter, GitHub

Alexandre Savio
Twitter, Website

Darya Chyzhyk
Twitter, GitHub, LinkedIn

Kenneth Love

Kevin O'Brien
Twitter, GitHub, LinkedIn

Serhiy Storchaka

Thea Flowers
Website, Blog, GitHub

Tom Christie
Website, Twitter

Congratulations! Thank you for your continued contributions. We have added you to our Fellow roster online.

The above members have contributed to the Python ecosystem by teaching Python, creating education material, contributing to circuitpython, contributing to and maintaining packaging, organizing Python events and conferences, starting Python communities in their home countries, and overall being great mentors in our community. Each of them continues to help make Python more accessible around the world. To learn more about the new Fellow members, check out their links above.

Let's continue to recognize Pythonistas all over the world for their impact on our community. The criteria for Fellow members is available online: https://www.python.org/psf/fellows/. If you would like to nominate someone to be a PSF Fellow, please send a description of their Python accomplishments and their email address to psf-fellow at python.org. We are accepting nominations for quarter 2 through May 20, 2020.

Help Wanted!

The Fellow Work Group is looking for more members from all around the world! If you are a PSF Fellow and would like to help review nominations, please email us at psf-fellow at python.org. More information is available at: https://www.python.org/psf/fellows/.

Announcing a new Sponsorship Program for Python Packaging

The Packaging Working Group of the Python Software Foundation is launching an all-new sponsorship program to sustain and improve Python's packaging ecosystem. Funds raised through this program will go directly towards improving the tools that your company uses every day and sustaining the continued operation of the Python Package Index.

With this program we are asking companies that rely on Python, its ecosystem of packaging tools, and PyPI to help us build a dependable basis to continue our efforts. 

Improving the packaging ecosystem

Since 2017, the Packaging Working Group has secured multiple grants, completed one contract, and received a generous gift -- all with the goal of improving the Python packaging ecosystem for all users. Most of these projects were funded by not-for-profit organizations and all of them were one-time awards with specific objectives.

Results from these funded projects include:

• The successful relaunch of the Python Package Index, powered by the new 'Warehouse' codebase in 2018
• Adding security features to PyPI, including two-factor authentication in 2019
• Improving PyPI's web interface for users with disabilities and adding support for multiple locales in 2019
• Additional security-focused features for PyPI in 2019 and 2020
• Overhauling pip's user experience and dependency resolver in 2020

Companies have asked us how they can help fund the platform they depend on. With this new sponsorship program, the Working Group can sustainably fund packaging improvements not directed by a specific grant or contract and benefit millions of Python users around the world. Greater budget flexibility and a deeper reserve will help us invest in what the community needs.

Sustaining PyPI

As of April 2020, the Python Package Index responds to 800 million requests and delivers 200 million packages totalling 400 terabytes, during the typical day. Our users include hobbyists, scientists, companies, students, governments, nonprofits, and more.

Existing sponsors donate their services, which keeps PyPI free to users and to the PSF, aside from a subset of one staff member's time. Without these donations, the costs to operate PyPI each month would be staggering.

These critical service donations must not be taken for granted. Sponsoring the Packaging Working Group through this new program creates and maintains a stable reserve. We'll need that reserve in the event that we lose any of these in-kind service donations and must pay some or all of PyPI's operating costs.

Show your support!

As a company, your team can review the details of this new sponsorship program in our prospectus. Should you have any questions you can contact us at sponsorship@pypi.org. When you're ready, apply here. We are excited to hear from you!

If your company cannot donate: Even as an individual, your contributions count! No matter the size or frequency, please support us if you are able at donate.pypi.org.