PSF grant shutdown - PUBLISH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SINCE 2022 NOW

PSF
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I assume you are using this Internet Archive link: https://web.archive.org/web/20250514010835/https://www.altitudec.com/en/lp/pycon-us-2025

None of the photos or text, outside the title “Altitude/C at PyCon US 2025” appear to be related to PyCon US 2025. My assumption is this is a generic page they use for events, and that is why it has been since removed.

You are seemingly continuing your pattern of presenting a source, coming to conclusions, and those conclusions being factually wrong. The extent to which you come to factually wrong conclusions is impressive, far exceeding the inaccuracy and misunderstanding rate I would expect from an LLM. At this point I am using the heuristic that any conclusion you make the opposite is likely to be true.

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That is my impression as well. The text reads like this:

We offer turnkey event solutions designed to elevate your brand and deliver unforgettable experiences. From ideation to execution, our services are tailored to your vision. [follows the list of services which was already quoted by Kiraly]

Clearly this is not what they have done for PyCon 2025, otherwise it would have been worded differently.

Same for me.

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Georgie and the community have been exceedingly graceful in addressing you, well beyond what your accusations merit. I’m grateful for that as there’s valuable discussion to be had exploring what the value of a conference is.

How much morale does meeting in person generate when open source work online can easily feel thankless, how many random ideas are created and problems tacked, how many people grow and change trajectory because someone believed in them at a conference.

That value is worth highlighting and communicating, especially as the current and rising economic recession is forcing fewer companies to sponsor conferences: PSF affiliated or otherwise.

However your redirection of this valuable discussion to attack everything, and your refusal to acknowledge where you’ve made errors in estimations does not indicate you’re engaging in any of this in good faith.

As was pointed out, the PSF enforces a Conflict of Interest (COI) policy and to accuse someone of violating it should be taken as a very serious statement.

Merely assuming someone is involved in every decision, has not abstained in the elements where there’s overlap, and not acknowledging that a lot of this decision making is someone else’s job is not evidence that abuse has taken place, and it’s frankly disrespectful and mean towards those involved to so eagerly accuse their decorum and cry wolf’s conflicting interest everywhere.

Your role in the Python Software Federation and stated goals as a Python Software Foundation Board of Directors Candidate is a concerning conflict of interest though, especially in an already legally confusing naming scheme.

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@dstufft, I think there are a number of inaccuracies and specious (e.g., strawman) arguments in your statements. Overall, pycon US in recent history has mostly been loss making. And it is not as easy as you claim “we need pycon US, or no income/donations!” Details below.

I think it’s impossible to determine whether a donation would occur with or without PyCon US

Not impossible - you can simply ask the donor?

Second, in recent history, there was an actual instance where python US actually did not happen in a physical form. Remember covid?

The most profitable year in recent history was actually the completely virtual covid conference 2021 - 964k revenue, 560k profit - this is according to the PSF’s own calculation. The next most profitable year was 2022, where virtual participation was still significant.

Finally, you could ask the same question with a smaller and less luxurious pycon.

This reads to me like this idea would rely on those companies just never reviewing their own expenses to determine if those expenses still make sense

Strawman argument, you are assuming that I was assuming nonsense.

A more reasonable assumption is that donors are being talked to and actively taken along with the transition, be it a scenario of no pycon US, a smaller pycon US, a virtual global pycon, etc.

My understanding is that historically PyCon US has not operated at a loss

That is clearly wrong and does not hold up to a fact check!

In recent history, pycon US has consistently operated at a loss, excluding the “covid years”. The profitable years were 2017 and before.

Here are the numbers according to PSF - which, as said, lump in unspecified grant income. The losses are not “imagined”, these are the numbers according to PSF.

2025 – 2.34M expenses, 2.14M revenue, 200k losses

2024 - ?? not disclosed afaik

2023 – 2.14M expenses, 2.07M revenue, 70k losses

covid years separately, below

2019 – 310k losses

2018 – 80k losses

2017 and few prior years - net profits

Covid years:

2022 – hybrid format (many still online due to covid) – 1.59M expenses, 1.95M revenue, 360k profit

2021 – virtual due to covid – 399k expenses, 964k revenue, 560k profit

2020 – losses, does not count due to covid (conf cancelled short notice)

Reference (990 tax forms):

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First about the claim “altitude/c engagement is not event design and planning” (which, if true, may alleviate a potential serious conflict of interest from @georgically ) – imo still, this is an incorrect claim.

I realize that archived webpages are not the most robust evidence, and they are tedious to check. So, to start with, here is more, easier to follow up evidence, with screenshots.

1. Linkedin post by Alex Huard who was responsible on-site, with clear references to design work (opening video, content, ppt template). Screenshot of current state and link.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alexhuard_pyconus2025-activity-7346523397801037827-lrxm

altitude design linkedin
altitude design linkedin662×535 108 KB

2. Instagram account of altitude/c with a summary video – this also shows parts of the opening video that the linkedin poster said they created. This clearly contains art/animation, incidentally proving that it is content creation and not just plain AV or recording.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DL0UjGso4Lb/

screengrabs from the video content

image
image449×334 47.8 KB

image

I hope this proves beyond reasonable doubt that Altitude/C *was* involved in design and branding work:

  • video content creation is design, and branding related; instagram post proves that video is not a simple stage recording, but contains designed, branded (“pycon US”) material
  • ppt deck creation in “corporate design” or “event design” is clearly design and branding

About further comments of @notatallshaw.

First, I would like to point out a contradiction: “this is a generic webpage they use for events […] and that’s why it was deleted”.

???

This is simply a non-sequitur.

If it is standard that altitude/c create a webpage for the event, then it feels like the opposite follows? That they keep it. Not that they delete it.

Here is another example of a portfolio page, many more like this are found on their website - and at the bottom they list what exactly they did for the event.

Second, it is probably uncontested that the list on the deleted pycon US webpage is at least a list of what Altitude/C *usually* do. This list includes design work, so is already a strong indicator that they were indeed involved in design work.

Finally, I do repeat my question, only @georgically (or involved PSF board) can answer this: were altitude/c contracted to do, or involved with, design work at the conference, or not? Did their contractual remit intersect or not, with yours?

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Because using a generic template for a specific event is almost certainly a mistake.

I never said it was standard that this company created a webpage for events, you are adding that, I have no familiarity with this company or their standard practice.

But it seems stunningly obvious to me that if a company accidentally publishes their generic template for a specific event, and doesn’t plan to put in event specific information, that they would remove it.

What else would it be? What are you trying to imply? Some conspiracy based deleting milk toast generic text from a website? I hope you understand why I won’t take such a line of thought seriously or interesting.

It’s clear to me, whatever point you’re trying to make about this company, which I’m also not interested in and seems a fairly pointless side discussion, is not supported by this web page.

I therefore continue to be incredibly skeptical of any other conclusions you make on any point at all, not because they’re right or wrong, but because you’re making them and that’s been your track record in this forum for the last few days, with no attempt to acknowledge or be humble about your continuous mistakes.

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At this point, I don’t see the value in continuing this exchange.

I’ve already clarified the facts about my role, the scope of work, and how the PSF manages conflicts of interest. These details are documented in Board minutes, transparency reports, and filings.

Design assets created for PyCon are available for the event’s use whether in videos, slides, or other materials. Even speakers use these assets freely if they’re related to the event. Their use does not imply that everyone who incorporates those assets is part of the design team or of Altitude/C.

My focus is on serving the community, alongside the many volunteers and contributors who give their time to improve Python and its ecosystem. I don’t intend to revisit the same inaccurate claims.

If others have additional questions, I encourage starting a separate thread.

Thank you.

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