[ANNOUNCE] Git Merge 2025, September 29-30, San Francisco, CA

Git Merge 2025 is happening on September 29-30th in San Francisco, CA! The Contributor's Summit will be on the 30th. Here are the details for the main conference:

   When: September 29th and 30th
  Where: GitHub HQ, 88 Colin P Kelly Jr. St., San Francisco, CA 94107
   What: Main conference on the 29th, breakouts and Contributor's Summit
         on the 30th.

The conference will be structured similarly to Git Merge 2024 from Berlin. The main conference will be on the first day, and breakout sessions as well as the Contributor's Summit will take place on the second day. We'll have a cocktail hour at the conclusion of the first day.

For the Contributor's Summit, anybody who works on Git or related projects in the Git ecosystem are invited. If you aren't sure if that includes you or not, please ask!

Registration and the Call for Proposals (CFP) are both open, and the main webpage below has all of the details:

  https://git-merge.com

There are links to the CFP submission page as well as ticket registration on the main website above, but direct links for each are below:

  Tickets: https://git-merge-2025.eventbrite.com/
      CFP: https://sessionize.com/git-merge-2025/

For GSoC / Outreachy students that would like to come but may need financial assistance with travel costs, please reach out to the Git PLC at <git@sfconservancy.org>. We'll collect requests and try to make decisions and notify people by mid-July, which would hopefully still leave time for making travel arrangements.

Other than that, please be thinking about (and feel free to discuss in this thread) topics you'd like to discuss, or any general thoughts on the format, venue setup, etc.

See you there!

Thanks, Taylor

On 2025-03-25 at 18:34:26, Taylor Blau wrote:

Unfortunately, I'm afraid I won't be able to attend. Given the current political situation in the United States, the fact that I am openly queer and outspoken about human rights, and the fact that I'd have to pass through customs, I don't think that it would be a good idea to travel to San Francisco.

I've heard similar concerns from some colleagues as well, although I can't say whether they'll ultimately be able to come.

I realize there are some considerations that led to the choice of venue, which is understandable, but it does seem regrettable that another alternative wasn't viable.

On Tue, Mar 25, 2025 at 02:34:26PM -0400, Taylor Blau wrote:

Since announcing[1] that Git Merge will take place this year in San Francisco, CA, I have gotten feedback publicly and privately that there are challenges for those who would have to travel into the US in order to attend.

I (and my colleagues at GitHub responsible for producing Git Merge) want to make sure that folks who can't attend Git Merge in-person due to travel concerns are still able to participate.

To that end, here are a few updates on this year's Git Merge:

  - We're **welcoming remote speakers and attendees**. If you are
    interested in speaking, but weren't planning on doing so due to
    travel constraints, please consider submitting a talk proposal to
    present virtually!

  - The **Contributor's Summit will continue to take place on the second
    day** (September 30th), and will have two-way A/V equipment set up
    so remote attendees can participate.

A few more logistics:

  - Tickets to attend remotely are $0. If you have already purchased an
    in-person ticket and wish to refund it to attend virtually, just let
    me know.

  - Likewise, if you have submitted a talk proposal but wish to give it
    virtually instead, please let me know there as well.

If you are travelling in-person need financial assistance to do so, notes that we will **stop accepting requests for financial assistance on May 15, 2025 end of day PDT**. This is so that those who have open requests can get a decision sooner rather than later in order to start the visa application process. If you are planning on requesting financial assistance, and haven't yet done so, please consider doing so ASAP.

I am sad to not be able to see everyone in person, but my hope is that by offering options to attend and participate remotely, that Git Merge will be more accessible to those not comfortable traveling into the US than previously.

If you have any concerns or questions that you wish to handle privately, please feel free to contact me off-list.

See you there (virtually or otherwise)!

Thanks, Taylor