How to submit a FOSDEM 2021 talk - a guide to Pentabarf

Last modified by Alina Luchian on 2020/12/18

FOSDEM 2021 is just around the corner and it goes without saying that talk submission season is here! The 21st edition will take place between 6 and 7 February 2021, online. It will run a variety of streams including Developer Rooms, Main Tracks, and Lightning Talks. At FOSDEM 2021, the XWiki community along with several other Open Source projects are organizing a developer room to explore the theme of "Open Source Software for Collaboration and Content Management”. For this devroom, please submit your proposals before December 26th, 2020.

Don't know how? Follow the guide below for a quick process.

Start with an account

The tool you'll be using to submit a proposal is Pentabarf. It is the official FOSDEM talk submission and management system that manages the whole schedule and website publishing. It's quite straightforward but might look overwhelming at first.

If you've proposed a FOSDEM talk in the past, know that you can use your existing account, and there's no need to create a new one. Forgot your credentials? You can reset your password here.

create penta.fosdem account.png

If it's your first time, the first step should be to create a new account, here

1. Click on "Create Account" and fill out the form. An account will be created and you'll receive an email for a confirmation.
2. Activate your newly created account by clicking the link sent to you via email.
3. Login using your credentials, using the "Login" button on the left.
4. Add your details (first and last name, availability, a short bio, your description) using the "Person" button and the tabs highlighted in the screenshot below. This will be considered when evaluating your proposal(s), so don't skip it.

Screenshot 2020-12-18 at 13.36.48.png

Submit a talk

In the left menu, you will see two more buttons: “Create event” - the place to submit your proposals, and “Events” where you can track the proposals you already sent.

1. Click on "Create event" - personal advice, go ahead and click the "Show all" button in the right corner to see all the fields without commuting between tabs. Alternatively, you can select each of the tabs, individually. 

submit talk tabs.png

2. Add your talk's specifics: 
- event title
- subtitle of the event
- select your track - you'll have a dropdown to choose from. If the topic fits into a Developer Room, then please refer to that room's call for papers, listed here, and select that room as the "track". Select Lightning Talks for a 15-minute Lightning Talk outside the developer rooms or Main Tracks and Other Topics for everything else.
- event type - just select "lecture"

event type penta.fosdem.png

- also needed at this stage are the proposed length of your pre-recorded talk (you can choose between 5 min and 2h - be reasonable) and the short abstract. You'll be asked to add the Full abstract and some other info after you get accepted.

event duration penta.fosdem.png

3. Save, using the button in the bottom right corner, and you're good to go!

4. You can now see your proposal(s) in the "Events" section of the menu. You will be able to edit your proposal until the deadline of the room selected.

events penta.fosdem.png

Important information and good to know facts

  • You need to record your presentation beforehand - Accepted speakers will need to prepare, record, and upload their presentations during the first two weeks of January. Guidance will be provided.
  • You need to be online and connected to the video room during your presentation for the Q&A session - Speakers will need to be in a place with a computer with a reliable internet connection and camera and microphone when their talk is scheduled so they can join a video room and take questions and engage in discussion after their pre-recorded presentation is played.
  • The official conference language is English.
  • The reference time will be Brussels local lime (CET).
  • All content must relate to Free and Open Source Software.
  • By participating in the event you agree to the publication of your recordings, slides, and other content provided under the same license as all FOSDEM content (CC-BY).
  • Questions or remarks will be answered by the FOSDEM team if you contact them at [email protected][email protected], or [email protected].
Tags:
   

Get Connected