Programming - Tools and Procedures

From Post-Its on a wall to fancy database-driven scheduling systems, there are many tools and procedures that are useful to the programming wrangler. Don't hesitate to ask others what processes work best for them.

Software Tools

• Zambia: An open-source MySQL/PHP based scheduling tool used by over a dozen conventions.

• Grenadine: A commercial system which provides scheduling, registration, publication, and many other functions. Its origins are fan-based, but the price is now out of reach for most volunteer-based non-profit events. It was used by Boskone through 2022, but that convention plans to replace it after then.

• Comprehension Convention Engine: A Volunteer Provided Convention Tool for Volunteer Run Conventions Using Microsoft Office

• Pentabarf: A Ruby and PL/pgSQL based scheduling tool developed for non sf conferences featuring authors of papers giving presentations. It was used by Balticon prior to 2018.

• WisCon has a second generation web based tool.

• Conference Planner, developed for Renovation, is available, but currently needs some technical expertise for initial installation and configuration. It has had no commits (updates) since 2015.