<define-tag pagetitle>A better DebConf12 with your help: donate or become a sponsor</define-tag>
<define-tag release_date>2012-03-02</define-tag>
#use wml::debian::news

<p>DebConf is the Debian Project's developer conference. In addition to a full
schedule of technical, social and policy talks, DebConf provides an opportunity
for developers, contributors and other interested people to meet in person and
work together. It has taken place annually since 2000 in locations as varied as
Scotland, Argentina and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This year DebConf12 is in 
Managua, Nicaragua.</p>

<p>This year, as every year, a great deal of the burden for the conference is
placed on Debian volunteers who donate time and energy to organizing the
conference. Your help would be most welcome. If you are interested in
volunteering, take a look at the <a href="http://debconf12.debconf.org/volunteer.xhtml">volunteer page on
DebConf12 website</a>.</p>

<p>Alternatively, you can help DebConf12 by 
<a href="http://debconf12.debconf.org/payments.xhtml">donating money</a> which
will be used to enable those Debian contributors who otherwise couldn't attend
due to funding shortage. You can contribute money by either becoming a sponsor (if you are a
company) or donating money as an individual.</p>

<p> If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, you can find more
information on the DebConf12 <a href="http://debconf12.debconf.org/become-sponsor.xhtml">sponsor
page</a> or directly contact &lt;<a href="mailto:sponsors@sdebconf.org">sponsors@debconf.org</a>&gt;.</p>

<p>Companies or organizations can, in addition to money donation, lend equipment
for the conference.</p>


<h2>About Debian</h2>

<p>
The Debian Project was founded in 1993 by Ian Murdock to be a truly
free community project. Since then the project has grown to be one of
the largest and most influential open source projects.  Thousands of
volunteers from all over the world work together to create and
maintain Debian software. Available in 70 languages, and
supporting a huge range of computer types, Debian calls itself the
<q>universal operating system</q>.
</p>

<h2>About DebConf</h2>

<p>DebConf is the Debian Project's developer conference. In addition to a
full schedule of technical, social and policy talks, DebConf provides an
opportunity for developers, contributors and other interested people to
meet in person and work together more closely. It has taken place
annually since 2000 in locations as varied as Scotland, Argentina, and
Bosnia and Herzegovina. More information about DebConf is available from
http://debconf.org/.</p>


<h2>Contact Information</h2>

<p>For further information, please visit the Debian web pages at
<a href="$(HOME)/">http://www.debian.org/</a> or send mail to
&lt;press@debian.org&gt;.</p>