Fayetteville Conference To Discuss WordPress Software

REGISTER BY JULY 2 FOR WORDCAMP WORKSHOP

Most folks log in to the World Wide Web of interconnected computer networks (aka, the Internet) without thinking much about websites or how they are created.

Most folks don’t worry about hypertext markup language (html) or hypertext transfer protocol (http), computer languages which allow computer networks to communicate with each other and allow a website to be found by others using the internet.

Most folks just want to use their computers to get on with whatever it is they need to do, whether it’s look up friends on Facebook, find information, create a document, send an email, or stream music, videos and films.

However, for folks who want to blog (short for web log), promote a business or artistic endeavor, provide information about a nonprofit organization, offer daily announcements to employees, or publish an online magazine or newspaper, to name just a few, it’s necessary to learn more about websites such as how to get one, set it up wisely and utilize it fully.

Many options are available for creating a website, and one option is WordPress, an open-source website software program owned by California-based Automattic. Open source is code for “free,” and making website software free to anyone follows in the footsteps of CERN and later MIT engineer Tim Berners-Lee who created the WWW with his team and gave it to the world in 1991. Berners-Lee’s idea was that all people should have unlimited and free access to as much information as possible, including ways to post and disseminate it.

WordPress, including both its free .org and fee-based .com versions, will be discussed and explored at the eighth annual WordCamp Fayetteville conference set for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, July 22, in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development on the University of Arkansas campus

According to the WordCamp website, the four tracks of workshop sessions are geared for all levels of interest and expertise, from those who “just wonder about WordPress” to those who want to refine graphics, add plugins, employ Google analytics, and more.

Many of the workshop sessions are led by area or regional residents who run businesses or organizations that use WordPress, but some are employees of Automattic. One of the organizers said in an email, “WordCamp gives all of us whose businesses use WordPress [the chance] to give back to the community at large.” According to several of the organizers of WordCamp, people attend from California, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

WordCamp presenters, volunteers, organizers and sponsors follow the ideals of ‘open source’ and encourage people to come together and share knowledge and experience, said Eric Huber, chief operations officer of BlueZooCreative in Fayetteville. Huber said, “Since the very first time I attended, our company or individuals from our company have been involved in one way or another. Automattic has paid it forward. So should anyone who has benefited.”

Jamie Smith, co-organizer of this year’s WordCamp, blogger and website consultant at jamiesnotebook.com, said, “WordCamp Fayetteville is a valuable experience where you can learn more about a platform that will help you with your website or blog.” She said WordPress has its “learning curves,” but she said “what I love is that there is a community [of WordPress users] who are interested and willing to help.”

Smith said, “I’ve been told by people that ‘light bulbs’ go on regarding obstacles they faced in moving forward with their goals.” She said she finds it “incredibly amazing” that a “simple conference run by volunteers can empower people” in this way.

WordCamps are held all over the United States and the world. Co-organizer Rebecca Haden, creative director of Haden Interactive, said, “I’d like people to know WordCamps—and WordCamp Fayetteville in particular—are friendly, supportive communities. Experts who attend are eager to help beginners. It’s a great networking opportunity as well as a great learning opportunity.”

WordCamp Fayetteville registration is $20 until July 2 when it goes up to $25. Registering early allows participants to receive a conference T-shirt, box lunch, access to the Friday night opening event and first dibs on scheduling a Sunday “jam session,” which offers one-on-one sessions with the presenters.

Go to https://2017.fayette ville.wordcamp.org/ to register. See other information about WordCamp Fayetteville at https://www. facebook.com/WCFay/ and at https://wordpress.tv/ ?s=fayetteville.