Date:04/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/04/stories/2008080455850400.htm

Kerala - Alappuzha

‘Unconference’ in Alappuzha

Dennis Marcus Mathew

Nearly 100 bloggers will go into the craft and technology of their favourite pastime and also showcase Kerala.

ALAPPUZHA: As blogging has been finding a fan base in Kerala, a few converts to this practice of self-publishing on the Web have come together to host a blog camp here. They call it an “unconference,” hinting at defying all conventions of a conventional conference.

To be hosted on a houseboat on August 16, Blog Camp Kerala, as they have named it, is aimed at not just redefining or redirecting blogging trends here but also showcasing the State, say the organisers, Kenney Jacob, the brain behind the idea, and his partners in blogging, Anand Subramanian and Aravind Jose.

The face-to-face, participant-driven event has Kerala Tourism as the main event sponsor.

Many other supportive hands are behind the initiative.

Schedule

The camp, already a discussion point on hundreds of blogs across the globe, has an interesting schedule. Mani Karthik, search engine optimisation (SEO) consultant, will speak on “Earning a living from blogging: how SEO and social media can help you.” Mr. Jacob will delve into the future of campus publication.

Chandrasekharan Nair will deal with the basics of Malayalam blogging. Mr. Subramanian will throw up blogging ideas.

Pradeep Somasundaram, playback singer, will speak on audio blogging.

After the announcement of the “unconference,” bloggers have demanded discussions on, among many topics, corporate blogging, blogging ethics, campus blogging and blogging and entrepreneurship.

Mr. Jacob and his friends say it is aimed at attracting more of the foreign blogging community.

Only 120 participants will be allowed.

The applications for participation, however, have already exceeded 100, which will be pruned based on the quality of the bloggers.

Registration details, the faces behind the event and other camp info are available on www.blogcampkerala.com or on ph: 9846 831128 (Mr. Jacob) and 9846 430463 (Mr. Subramanian).