WordPress is an invaluable tool to bloggers, designers and developers. It also features a large and friendly online community, actively helping each other out with the platform.
What exactly is WordPress? It’s a free and open source content management tool, typically used for blogging. However developers are able to go into to the code and turn it into something more than a bloggers tool. WordPress can be modified to become a web application, websites for businesses and social networks for niche communities.
Just recently, WordCamp Miami was held at the University of Miami, a conference held for the WordPress community ranging from the basic WordPress user to WordPress developers.
At the conference, topics like web design, security, web developing, marketing, business and user experience were covered. There were over 30 speakers, all from different backgrounds providing the talks to the WordCamp attendees.
Having used WordPress for over two years, everything at the conference was invaluable to me. The value came from the talks, the networking and the inspiration to do more with WordPress.
What was even more valuable than the talks, was the networking and the seeing the WordPress community first hand instead of browsing forum posts for help. Goes to show that leaving the PC behind to go outside to local outings is beneficial. Who would have thought?
Seeing the WordPress community first-hand also reaffirmed the existence of the Miami tech scene. Just in case anyone doubts it, WordCamp Miami had sold out and there were over 450 attendees that signed up.
While WordPress isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you discuss web technology, going to WordCamp, interacting with attendees, listening to the speakers and just being at there confirmed the impact WordPress has on the online world.
If you’re interested to learn more about WordPress, I urge you to check out WordPress.com if you’d like to test out the tool, and for the more technically inclined to read up about what people have been able to do with the WordPress framework and mess with the WordPress framework provided at WordPress.org.
Those that weren’t able to make the conference were able to watch the talks online through Ustream, and those that would like to see the talks online should head to http://2013.miami.wordcamp.org/live-stream/.
luis.bolanos@fiusm.com
