Author: Hari Shanker R

I am an Open Source Program Manager at Automattic. I work full-time on WordPress, and I am a Community Program Manager (formerly known as "Super Deputy") on the Make/WordPress Community Team. My current focus is on making the contributor experience for the WordPress open source software the best it can be. I'm currently leading the Contributor Working Group of WordPress where we are working on building contributor mentorship programs for WordPress! I also help manage, support, and run the Five for the Future program. WordPress is one of the biggest passions in my life, and I strongly believe that open source tech and the open web have the potential to make the world a better place. I have had a rather diverse career with significant experience in the domains of Retail Banking, Print & Web Journalism, Web Development, Entrepreneurship, Event Management, Professional Blogging, and Education. Outside of work, I enjoy writing (blogging) as a hobby, and I'm a compulsive bibliophile. I'm also a happily married pet parent to three cats.
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All You Wanted To Know About WordCamp Kochi 2018

WordCamp Kochi 2018 is happening on the 3rd of November 2018, at Udyan Convention Centre, Vennala, Kochi.

We have brought together all the information you wanted to know about the event, in this page, so that you don’t have to search at other places.

Venue

Where is the venue?

Udyan Convention & Exhibition Centre
Near Kent’s Nalukettu, Kottankavu- Arkakkadavu Road, Kottankavu, Vennala, Ernakulam, Kochi, Kerala 682028, India.
Website: http://www.udyanconventioncentre.com/
Google Map Link: http://bit.ly/wckochivenue

How do I reach there?
The venue is located near Hotel Holiday Inn, located by the side of NH47/NH66 – not too from from Vyttila junction (this is the road that connects Vyttila, Palarivattom Junction, and Edappally and proceeds to Aluva, and beyond). Holiday Inn is located on the right if you are coming from Vyttila – take the service road in front of Holiday Inn, and proceed right. You will also notice sign boards for Udyan Convention Centre written prominently, which will guide you. The Google Maps Link should be helpful, if you are confused.
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Accomodation

We have a list of hotels that you may want to check – for some great options to stay.

Registration

Registration for the event starts at 9 AM, and will go on till 11 AM. Make sure you’re there before 11 AM, to ensure that you get our awesome registration kit. 🙂
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Schedule

WordCamp Kochi 2018 is a single track event. Registration starts at 9, and the event starts at 10 AM with the opening remarks, and the first session by Mani Karthik, at 10.15 AM
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Food

WordCamp Kochi has a lot of sessions that are food for thought, but we are sure that’s definitely not just the food you need for the event! 😉 We’ll have morning snacks, along with tea and coffee at 9 AM, followed by a 15 minute Tea Break at 11.15, and a Lunch Break at 1 AM. If you feel hungry after lunch, there’s a tea break at 3.30 PM.
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Networking

We have some cool networking options for WordCamp Kochi 2018! We have a Get Involved table as well as a Try Gutenberg Table, where you can talk to our expert volunteers who will talk to you more about WordPress itself and show you around the amazing world of Gutenberg – the upcoming, new editor in WordPress, the open air space outside the venue, and the networking venue – where you can meet and discuss WordPress (and life) with our attendees. The best of them all – you can talk with our awesome sponsors, to learn more about them, and to get some super-cool swag too!
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Things To Do At Kochi

Ask not what you can do for Kochi, ask what Kochi can do for you. 😉
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Do’s And Don’ts

We are doing our best to ensure that WordCamp Kochi is a green event, so please be sure that you try not to litter, and make the venue clean. Thank you so much in advance, in helping make the world a better place! You may also want to check out our Code of Conduct.
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Truly Converting Content Is Our Friendship Sponsor

We are happy to announce that Truly Converting Content is our friendship sponsor!

Truly Converting Content is a company that does content writing service for websites, blogs with effective content marketing strategies. We also do SEO for websites, WordPress website development and content creation for Social Media Management. You can learn more about them at http://trulyconvertingcontent.com/
Thank you for sponsoring WordCamp Kochi 2018!
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Renjini Narendranath Will Talk About How WordPress Empowers Women By Sharing Her WordPress Journey

It’s time to announce the next speaker for WordCamp Kochi 2018 – Renjini Narendranath!

Renjini is a freelance content writer who builds websites using WordPress. Her strength lies in combining the power of words and visual elements to make a website interesting to the user, and friendly to the search engines, such that the pages rank well in the search results.  She possesses a strong interest and skillset in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Social Media Marketing (SMM).

At WordCamp Kochi 2018, Renjini will be delivering a session on the topic: WordPress For Women Empowerment: How WordPress Helped Me As A Content Writer To Build A Successful Career 

WordPress gives tremendous power for women entrepreneurs who want to start a business online. Selling through social media was the trend among women for a while now. That trend is shifting rapidly to a website centric approach with e-commerce platforms. More and more women are aware today that building a website and updating content is easier than ever with WordPress.

The user can update the content themselves and do not have to call in the web developer – this is an attractive option for every business owner who at the core is a DIY-person. Women are natural storytellers. And we know that stories make great brands. Logically coherent, intensive and innovative stories can be written by women who are the owners of business. These stories can then be utilized as blogs for SEO and social media sharing. WordPress can be used as an excellent platform for rigorous and iterative content creation and revision until satisfied result is achieved.

Through her talk, Renjini will be sharing her experiences – on how she got into the WordPress world, and how she has built, taught and transferred WordPress websites rich with shareable engaging content for her women clients who have thriving businesses online. By sharing her experience, Renjini will also talk about how WordPress is a wonderful tool for women to find their voice, establish themselves online, and succeed.

Want to listen to this amazing talk by Renjini? Come, attend WordCamp Kochi 2018! Get your tickets now!

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Hardeep Asrani Will Talk About Gutenberg – The Future Of Content Editing In WordPress

We are excited to announce the next speaker at WordCamp Kochi 2018 – Hardeep Asrani!

Hardeep Asrani is a developer and Star Wars fan from Kanpur. He loves contributing to WordPress community in many ways, including support, themes, plugins and more. You can find him on Slack pretty much all the time exploring different parts of WordPress community.

Hardeep works for ThemeIsle.com as a support ninja and developer. Hardeep is also one of the organisers of WordCamp Kanpur.

If you have used WordPress recently, you would definitely have noticed the Gutenberg notification in the WordPress dashboard. Gutenberg is the brand new editor in WordPress which uses a concept called ‘blocks’ to build content, instead of the standard editor, and is all set to be merged in the WordPress core!

Hardeep will introduce all of you to the wonderful world of Gutenberg and blocks!

His talk will introduce the audience to Gutenberg, its history and its present state. Additionally, he will do a deep dive into the progress of Gutenberg, all its features, and all the possibilities it offers to developers.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg – there’s more to Gutenberg that meets the eye, and major changes are planned in upcoming phases. Hardeep will also delve into the upcoming phases of Gutenberg (especially Phase 2), and will share more details on how people are doing amazing projects with the same.

Are you excited to learn about the most revolutionary change to WordPress since its inception? Come, attend WordCamp Kochi 2018 to meet Gutenberg and listen to this amazing talk from Hardeep! Get your tickets now!
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Booking-X Is The Bronze Sponsor Of WordCamp Kochi 2018

We are excited to announce that Booking-X is the next Bronze Sponsor!

Booking-X is a flexible WordPress plugin that allows you to create, accept, and manage bookings for your business. You can access and arrange bookings all in one place. The seamless workflow from posting your bookings to managing payments are just a few clicks away.

  • See Everything in Your Schedule – With the help of a calendar with multiple views.
  • Remind Your Customers Through Email  – Easy Email notifications for customers with customizable email templates
  • Manage Bookings in Your Personalized Dashboards –  Helps you manage resources and bookings in the site.
  • The personalized dashboards will help you focus on each resources and bookings. Manage staff, products, or space on different dashboards. You won’t miss a business opportunity as you can see all bookings clearly.
  • Do More With Booking-X – Mobile, or fixed locations, along with payments powered by PayPal
  • Develop For Booking-X – Customizable and developer-friendly.

Visit and Share Feedback on : https://booking-x.com/

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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Blocknomics Is The Bronze Sponsor Of WordCamp Kochi 2018

We are excited to announce the next Bronze Sponsor for WordCamp Kochi 2018 – Blocknomics!

Blockonomics offers a fast and easy way to start accepting Bitcoin payments on your WooCommerce  store. Since 2015, Blockonomics has helped eCommerce sites increase sales by including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and other major altcoins as a payment option for their customers. Currently 1000+ WordPress websites worldwide use Blockonomics.

Blockonomics is a Bitcoin payment gateway that enables full decentralization in the e-commerce industry. Purchases made to your website are instantly sent to your wallet, rather than to a payment gateway’s wallet. This not only saves you fees when taking your coins out, but it allows you to take ownership of your revenue without the need for a middle man. Never lose revenue from payment gateway wallet hacks – be your own bank!

Check out our WordPress plugin here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/blockonomics-bitcoin-payments/

Come, attend WordCamp Kochi 2018, to meet these amazing folks from Blocknomics, and learn more about setting up Blockchain-based payment gateways for your WordPress-powered website! Get your tickets now!

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WordCamp Kochi 2018 Is Postponed To November 3rd 2018 (Saturday)

A couple of days back, we announced that we are thinking of postponing WordCamp Kochi 2018 to a later date in future, given the adverse situation in Kerala after the devastating floods.

We have made a final decision regarding the same, after much thought, discussion, and deliberation.

WordCamp Kochi 2018 stands officially postponed to November 3rd 2018, Saturday. The venue remains the same: Udyan Convention Centre, Vennala. Only the dates have changed. The change has been confirmed by the WordPress Community Support team, and has been updated in the WordCamp Schedule as well. 

 

Why postpone WordCamp Kochi 2018?

This was not a decision that we took lightly. We had most of the preparations in place to hold the event on the planned date (September 2nd, 2018). However, the floods in the state of Kerala during the third week of August has devastated a major part of the state. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost all their lives belongings in the floods, and hundreds have lost their lives. Many members of our organizing team, several volunteers, not to mention several other members in our community were also directly affected by the same.

Given the extent of damages in the state at present, which has not only affected the lives of people – but also disrupted air, and road transport – we realize that conducting the event on September 2nd would be far from ideal – given the extent of damage in the state (even though our venue was not affected by the natural disaster).

We discussed this in detail with the WordPress Community support team, and they were in  full agreement with the idea of postponing the event, given extent of the natural disaster.

Besides, one of the ethos of conducting a WordCamp is to ensure a safe space for attendees and participants. Since the state is still recovering from the floods, conducting a big event poses a lot of threats/challenges, like rain-borne diseases, unpredictable weather, etc.

Why choose November 3rd as the date of the WordCamp? Could you choose an earlier/later date to conduct the event?

It is estimated that the state would take at least 3-4 weeks to get back to normalcy from this date. Even so, the weather may take more time to stabilize (right now, the weather has improved and the rains have more or less subsided – apart from sporadic showers). We felt that two months would give ample time for everybody that are affected from the floods to recover from the damages and actively participate in the event.

Upon discussion with our venue availability with the venue folks, we arrived at November 3rd as the date of our event. It is a Saturday; and the day is a holiday for many people – ensuring that maximum people can still attend the event.

But I’m not free on November 3rd due to a prior engagement. I purchased the ticket for WordCamp Kochi, as September 2nd would work best for me! What do I do?

We are sorry to hear that. As event organizers, we completely understand your situation.  In case you cannot attend the event on the new date, please feel free to send us a message through the contact form. We will see how we can help you with this situation (even though we don’t have refunds enabled at this time).

The new date for WordCamp Kochi 2018 works for me. I would still like to attend the event. Is there anything else we need to do? 

Nope, you can use the same ticket you purchased to attend WordCamp Kochi 2018. The venue remains the same – Udyan Convention Centre, Vennala.

I booked my flight/train/bus, and hotel at Kochi during these dates. What do I do? 

We are sorry to hear about that. We kindly request you to reach out to your hotel, flight/bus/train booking provider and cancel/reschedule the tickets immediately. Due to the floods in Kochi, many providers are willing to provide a full refund for tickets to Kochi. You can consider speaking with the support of the booking provider and request them to consider issuing you a full refund.

Unfortunately, these providers are beyond our control, but there’s little we can do to help you with getting you a refund for your purchases.

I’m a speaker/sponsor/volunteer of WordCamp Kochi 2018 – and I would like to discuss some sensitive matters, which may affect us, as the event gets postponed. Who do I talk to?

We understand. Please feel free to reach out to us at kochi -at- wordcamp -dot- org. Or contact us through our Facebook page, or Twitter handle. We’ll be happy to get back to you. You can also contact the WordCamp Kochi organizing team through our Contact Us page.

Can I still get a ticket to attend WordCamp Kochi 2018, on the new date?

Yes, you can! Ticket sales are still open, and several tickets to WordCamp Kochi 2018 are still available (along with the discounts we had advertised). Get your tickets for WordCamp Kochi 2018 now!

When can I know more details about WordCamp Kochi 2018? Like, speakers, schedule etc?

We had actually finalized a list of speakers for WordCamp Kochi 2018, with the original list in mind – but since the dates have changes, there may be changes in the speaker list/schedule. We are working on this, and we hope to announce the final list of speakers within the first week of September.

I would like to contribute to the flood relief work in Kerala. How do I go about it?

Thank you for your kindness! <3 There are several ways wherein you can help the needy people in Kerala, who were affected by the disaster. Some of those methods are listed in these pages.

You can also consider making a financial contribution to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund through this link: https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in/

The official website managed by the state government discusses more methods wherein you can contribute to disaster relief: https://keralarescue.in/

I don’t see my question listed here, and I have a concern that needs to be addressed immediately. How do I go about this?

Please feel free to reach out to us at kochi -at- wordcamp -dot- org. Contact us through our Facebook page, or Twitter handle, if you are active in those platforms. We’ll be happy to get back to you. You can also try reaching out to us using our Contact us page.

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Important Announcement: WordCamp Kochi 2018 And The Floods In Kerala

You would definitely have heard about the massive floods in the Kerala by now. The floods were ravaged the state,  resulting in the death of at least 357 people, and the displacement of 200,000 people, causing damages to the tune of INR 19,500 crore (USD$ 2.78 billion). As bad as the numbers sound, they don’t speak the real story – hundreds of thousands of people lost everything their owned, their houses, assets, money, loved ones… That feeling when you lose everything you own overnight, it can’t be mentioned in words.

The state of Kerala had not seen a natural disaster of this scale in the past one hundred years. This itself speaks volumes about the spread and extent of the disaster.

In Kochi (the Ernakulam district) the Northern parts – Aluva, Angamaly, etc were badly affected. However, the WordCamp venue (Udyan Convention Centre), as well as most areas in the city of Kochi were unaffected by the same.

Since we had made preparations for WordCamp Kochi in advance, we were fairly confident about conducting the event on schedule (on the 2nd of September 2018). Several people contacted us about the same, and we passed on the same message, as well However, as the floods receded, and as we took stock of the damage caused by the floods, a different picture emerged. Even though our arrangements are in place, it appears to us, that conducting an event – which is a celebration of WordPress, learning, and fun – is definitely inappropriate in this grim situation, where thousands of people are left without a home.

On that note, we would like to announce that we are seriously considering postponing WordCamp Kochi 2018, from September 2nd 2018, to a later date. 

We have not finalized anything yet – we are still trying to work out the logistics of the same, as this involves a lot of arrangements to do, and changes to make. However, we will be making a final announcement on the whether we would be postponing the event, as well as future dates of the event (in such a situation), within Wednesday, August 22nd 2018 midnight.

If you are yet to book your flights/trains/buses to WordCamp Kochi, hold your bookings until Wednesday, please – until we are in a position to share a final announcement.

In the meantime, we kindly urge the global WordPress community to help the people of Kerala who have been severely affected. You can make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who have lost everything to flash floods. Please consider donating to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Relief and Development Fund to do your bit fo the people of Kerala. You can make your donation at https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in/

Additionally, members of the WordPress Communities in Kerala (the Trivandrum, Kochi, and Kozhikode community) have been actively volunteering in different capacities (both individually and collectively) at relief camps. Many of us had volunteered as technical volunteers, to coordinate with rescue missions. Others have donated in cash and kind. Some of us (including some of our co-organizers) suffered severe losses in the floods. Member of our community – active volunteers in the WordPress project as well as our meetups, also had their houses flooded.

On behalf of the global WordPress community, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to the spirit, and the kindness of volunteers all over the world for all their heartfelt contributions to the flood relief operations in Kerala!

Jai WordPress!

If you have any questions on the same, feel free to reach out to us. We’d be happy to guide you in the right direction.

Featured Image Courtesy: News18

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Appmaker.xyz Is The Bronze Sponsor Of WordCamp Kochi 2018

We are glad to announce our next Bronze Sponsor – Appmaker.xyz.

Appmaker.xyz is a growing app builder company. Our product helps you in converting E-commerce websites into native mobile apps, within just five minutes. With internet traffic driven by mobile apps reaching 52.2%of the overall internet traffic, and with customer engagement being the added advantage of apps over websites, this makes our product all the more relevant in today’s scenario.

Building apps is a lot easier with Appmaker. One doesn’t need any technical knowledge to build applications using Appmaker.xyz. Our product supports multiple languages – and as a result, we have happy clients from 85 countries with 400+ customers.

Our highly skilled technical team and our enthusiastic sales team, are the backbone of our company. We are a group of youngsters that love coffee. Learn more about us at https://appmaker.xyz

Want to meet the amazing folks from Appmaker.xyz? Come, get your tickets to WordCamp Kochi 2018, before they run out!

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Veeble Is The Bronze Sponsor Of WordCamp Kochi 2018

We are excited to announce our next Bronze Sponsor – Veeble!

Veeble offers affordable Web Hosting and Domains to the masses. With clients from around the globe, Veeble provides services to thousands of major websites. With sophisticated systems that can be easily accessed and maintained by the client, their name stands out for the affordability, 24*7 technical support and the multitude of additional services offered.

Veeble is a name that has been in the game for more than 8 years. Established in 2009, the company has been providing SSL Certification for domains, VPS & Cloud Servers and Dedicated Servers other than Web hosting and Domain Registration. With top of the line advanced servers and services they offer, you can never cease to be amazed. Their dedicated support team can help you anytime if you need them.

Now with affordable WordPress Hosting Veeble has taken a step forward. With unlimited customization limited only by your imagination, Veeble also provides WordPress development and troubleshooting. With their managed WordPress hosting plan they can help you keep an eye on everything that you want on your website.

Thank you, Veeble, for being the Bronze sponsor of WordCamp Kochi 2018! Would you like to meet the amazing folks from Veeble, at WordCamp Kochi 2018? Come, get your tickets right away!

WordCamp Kochi 2018 is over. Check out the next edition!