Check out the new Que Publishing site
Our friends and overlords at Que have launched a new website at QuePublishing.com. Use the site to order books, read articles and sample chapters (like this one from WordPress in Depth on enhancing your posts with HTML), and leave comments on same. There’s even a Write for Us page, in case you want to become part of the glamorous world of computer-book publishing.
The site is part of the InformIT network of Pearson Education technology sites. Feel free to tell me what you think of the site in the comments below, but more importantly tell them what you like and don’t like.
Come to WriteCamp Milwaukee 2!
If you write – in any genre, for any reason – and you’re reasonably close to Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 5th, you should spend some time at WriteCamp2. This free one-day “unconference” gives you the opportunity to learn more about your craft, meet other writers, and share your passion for whatever writing project you have (or want).
I’m working on two sessions:
- The Death and Life of American Journalism: John Nichols and Bob McChesney recently published this well researched and provocative book that asks the important question for both writers and citizens “How can we keep citizens informed after the corporate model of journalism collapses?” Let’s have our own discussion. You don’t have to have read the book to participate!
- A Choice of WordPress Topics: Intro to Blogging with WordPress or WordPress Q&A: Come to this session for a choice of topics: I’ll lead a beginner’s discussion on the whys, wherefores and how-tos of blogging and WordPress. For the more experienced (or frustrated) blogger, we can have a troubleshooting or question-and-answer session.
Unfortunately, WordCamp Chicago is the same weekend. But we may try to start planning for a WordCamp Milwaukee here too.
The fun begins at 9AM Saturday with a (free!) pancake breakfast. Sessions will happen all day, pretty much as long as people are interested. We’ll have a performance from poetry slammers Brave New Voices, which should be exciting. The whole event is free of charge, courtesy of a bunch of sponsors. There’s a silent auction you can participate in, should you feel obligated to drop some cash on writing-related stuff (including a copy of WordPress in Depth).
Go visit the website for more details (there’s a Facebook page too), and registration. Hope to see you!
Welcome!
Hi! You have reached the online home of Michael McCallister. I write about technology, software, and the Internet in a variety of venues. Bud Smith and I just finished WordPress in Depth. Whether you’re just thinking about getting into WordPress blogging, poking around WordPress.com, or want to get beyond the basics, we think there’s something useful for you in this book.
At this site, you can learn more about me and my life, buy my books, find where you can see me at any given moment, and read some thoughts on the writing life. My main blog, Notes from the Metaverse, continues on at WordPress.com.
This site is brand new, so you’ll see changes in it from time to time. In the coming weeks and months, I want to make this site a resource for learning more about open source software, blogging in general and WordPress in particular, and the technical communication community. Watch this space! I built this site myself, with the incredible assistance of the global WordPress community. Any errors on this page are mine alone. Spot something? Contact me.
By the way, if you’re looking for the CEO of Humana Health, that’s someone else. I’ll stop there.
Milwaukee PHP User Group: Analyzing a WordPress Plugin: A Collaborative Experience
Update: Check out the news release I wrote for this event at Notes from the Metaverse.
Come hear me talk to the Milwaukee PUG in April!
In WordPress in Depth, Mike McCallister analyzes FollowMe, a popular and simple WordPress plugin written in PHP that allows the readers of your blog to follow you on Twitter. We’ll repeat this exercise, in hopes that everyone (including the presenter) can pick up tips on how to code and comment.
