In brief

We offer hosted versions of THATCamp websites here on http://thatcamp.org, with features such as a customizable theme and pre-installed registration and scheduling plugins currently in development and scheduled to roll out at the beginning of October 2010. Sign up at the registry for a hosted site. You can also build a THATCamp website on your own server with these materials . . .

THATCamp-in-a-box

• The THATCamp logos in various formats. Feel free to change the colors and to add additional text or graphics, but please don’t distort the existing text or graphics or change their size too much.
• The font used in the logo is a proprietary font called Whitney. (You don’t need to buy the font; the logo files we offer include an .eps file with the lettering outlined that can be edited in Adobe Illustrator.) For additional text, you can use any font you like; we’ve found that both Gill Sans Bold and Myriad, which are on most computers, are a good match.
• The famous WordPress software, available from WordPress.org. See also their Installation Guide.
• The THATCamp theme. Download the .zip file, uncompress it, and upload it to your /wp-content/themes/ folder.
• The Register Plus plugin or (which many like better) the Cimy User Extra Fields plugin. You can also use a Google Docs form to enable people to sign up for your THATCamp. Below are our suggested fields for applying to or registering for a THATCamp; see also our page on calling for participants. Do make sure you let people know which (if any) of this data you plan to make public on the site:
  • About Me (a brief bio of the applicant)
  • Reason for wanting to come to THATCamp (essentially a brief application essay)
  • What would you like to learn? (a question that will help you if you plan to hold a BootCamp)
  • What would you be willing / able to teach? (a question that will help you if you plan to hold a BootCamp)
  • Website (doesn’t everyone have a website?)
  • Twitter username (some interesting network analysis of the conference can be done with Twitter usernames)
  • Dietary preferences (if you plan to offer food)
  • T-shirt size (if you plan to offer t-shirts)

THATCamp-in-a-box will, by the end of September 2010, include such goodies as a scheduling plugin that will allow blog posts to be matched to time slots and a plugin that will generate printable badges for THATCamp participants. Stay tuned.

Alternatives to THATCamp-in-a-box

You can use any WordPress theme or plugins that you like, of course — or, indeed, you can decide not to use WordPress at all, though we do think it’s an important part of an unconference to create some kind of space for online conversation and collaboration before and after a THATCamp. Commercial services such as Tumblr, Zoho Wiki, or PB Works wikis might well be fine for you.