Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines “Conference”:
- a meeting of two or more persons for discussing matters of common concern
- a usually formal interchange of views
The formal COF conference is for members only. But, with seven blogs officially covering the conference and at least six active blogs that are authored by COF members, everyone is invited to the more informal “discussion of matters of common concern”.
You could think about the blog coverage of COF as a “window” into the conference, but I’d rather the blogs be seen as a portal through which “matters of common concern” can flow both ways. Use the blogs to learn what is being discussed on the inside, discuss these topics online and then send them back in along with new topics through comments and emails to the participating blogs. Too many people see blogs as soapboxes for personal opinions. But blogs can be more, blogs can be platforms for discussion and refinement of ideas.
I don’t want to go to the conference and “live blog” the event like some kind of transcriber. Instead, I want to capture the key concepts under discussion and present them to the online world for further debate. Sure, I’ll have my opinions, but your opinions are just as important. Let me know what you think and I’ll make sure I showcase the dialogue, not just my own monologue.
One Comment
If what you are asking for happens — that is, people take you up on your offer and engage in a dialogue with you and each other, which I’m sure they will — then the next step is to keep the conversation going long after the conference ends. Blogging and other online tools provide an opportunity for the kinds of in-depth discussions, information exchanges, etc., that back in the old days we could only have when we gathered in conferences. Now we get to meet and talk to each other in places like this, and for all the world to see.