Now, this must be one-of-a-kind golden opportunity for the subscribers, readers and visitors of this blog.

BRICKS-n-MORTAR, your favorite civil engineering and architecture based no-nonsense weblog, has got an eminent Delhi based Civil / Structural Design group to commit they shall offer their core structural design services* to one of our chosen subscribers FOR FREE*.

Yes, you read it right... absolutely free of cost*

This offer is being presented as part of our newly launched 'blog promotion cum members reward contest' discussed a few days back at this same blog. 

The contest is being extended to the members, subscribers, readers, visitors of this blog who would like to participate in the contest to get a chance to be lucky so as to receive free structural design consultation services towards his/her home design by professional structural design team based in New Delhi, India.
(Note: * Disclaimer - BRICKS-n-MORTAR's T&C apply)

To get lucky and win this golden opportunity, all you need to do is to:

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1. PARTICIPATE in "BnM's blog promotion contest - 2010" that shall run throughout the monsoons period (Jun 01, 2010 to September 30, 2010)
   
   
2. SHOW YOUR PATRONAGE and proving to us that you are an active part of this blog by one of the following deciding methods as enlisted under serial number 3 to 5 herein below:
   
   
3. SUBMIT YOUR GUEST POSTS comprising of original write-ups of about 200-300 words and/or non-bookish type user-friendly tips-n-bits and/or any other originally written/complied stuff that could be of some use to the readers of this blog.
   
   Again we are emphasizing that the content should be original and not to be copied and submitted as such. All submissions are liable to be checked for originality, and may be rejected at the sole discretion of BRICKS-n-MORTAR 's Edesk.
   
   
   
   • Fifteen (15) Points shall be awarded to any guest post that shall be shortlisted and published on this blog.
   • Twenty (20) Points shall be awarded to the person submitting that guest post which receives five to ten (5-10) meaningful comments; while
   • Twenty-Five (25) Points shall be awarded to the person submitting that guest post which receives eleven to twenty (11-20) meaningful comments.
   • Thirty (30) points shall be awarded to the person submitting the guest post that receives either more than twenty (20) meaningful comments OR gets bookmarked fifteen (15) or more times on selected social media networks (digg, twitter, facebook, orkut, yahoo! buzz, stumbleupon, delicious, technorati, etc.).
     
     
4. REFER AS MANY FRIENDS and NETWORK CONNECTIONS to subscribe to the updates of this blog (either by Email subscription method or by RSS Feeds subscription method).
   
   
   
   • Ten (10) Points shall be awarded to the referrer per successful subscription by Email subscription method, while
     
   • Two (2) Points shall be awarded to the referrer per successful subscription by RSS Feed subscription method.
   
   Referrers must however authenticate the successful activation of Email/ RSS subscription methods of their referred contacts by sending the names and email IDs (of the person(s) they claim to have referred/added to this blog readers list) through separate emails to us
   [Emails intimating this authentication info should be sent to info(at)bricks-n-mortar(dot)com].
   
   
5. POST MEANINGFUL & CONTENT ORIENTED COMMENTS to the blog posts during the period of this contest. All the comments posted on this blog posts-- whether on newly published posts OR to old published posts-- shall be considered for calculating points adding to the cumulative score of respective entries.
   
   The only catch here is that the comments should be meaningful; more than 25-30 words in length; appropriate and relating to the content of the respective posts; and non-generic lines (like nice post/ good info/ wonderful stuff/ etc. etc.).
   
   
   
   • Two (2) Points each shall add to the cumulative score of the Sender of every qualified comment.

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So, what do you think? Worth your spending valuable time with us on this blog or not?  Participate, Be lucky and Get a chance to have your Dream Home Designed Absolutely Free. 

As mentioned above, the contest kicks start tomorrow (June 01, 2010 onwards) and shall run till September 30, 2010. For any other information, feedback, etc. please feel free to contact us.

For other information and terms & conditions, keep visiting this blog and/or reading the updates regularly.

* Disclaimer: 'BRICKS-n-MORTAR's T&C apply' suggests in generality to all the participants of this contest to be abreast of the related terms and conditions of this contest, which in general limits the said design services to be provided based upon design augmenting inputs received from an individual's end, with this blog and/or their associated design team not committing any role in getting the inputs authenticated as received from the provider's end and/or not undertaking any statutory role whatsoever with local authorities/ design approving bodies, etc.)

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Suggested stuff of interest :

              

Ask us if you have any query relating to civil engineering, architecture, building design & construction, interiors, etc.
Subscribe to get more such tips-n-bits, posts and articles delivered directly to your mailbox. Alternatively, subscribe to our RSS Feeds if you desire to access the content of this blog over any feed-reader of your choice.

Jennifer Cole (jenn...12@...org) asks us via BnM's feedburner platform: 

"WHAT IS WEB CONTENT SYNDICATION'?

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Quoting one of the nicely and simply explained meaning of web content syndication available at ehow(dot)com ... 

"Content syndication is truly a broad area. Many consider syndication simply putting an RSS feed or two on their Web site and nothing more. But content syndication is much more than that.

Anytime your content is reproduced anywhere, it is considered syndicated.

For example, writing articles about your Web site and submitting them to article directories is a great form of syndication because, in turn, other web sites will reproduce that content and provide you with another link back to your Web site. One article submitted to many directories can literally end up on thousands of web sites after several months.

Social bookmarking is also another hot option. Promoting your web site in public on their social bookmarking pages is a quiet way of saying that they love your web site. In return, other surfers will see their pages and visit your Web site. Once again, a little syndication can go a long way.

Choosing the right method for your website, by taking a brief look at one's goals and quality/quantity of the content published over the webspace, content syndication can easily be shaped into an easy-to-execute promotion plan."

[Note: Those interested in reading the article in full may surf through the same at http://www.ehow.com/how_2003263_select-syndication-method.html]

In a nutshell:

• Web content syndication is an internet based application and/or method primarily utilized for the simple purpose of republishing / reproducing / re-blogging / web link offering to third party websites
• Main purpose is to either provide customized updates/ feeds of a particular website to its registered subscribers, or to offer link-baits on other websites, blogs and social media sites (like Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon, Del.ico.us, Yahoo! buzz, Google Reader, and the likes) to gain viral marketing and receiving possible linking back web traffic.
• Intended purpose of most of the genuine websites and blogs [like us, of course!  :-)  ] is also to provide link/ content information to their respective readers, visitors and subscribers by means of such Web Content Syndication.
  

BRICKS-n-MORTAR 's major feed syndication links:
(for ready reference)

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Related previous posts of similar post interest/ tags/ labels:

• [PART-1 / 2] : Opt to Receive blog updates by 'RSS Feeds Syndication' or 'Mailbox Subscription' methods?

• [PART-2 / 2] : Opt to Receive blog updates by 'RSS Feeds Syndication' or 'Mailbox Subscription' methods?

• Useful Utilities-n-Softwares

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Ask us in case you also have any query relating to civil engg, architecture, building design & construction, interiors, etc.
Subscribe to get more such tips-n-bits, posts and articles delivered directly to your mailbox. Alternatively, subscribe to our RSS Feeds if you desire to access the content of this blog over any feed-reader of your choice.

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More Recent Articles

• PART-1 / 2 : Opt to Receive blog updates by 'RSS Feeds Syndication' or 'Mailbox Subscription' methods?
• [Web-Share]: Sharing Useful RSS Feed links serviced by 'New Institute of Civil Engineering, UK'
• Calling out people to Write, Guest Post & Contribute for this knowledge sharing blog
• About Shanghai World Expo 2010 & the amazing life-sized Pavilions constructed by Countries of the World
• [Q&A]: Reg. new comment received on Brick Masonry work | "Why bricks be soaked in water....

Sharing this MicroSoft Windows platforms' a couple of tools and applications which can help one in tweaking, resizing, cropping, editing, etc. with ones digital photographs, including digitally painting one's house, office, building, etc. VIRTUALLY before zeroing in on the final paint job done.

The tools are reliable and obviously helpful as they come from MicroSoft's forte'.

The best use of this application is for all those people who are inquisitive and want the very best of their own personal choice for their abodes and work places.

Weblink to the original location on MicroSoft's website:

• Using Windows XP
• Digital Photography 
• Digitally paint your house

Would also like to share a fitting excerpt from the article 'Digitally paint your house' by Kleber Stephenson

"Changing the color of your house is a big decision, and painting it the wrong color is a mistake that’s not easily fixed. Thanks to digital photo-editing programs like Microsoft Digital Image Suite 2006, you can change the color of your house on your computer before you ever touch a brush to your house. This technique will help you in the color selection process, but it can also be fun just to see what your house might look like in a different color."

The webpage lists simple to use techniques for digitally painting your home essentially with your imagination and this web tool.

Hope bricks-n-mortar 's readers find these utilities useful  :-)

NOTE:- THIS POST IS THE CONCLUDING PART (PART-2  OF 2) UNDER THIS POST MESSAGE THREAD. 
THOSE, NOT HAVING READ THE PART-1 OF THE POST, MAY GO THROUGH THE SAME CLICKING HERE.

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PREVIEW TO PART-1 OF THE POST

In the first part of this post, we discussed about the often asked query of many of our readers and visitors asking:

• How to choose the right & apt method of receiving our blog's Updates?
  
• Asking which method of of 'Email Subscription' method or 'RSS Feeds Syndication' method was having an edge over another?  
• Seeking guidance & explanation as what is RSS Feeds Syndication, and how to install them / subscribe to them.

We had explained in the said previous part of the post that Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a service which is a simplistic means of offering content feeds of a website or a blog or any electronic data server in XML format to its visitors who desire to receive its updates on third party websites and/or web browsers and/or web applications. We had also suggested to read a good tutorial about RSS available on the internet published by Mark Nottingham.

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FACTORS PRIMARILY INFLUENCING WHICH METHOD IS GOOD FOR AN END USER (SUBSCRIBER)

Since the End User (Subscriber) is the KING of any service oriented field, the parameters influencing his/her decision are of prime concern to any web-publisher (or any business strategy, for that matter of fact!). These parameters play a key role in letting the end user (subscriber) take a decision as which method would be suitable to him/her, which in turn, is largely based upon the various external conditions that the end user would be subjected to while accessing the updates.

Team BRICKS-n-MORTAR hereby analyze, deliberate and tabulate hereunder the key decision parameters which an end user can deliberate upon while taking a decision as which method of receiving web updates be more suiting to him/her:

MAJOR DECISION PARAMETERS THAT ONE MAY ANALYZE TO CHOOSE WHICH SUBSCRIPTION METHOD IS SUITABLE FOR HIM/HER FOR RECEIVING WEB CONTENT UPDATES FROM HIS/HER FAVORITE WEBSITES / BLOGS
Sn.	Decision Parameter	RSS Feed method	Email subscription method	Remarks
1.	Subscriber's control over the updates/content received	Full control for the moment-- in terms of the latest content being presented to the subscriber whenever he/she accesses the feeds over a electronic medium connected to internet.	Full control over the content -- in terms of all the desired web content being delivered directly into the end user's desired mailbox, as and when the content is published in the host website.	Decision may be taken by the end user depending upon whether he/she desires full control over the 'content available for the moment' OR full control over the 'content made available in entirety'.
2.	Subscriber's comfort and time factor	End user can log in to the RSS feed service once he/she is connected to an internet connection. Feeds/ Updates can then be read till the time one is connected to the net. (People using offline web content downloading however are an exception to this case).	Subscribers can go through to the received updates at their own behest and leisure as the content is available in their very own mailbox.	Both methods have pros and cons over one another. It entirely depends upon end users' habits, internet connection availability and intention how the content is going to be utilized that act as guiding principle.
3.	Subscriber's ease to browse content	One can perhaps read only the latest (recently available) content by this method, which is guided primarily by the settings of the web-content publishers and/or the capacity of the RSS Feeds reader/ browser.	Since the subscribers have the content available in their very own mailbox, they can access and utilize the content as and when desired.	The content is essentially momentary in case of RSS Feeds method, while it is available anytime in user's inbox till the time he/she decides to delete it in case of Email subscription method.
4.	Subscriber's choice/ limitation over disk space	For accessing content syndication over web browsers, the end users need not worry about the local computers' disk space as the content is available over the world wide web for that particular moment of time, and is not eating-up the personal quota of inbox/ webspace.	Opting the web content to be received through Email Subscription method calls for an end user to receive the content delivered electronically to his/her mailbox, thereby eating up the disk space and/or webspace (inbox) quota	One can decide on this parameter depending upon his/her preference for the availability of content vis-à-vis factor as how much disk space is available with them. Obviously, for those who don't have disk space worries, are more likely to opt for Email Subscription method.
5.	End user's reliance on the internet / mail service provider	Usually requires an internet connection to access the feeds over the web browser or other web applications installed in one's computer.	Requires an internet connection for accessing email services hosted by websites (like gmail, yahoo! mail, and the likes). HOWEVER, for email client platforms serviced by server based internet connections (like thunderbird, outlook express, etc.), one does not need to open the web browsers, and therefore, do not need active internet connection on their workstations all the time.	Again, both methods have an edge over the other depending upon end users' email clients and/or email services and internet connections availability.
6.	Ease of use, Technology-wise	One need to learn and understand pulling the desired link-feed URL that one intends to subscribe to, and install/ plug it in the desired RSS reader program (whether over web browsers or over installed web applications on personal systems).	One need not be a tech-geek to receive updates by Email Subscription method as there are no feed URLs to be plucked and no feed syndication applications and installed. One can simply receive desired web content subscribed by submitting his/her email address followed by validating the authenticity of the same once a email address verification mailer is sent by the publishing website/ blog.	For those who understand technology better, RSS Feeds subscription should not be a problem at all, as it only requires a few basic steps. Otherwise, for all non-geek kinds, Email subscription is the simplest way to received web content updates.

SUMMING IT UP IN SIMPLE TERMS FOR THE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR READERS

In a nutshell...

• If one desires to receive web content updates of his/her favorite websites / blogs, one may choose either of the two OR through both the methods of receiving updates, i.e., by RSS feeds syndication method as well as by Email Subscription method
• Majority of the modern-day internet users use both the methods of receiving updates.
  
• While updates from general topics oriented/ news/ current affairs/ and similar websites are usually subscribed and read using RSS Feed Syndication Readers (like My Google, My Yahoo, Bloglines, FeedDemon, NewsFire, RSSOwl, etc.). These readers could be web browser based services or local PC installed applications too. The updates could also be subscribed in the form of XML, which readers with a reasonable tech-geek-skills usually use.
• Subscription by Email delivery method is by far the easiest and least tech-knowledge-requiring method.
  
• All in all, its the major decision parameters as listed in the table above, that need to be deliberated upon by anyone who desires to receive updates by either or both of the methods.
  
• One should choose the method which he/she feels would help him/her the most in utilizing the matter and would require the least of his/her attention in streamlining, accessing and managing the stuff.
  

ALL THE BEST to all of you who are about to take the first ever step opting for web content syndication (publishing and/or receiving content).  Do ask us in case you need any other information / assistance from our end.

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BRICKS-n-MORTAR 's RSS syndication cloud as available presently for our visitors

Subscribe to BRICKS-n-MORTAR feeds & updates...

• with web-based news readers. Click your choice below:

• with other readers:

(Choose Your Reader)FeedDemonNetNewsWireNewsFireNewsGator Outlook EditionRSSOwlShrookUniversal Subscription Mechanism (USM)

Get BRICKS-n-MORTAR.com delivered by email

 

View Feed XML

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SPECIAL END NOTES:

Note-A:

By the way, would like to pay a mention to the efforts of various web developers and eminent bloggers alike to generate awareness among netizens about the usefulness of RSS feed syndication towards which every 1st of May is being observed as RSS Awareness Day. Check out dailyblogtips' founder Daniel Scocco's post relating to this RSS Awareness Day for more insight on this topic.

Note-B:

THIS BLOG POST COMPRISES OF TWO PARTS, viz., Part-1 and Part-2, with respective hyperlinks being provided hereunder for ready reference to the readers to any of the two posts:

• [PART-1 / 2] : Opt to Receive blog updates by 'RSS Feeds Syndication' or 'Mailbox Subscription' methods?

• [PART-2 / 2] : Opt to Receive blog updates by 'RSS Feeds Syndication' or 'Mailbox Subscription' methods?

NOTE:- THIS POST HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS BECAUSE OF ITS LONGER CONTENT, THIS BEING THE PART-1 (OF A TOTAL OF 2 PARTS) UNDER THIS POST MESSAGE.  PART-2 SHALL BE POSTED SUBSEQUENTLY ONCE THE ENTIRE MESSAGE IS COMPILED THEREIN.

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This is the crux of the question asked by at least twelve people (as per the last count we had while checking the mailbox over the weekend bygone)...

Dear Team BnM,

Please suggest  "How to Choose the right & apt method of receiving your blog's Updates? That is, by means of 'Email Subscription' method and/or by means of  'RSS Feeds' method?   Also, please guide what are RSS Feeds and how to be subscribe to them.  "

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Time and on since the time we have been publishing this blog and offering updates by means of 'Email Subscription' and 'RSS Feeds', and pursuant to the recent posts published here mentioning the useful information available through RSS Feed links at 'New Institute of Civil Engineering, UK' that appear on our blog as suggested study material, we have been receiving queries as what is the main difference between the two means of receiving updates, and what advantage one method has over the other.

Some of the interesting / intriguing queries and opinions shared by some our readers and visitors regarding the issue being:

Namrata S. asks: "I have subscribed to your updates by Email Subscription option since I don't know how to read RSS Feeds. Please tell me if I need to install some javascript code in my laptop in case I opt for RSS Feeds?"

Christa A. says: " 'm gonna nuts with this RSS thing... just don't know how to fix the damn thing. Wud appreciate if u guide me"

Ananda P.V. insists: "Hey Shelly, nice to have the weblinks to the NCE website's RSS links. They are useful. But, I must say I enjoy receiving updates directly in my inbox as I can read the selected stuff at my leisure and at any time of the day without having to open the web browser. RSS Feeds are OK, but they require internet connection to be ON so as to read the updates received by RSS Feed reader"

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Before going further, let us first explain what are RSS Feeds.

'RSS' stands for 'Really Simple Syndication' service which is a simplistic means of offering content feeds of a website or a blog or any electronic data server in XML format to visitors to this website.

Many web browsers support RSS feeds, saving the need for a separate piece of RSS reader software. In addition, RSS enabled browsers can detect relevant RSS feeds, adding them automatically if you wish to do so.

RSS reader applications work in the same way as RSS enabled browsers, but run on your PC or Mac as standalone software. If you prefer to read RSS feeds on the web, they can be added via many dashboard tools such as Google Reader, My Yahoo!, Bloglines, and a host of similar other services.

As Mark Nottingham puts it in his remarkable 'RSS Tutorial' webpage, available at under Creative Commons license:

RSS is an XML-based format that allows the syndication of lists of hyperlinks, along with other information, or metadata, that helps viewers decide whether they want to follow the link.
This allows peoples’ computers to fetch and understand the information, so that all of the lists they’re interested in can be tracked and personalized for them. It is a format that’s intended for use by computers on behalf of people, rather than being directly presented to them (like HTML).

We emphasize our readers (both web publishers as well as readers) to read this RSS Tutorial compiled and published by Mark as it will serve as a ready reference to you all understanding what is RSS syndication and how to use it.

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[END OF PART-1.  PART-2 OF THIS MESSAGE SHALL FOLLOW SOON]

Active and ardent readers and visitors of BRICKS-n-MORTAR who read this blogsite over the web browsers must have noticed the feed links to certain technical stuff (viz., Journal of Structural Engineering, Journal of Architecture, Construction News journal, and the likes), which we have put in for ready reference and assistance of technical people as well as civil engineering related personal.

Those who are not able to remember as which feed links we are talking about may check out the right side widgets carrying column where these links are furnished under the widget heading-- "Blogs / Sites of Interest".

Sometime last week, someone sent a 'thank you email' mentioning the usefulness of such links on our blog, which serve as knowledge sharing content and weblinks.

We always feel happy whenever our readers and visitors find useful information, content, weblinks, etc. on this blog, and convey their positive acknowledgment.  This particular post is specifically being published to further assist the sender of the said email, as well as to all those people with similar interests.

We are herewith sharing all the weblinks available at the websites of 'New Institute of Civil Engineering, UK', which we ourselves found having useful stuff, and are recommending to all our tech-oriented readers to peruse, if they would like to.

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RSS Feed links at 'New Institute of Civil Engineering, UK'

Most Popular	Copy URLs to RSS reader
Breaking news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=681
Crossrail news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=809
Business news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=623
Transport news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=549
Structures news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=614
Energy and Waste news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=626
Geotechnical news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=624
Water news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=625
International news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=637
Major projects news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=615
Sustainability news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=638
ICE news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=628
Plant news	http://www.nce.co.uk/XmlServers/navsectionRSS.aspx?navsectioncode=640

Disclaimer and BnM's note:
Content published as well as Use of these RSS feeds is governed by the New Institute of Civil Engineering, UK's  terms and conditions who own and publish the syndicated content.
BRICKS-n-MORTAR(dot)com do not own/partner/contribute to the above mentioned content & RSS feeds in any manner. The only purpose of sharing the links is to share the information with this blog's readers and visitors.

Feel free to share the information and weblinks with us if you feel they can be shared with all the readers of this blog, and which they can put for positive use.

Hi! This is Vivek, one of the five permanent members of BnM's Edesk as of now, writing in to you in an interactive way for the very first time. Though have wrote a number of posts on this blog otherwise, this is the first time am conversing with you in direct mode on particular instance of Shelly, who is on vacations. With no post published on the blog since last 10-12 odd days, she insisted me to write in to you asking for active contribution from your (the active readers and subscribers of this blog) end by means of knowledge-sharing contributions.

When we started this blog in April 2008, we knew little about blogging tricks and terms, so to say. While two our E-desk members and co-founders of this blog- Pankaj and Shelly- were amateur bloggers in their own personal capacity, the rest of us (counting a total of five in numbers as of now in the Edesk) had almost negligible experience as what were blogs and how blogs could be an effective tool in sharing knowledge with like minded people.

We all are amateurs still, but thanks to certain helpful blogs posting about tips and tricks of blogging, like dailyblogtips, quickonlinetips, and the likes which write stuff about do's and don'ts of the art of blogging.

Walking down the blogging lane since last almost 2 years, we now feel it would be good to ask like-minded professionals and readers to come on board as GUEST-WRITERS on our blog, and contribute to our primary objective of SHARING OF KNOWLEDGE.

In the same context, we ask fellow netizens to share their articles, short write-ups, tips 'n tricks, construction related news, views, snaps, etc. with the readers of this blog. Credentials and/or respective links shall be published alongwith for those who want link exchange by publishing their original content on our blog as Guest Writers.

Write to us at team(at)bricks-n-mortar(dot)com with your idea/ proposal/ summary of what you would like to post with us, and we shall get back to you with further details.

What more... As a special gesture, the best and most voted/commented upon guest post of the month shall receive a special mention in the blog and allied forums. Besides, the best adjudged guest post of a particular calendar quarter, viz., Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep and Oct-Dec (decided by the BnM Edesk in a transparent way on the basis of BnM's Edesk weightage points combined with the numbers of votes and/or comments received by a particular post) shall receive a gift voucher/ gift certificate/ amount transfer equivalent to US$10 on equivalent quarterly basis by means of any mutually suitable payment network (paypal, gift mate, etc.). No other means or cash payments be however entertained in lieu of the gift vouchers.
[Note: Standard global disclaimers and creative common guidelines suiting such similar services on other blogs of repute shall primarily apply to this service of ours also.]

Hurry up, and Write in to us. We shall be waiting for your suggestions as well as contributions.

The ongoing Shanghai World Expo 2010, suggestively the most extravagant and costliest world fair by all practical means till date in the world, is underway from May 1, 2010 to October 31, 2010 on the banks of the Huangpu River in the city of Shanghai, China.

Built over a staggering land area of 5.28 square km, this world expo (world trade fair) has cost an enormous $58m, with 190 countries and some 50 international organizations, having got built their life-sized pavilions to showcase their presence.


But, thinking back, does spending in the tune of millions and millions of American dollars on constructing pavilions and structures to showcase a country's or an organization's mark, be justified? Some may argue the move was right in the time of world's slowdown of 2008-2010 (2010 perhaps!!) when the world governments and authorities, etc. committed substantial funds to keep the economy wheel churning, and not get rusted resulting in a chain reaction of meltdown.

Whatever the reason behind this exorbitant construction spree be, let us-- for the purpose of pure academic interest-- focus more on the aspects of plan, design, architecture and theme behind the famous pavilions that have been in news.

For the purpose of sharing with our readers, the central theme behind the Expo 2010 has been christened by the Chinese authorities as-- "BETTER CITY, BETTER LIFE"-- exclaiming the world attention towards the coveted WORLD CITY STATUS to SHANGHAI, which is claiming the "next great world city" status in the world's geo-political domain.

There have been 5 main theme pavilions, namely

• Urbanian Pavilion
• Pavilion of City Being
• Pavilion of Urban Planet
• Pavilion of Footprint
• Pavilion of Future

Besides these 5 main themes, pavilions of 190 countries and some 50 international bodies & organizations have been grouped in 5 zones, viz., Zone A, Zone B, Zone C, Zone D and Zone E.

Do check out the significant country-specific pavilions being spoken of for good themic designs on the official Expo 2010 website or any other reliable website that is reporting the fair.

As far as our opinion is concerned, some of the pavilions have been architectural marvels, while a few pavilions have simply been sorts of waste of money and efforts of course. Readers interested in reading about and looking into the pavilions of all the countries and organizations can surf through the content at the Official Website of Shanghai's Expo 2010.

Designs pictures of the Indian pavilion is reproduced hereunder, with a request to our readers to share the actual visit snaps if some of you happen to visit the place in person.