Open source finalists announced

26 September 2007

Some 32 finalists have been selected for the New Zealand Open Source Awards being held in Wellington on 17 October. The Awards, sponsored by Google, Red Hat, Catalyst IT and a number of other local organisations, attracted over 130 entries when nominations closed in August.

Don Christie, convenor of the panel of seven judges, says that a 'special category' has been added to the Awards recognising a number of strong entries from the creative sector.

The Hon David Cunliffe, Minister of Information Technology, will present the winners in each of the eight categories at a gala evening held at the Intercontinental, Wellington.

The finalists are:

Open Source Ambassador: Lynne Pope, Waikato Linux Users Group, Peter Harrison

Open Source Contributor: Michael Koziarski, Chris Cormack, Graeme Williams, Matthew Cruickshank

Open Source Software Project: New Zealand Open GPS, Koha, Gerris Flow Solver, Weka

Open Source Use in Government: State Services Commission (E-government Unit), Electoral Enrolment Centre, PHARMAC (Schedule Team), Ministry of Social Development (Applications Development Team)

Open Source Use in Business: Zenbu, Plan HQ, New Zealand Post/Red Hat, Zoomin, Silverstripe

Open Source Use in Education: New Zealand Summer of Code, New Zealand Open Source Virtual Learning Environment, Hagley College of Computing, Eduforge

Open Source Use for Community Organisations: Vet Learn, Citizen Click/ Egressive,  Aotearoa Independent Media Centre, Julian Priest (Consume/WSF II)

Open Source for Creativity: Select Parks, Upstage, Stray Cinema, War Art Online (Archives New Zealand), NZHistory.Net, Access Radio

ENDS

For more information: Contact Don Christie 027 470 7814 or media@nzosa.org.nz

Nominations roll in for the New Zealand Open Source Awards

21 June 2007

It took a little under a hour and half for Catalyst IT to receive the first nomination for the New Zealand Open Source Awards.

"By the end of Friday, when we announced the Awards, we'd already received eight good nominations", said Catalyst Director Don Christie.

"We've even had one from as far afield as Israel praising some of the open source work happening here."

"In just under a week we are up to 17. But what impresses more than the numbers, is the quality of the responses. There are some really compelling stories coming through about what people are doing with open source and about the people themselves - all right here in New Zealand."

The organisers are expecting to see a lot more nominations come in over the next eight weeks before nominations close on 17 August. The Awards cover both software that is available as open source and the use of open source software by organisations.

"By all accounts people are finding it pretty straightforward to enter for the Awards" according to Christie, "We are not looking for masses of detail, so it doesn't take too long to fill in the entry form online at www.nzosa.org.nz".

Open source is changing the way people and organisations collaborate and innovate to achieve common goals. For New Zealand, open source not only represents an opportunity to contribute and be recognised on the world stage, but also to deliver real competitive advantage to our business sector, show leadership in e-government within the public sector, and to provide more effective tools for community-based organisations as they meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Current sponsors for the Awards include:

* Catalyst IT (www.catalyst.net.nz)
* New Zealand Open Source Society (www.nzoss.org.nz)
* Positively Wellington Business (www.positivelywellingtonbusiness.co.nz)
* Internet New Zealand (www.internetnz.net.nz)
* Hire Things (www.hirethings.co.nz)

ENDS

Sponsor update (September 2007):

Google (www.google.com)
Red Hat (www.redhat.com)
Novell (www.novell.com)
Open Systems Specialists (www.oss.co.nz)
Scoop (www.scoop.co.nz)
Ascent (www.ascent.co.nz)

For more information contact: Chris Daish media@nzosa.org.nz mobile: 021 589 783

Open source awards announced

14 June 2007

Leading open source organisations are coming together to celebrate the New Zealand open source success story. The initiative, spearheaded by New Zealand's largest independent open source provider Catalyst IT and the New Zealand Open Source Society, will present seven Awards for outstanding contributions and uses of open source in New Zealand.

"Working in the open source area we are certainly aware of a lot of good work happening out there, both at the grass roots and within the mainstream IT industry," said Catalyst Director Don Christie.

"The Awards are an opportunity to take stock and look at what has been done, and what is being done, with open source in New Zealand, and by New Zealanders overseas."

The seven Award categories cover both contributions to open source projects and use of open source in the government, business, education, and voluntary sectors.

The Awards will be presented at a gala event later in the year in Wellington.

"The Awards are open to anyone, and we are relying on those involved in open source work or using open source in their organisations to put forward nominations via the nzosa.org.nz website."

"In many ways open source is starting to become 'business as usual'. It is easy to forget the benefits it is bringing to an organisation," according to Christie. "So we are looking for some stand-out examples, focussing more on the benefits rather than the technology of open source".

Nominations are open until 17 August 2007 and can made at http://www.nzosa.co.nz.

For more information contact Chris Daish, Catalyst IT.
media@nzosa.org.nz or 021 589 783