NZOSS 2012 AGM

dave

The NZOSS has held its 2012 Annual General Meeting starting at 17:30 this evening, 6 August 2012. After a slightly delayed start (due to everyone streaming the successful landing of NASA's Mars Rover, Curiosity) members gathering in Auckland (at the offices of SMX), Wellington (at Catalyst IT), Christchurch (at Egressive), and Dunedin (at Presbyterian Support Otago) connected linked by voice and on Internet Relay Chat (IRC), the Society celebrated a year of industrious activity.

The President's Report described some of the Society's activities during the 2011-2012 year including:

  • spirited discussions covering a staggering range of topics on our "OpenChat" email list, including threads on various technologies, copyright, internet and social freedoms, justice, software patents, political parties' platforms on IT, the Society's approach to Public Relations, the spectre of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, the kiwi in Berlin who is committed to publicly living an entirely open source lifestyle for a year;
  • engaging in socio-political activities like organising protests against US-led legislation to reduce Internet freedoms which would have had profound implications around the world if passed, coaxing politicians to pass the Patents Bill, helping businesses call government ministries to account for mandating the use of proprietary software in order to be able to comply with regulations, advising government on how to engage with both the public and the business community online;
  • working with other largely like-minded organisations in NZ and overseas to promote free and open source software (FOSS) in government and education,
  • raising the Society's profile and introducing FOSS concepts to new audiences by providing speakers for various technical and non-technical conferences, conducting radio and media interviews, and participating in and sponsoring events like the 2012 NZ Open Source Awards.

Following the President's Report, the gathered free and open source society members reaffirmed their president, vice president and treasurer and most of its councillors, bid a fond farewell to a number of long serving councillors, and appointed a new secretary and several new councillors.

We are very pleased to welcome our new NZOSS Councillors:

  • Dave Nind
  • Abhishek Reddy
  • Jaco Van Der Merwe
  • Pikiora Wylie

The NZOSS 2012 Executive is

  • Dave Lane - President
  • Peter Harrison - Vice President
  • Scott Newton - Secretary
  • Daniel Reurich - Treasurer

In addition to the four members of the executive, our continuing NZOSS 2012 Council members are

  • Don Christie
  • Matthew Holloway
  • Carl Klitcsher
  • Vik Olliver
  • Brent Wood

Many thanks to all who attended the AGM - both physically and virtually. The enthusiasm apparent in tonight's gathering is a good sign that we can look forward to another exciting and productive year for the NZOSS!