Open Source Awards Announced

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.