GovCMS 2.0 – Thom Toogood & 100% Open Source Stack – Wellington – 30 April 2019

What

GovCMS 2.0 – Thom Toogood & The 100% Open Source Stack

This is a special, opportunistic meetup arranged at short notice, hosted at Xequals new offices and event space on Cuba St. It is directly relevant to all Drupal stakeholders in Wellington who have anything at all to do with Government & Drupal. For those of you who didn’t know, GovCMS is the open source Drupal distribution which is now the standarised web platform for the Australian Government.

Thom Toogood, an NZer who has been central to the project, is coming to Wellington and wants to present to us on this example of government innovation using opensource, with big implications for the Australasian Drupal community.

Highly recommended for anyone who works on New Zealand or Australian Government websites, or is involved in digital infrastructure and strategy.

There are a limited amount of spots available so click that RSVP button!
………………………………………………..
As announced in July 2018, the GovCMS (Australia) team are now working with Salsa Digital and amazee.io to build the next generation of the GovCMS hosting platform. Last Nov 2019 they migrated 102 GovCMS sites onto the new GovCMS platform (https://salsadigital.com.au/news/102-govcms-sites-live-on-next-generation-govcms-platform) and have on-boarded a lot more sites since.

Thom Toogood, Platform Architect (amazee.io) & Toby Bellwood, Technical Lead (GovCMS) will provide an overview of the new platform and how GovCMS sites are developed, tested, deployed and hosted on it.

Xequals will provide food & beverage for all attendees. If you have any special dietary requirements, please email [masked]

When and Where

Tuesday, April 30, 2019
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Xequals
93 Cuba St, Wellington

How Much

Free. Limited space so please RSVP here.

More

Wellington Drupal Meetup takes place on the first Tuesday of the month.

Computer Language Model for Digitising NZ Statute Law – Wellington – 16 April 2019

What

Adrian Kelly, legal counsel at IRD will present his paper “A Computer Language Model for Digitising New Zealand Statute Law”, which he will have presented in Zambia at the In-house Counsel conference.

We will also have a small demo by Mike Fergsson of his smartcore-based rules engine implementation … a ‘proto-digital statute’.

No expertise required, bring your questions!

When and Where

Tuesday, April 16, 2019
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Innovation Lab
L4 191-195 Thorndon Quay, Pipitea,
Wellington

How Much

Free. Please RSVP here.

More

Meetup event for Legal Hackers NZ. Website and twitter @LegalHackersNZ

Global Azure Bootcamp 2019 – Wellington – 27 April 2019

What

All around the world user groups and communities want to learn about Azure and Cloud Computing!

Mark Russinovich ready for Global Azure Bootcamp 2019

On April 27, 2019, all communities will come together once again in the sixth great Global Azure Bootcamp event! Each user group will organize their own one day deep dive class on Azure the way they see fit and how it works for their members. The result is that thousands of people get to learn about Azure and join together online under the social hashtag #GlobalAzure!

There are two venues listed for Wellington, each with its own organiser and meetup. It is possible there may be other New Zealand locations announced after this post. Globtal Azure Bootcamp events can be filtered by country and/or searched.

Check out the outcome of last year’s event in this 2018 Global Azure Bootcamp Whitepaper (pdf).

When and Where

27 April 2019

Event organised by Wellington Data Management and Analytics Meetup.
Saturday 27 April 2019 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Unisys New Zealand, 155 The Terrace, Radio NZ House, Wellington.
Meetup event (RSVP here) and Global Azure Bootcamp page.

Event organised by Chinese IT Association NZ.
Saturday 27 April 2019 from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM.
Intergen, 80 Willis St, Wellington.
Meetup event (RSVP here) and Global Azure Bootcamp page.

How Much

Free.
Please indicate in the meetup if you are attending.
If you have said you will attend but can’t, please remove yourself from the attending list so others may attend.

More

Global Azure Bootcamp. Twitter: @GlobaleAzure and #GlobalAzure.
Wellington Data Management and Analytics Meetup.
Chinese IT Association NZ

Note: There is an event in Auckland. It is full with a waiting list.
Auckland Global Azure Bootcamp page and eventbrite.
Organisers: Auckland Azure User Group and North Shore .NET User Group.

Stargazing 101: Sundays – Wellington – 14 April – 12 May 2019

What

Due to popular demand Museums Wellington are running a second Stargazing Workshop on Sunday nights.

New Zealand has some of the absolute best skies for stargazing in the world. This five-week Sunday night course is for people who look up at our skies and wonder which stars are twinkling back at them. No prior knowledge is required – just a desire to know more about the skies and how they are used in everyday life including navigation. The course has limited numbers so bookings are essential. It is suitable for ages 10 and up. Take the opportunity to walk through the gardens or Tournament parking is available at the top of the Cable Car.

When and Where

4pm – 6pm
Sundays, 14 April – 12 MAy 2019

Space Place at Carter Observatory
40 Salamanca Road,
Botanic Gardens
Wellington

How Much

$100 per person for the 5 nights

More

Webpage on the Stargazing 101 course

WOSSAT – Wellington – 16 April 2019

What

Wellington Open Source Show And Tell (WOSSAT)

Two speakers scheduled for meeting on April 16th

Thomas Munro — A tour of PostgreSQL

Thomas will talk about the PostgreSQL project’s origins, open source culture, and some specific features he really likes.
Thomas is a member of EnterpriseDB’s database server team and has made a number of contributions to PostgreSQL.

Tom Eastman — Secateur

Tom is using Python and open source tools to interface with the Twitter API with the goal of equalizing the battleground trashfire of harassment that Twitter so easily becomes. Help him work out how to turn it into a tool that other people can use, and that is affordable to host

When and Where

6pm Tuesday, 16th April 2019.

Catalyst IT
Level 3, Catalyst House,
150 Willis Street, Wellington

How Much

Free

More

wossat.nzMeetup event.

Future Meetings Schedule:

Monthly meetings alternate between the 3rd Tuesday and the 3rd Thursday of each month.
The following meeting will be on Thursday 16th May 2019.

If you would like to be a speaker at a future meeting, please visit the web site and use the email link to make contact.

Bioblitz – Wellington – 5-6 April 2019

What

Bioblitz – Uncover the secrets of the garden

We know a lot about the plants we grow but what’s hiding in between the roots and stems? Help us uncover the garden’s secrets.

This 24-hour Bioblitz offers the opportunity for children and families to look into the diversity of plants and animals that live at the Wellington Botanic Garden. Scientists from around the country, Friends of the Wellington Botanic Garden and individual volunteers will help analyse the secrets of the garden. The results of the Bioblitz will be made publicly available.

We’re in a race to snapshot as many different species in the Botanic Garden as we can within 24-hours. As a super science sleuth, you’ll use iNaturalist, the latest mobile phone technology so that you can make solo discoveries. If you prefer to work in a team, our field trips will give you the upper hand with an expert leading the pack.

Join our special 150th anniversary BioBlitz and help us discover what’s really living and growing in the garden in 2019.

Short video about Bioblitz.

When and Where

3pm, 5 April – 3pm, 6 April 2019

Wellington Botanic Garden

Bioblitz public programme

Friday 5 April 2019

2.25pm Opening Ceremony at Soundshell Lawn.
3pm – 7pm: Official start and public picnic at Soundshell Lawn.
3pm – 8pm: Bioblitz HQ is open at Treehouse Visitor Centre.
8.30pm: Bioblitz Guided Walk: Titiwai – New Zealand’s Glow Worm. (More about this walk at bottom of page)

Saturday 6 April 2019

8.30am – 3.15pm: Bioblitz HQ is open at Treehouse Visitor Centre.
11am-3pm: Video Booth at Treehouse Visitor Centre Carpark.
10am – 11am: Bioblitz Guided Walk: Tiny plants that are everywhere.
12.30pm – 1:45pm: Bioblitz Guided Walk: From ground level to tree tops.
1.45pm – 2:45pm : Bioblitz Guided Walk: The Wonderful World of Weeds.
3pm: Close of the Bioblitz

How Much

Free.
Bookings are required for free guided walks. Book your spot on a FREE tour by clicking on the guided walk links in the public programme above.
You may participate in the Bioblitz without joining the walks.

You need to have a smartphone with camera and ability to upload photos and information using the iNaturalist app.

More

Wellington Gardens event page.
Eventfinda event page.
iNaturalistNZ event page.

iNaturalistNZ website and twitter @inaturalistnz
Download and install the iNaturalist app on your smartphone

Google Play
Apple App Store

Bioblitz Guided Walk: Titiwai – New Zealand’s Glow Worm

This is the only walk sold out when this page was created. A guided walk called “Glow in the dark titiwai tours – New Zealand glow worms” is also by Wellington’s Botanic Gardens on other Fridays. $6 per person and Free for children under 12. Eventfinda event with dates and tickets.

Craft Camp – Wellington – 12-14 July 2019

What

A weekend away with friends. Broaden your fibre craft horizons.

If you knit or crochet, or dabble in craft, join us for a weekend of learning and making. While the event is aimed at knitters, there are no knitting classes. Each session is designed to complement your existing skills, either to help you celebrate what you already know or add a new talent to your tool belt.

Featuring weaving, photography, mindfulness and more. You will have scheduled non-class time to either get to know your fellow attendees better or practice your new skill.

When and Where

Silverstream Retreat
3 Reynolds Bach Drive,
Silverstream,
Wellington

Friday 12 July 2019
to
Sunday 14 July 2019

How Much

$525 for standard ticket

Ticket price includes standard shared accommodation, meals and all classes and materials.

More

Craft Camp Website

Are we automating inequality in Aotearoa? – Wellington – 18 March 2019

What

Renowned US author of Automating Inequality Prof. Virginia Eubanks and University of Auckland Prof. Tim Dare (a specialist in Ethical Analysis of Predictive Risk Modelling) will lead a panel discussion on how data is being used around the world, and how we can use it responsibly in New Zealand.

In her new book, Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor, Eubanks explores how data mining, policy algorithms, and predictive risk models are increasingly affecting vulnerable people in society – the poor and working-class.

This will be a rare opportunity to meet Prof. Eubanks – who is visiting New Zealand for the first time – and hear her perspective on how data mining, policy algorithms, and predictive risk models are increasingly affecting vulnerable people in society – the poor and working-class.

Tohatoha, in association with InternetNZ, is hosting events in Auckland and Wellington where attendees can meet Prof. Eubanks and hear her perspective on how the issues raised in a USA context in her book may also be applicable to New Zealand.

“In an age where New Zealand is increasingly moving towards automation of public systems and social services, this is a prime opportunity to hear from a specialist on the subject and consider whether inequality is becoming automated in New Zealand, why it matters and what can be done about it,” says Tohatoha CEO, Mandy Henk

The discussion and Q&A will be led by Jordan Carter, CEO of InternetNZ, with input from Mandy Henk, CEO of Tohatoha Aotearoa Commons (formerly Creative Commons Aotearoa NZ)

About Professor Virginia Eubanks
Virginia Eubanks is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University at Albany, SUNY. In addition to Automating Inequality, she is the author of several other books, including Digital Dead End: Fighting for Social Justice in the Information Age; and co-editor, with Alethia Jones, of Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around: Forty Years of Movement Building with Barbara Smith. Her writing about technology and social justice has appeared in Scientific American, The Nation, Harper’s, and Wired. For two decades, Eubanks has worked in community technology and economic justice movements. She was a founding member of the Our Data Bodies Project and a 2016-2017 Fellow at New America. She lives in Troy, NY.

About Professor Tim Dare
Tim Dare is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Auckland. He worked briefly as a lawyer before doing his PhD in the philosophy of law and starting his academic career in the early 1990s. His publications include books and articles on the philosophy of law, legal ethics, immunisation programmes, the significance of judicial disagreement, parental rights and medical decisions, the proper allocation of the burden of proof, and the use of predictive analytics in child protection. He is employed by New Zealand’s Ministry of Social Development to provide data ethics advice and to develop privacy, human rights, and ethical review processes for proposed uses of client data. He has provided ethical reviews of a number of predictive risk modelling tools in New Zealand and the US. He is principal investigator on a NZ Royal Society Marsden Grant (2018-2020) investigating the ethics of using predictive risk modelling tools in social policy contexts, and sits on a number of local and national research and clinical ethics committees.

When and Where

18 March, 2019
4pm – 6pm

Rangimarie Room, Te Papa Tongarewa,
55 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington.

How Much

$25 (waged) or $10 (unwaged). Get tickets here.

More

US author Virginia Eubanks to visit NZ in March. Press release on 25 February 2019 by Tohatoha.
Are we automating inequality in Aotearoa? Prof. Virginia Eubanks in discussion with Prof. Tim Dare.

Play by Play conference – Wellington – 26-27 April 2019

What

Play by Play is a New Zealand games conference with a difference, run mid-April each year in the beating cultural heart of the country – Wellington. Since our inception in 2016, we’ve grown exponentially, proving that there’s a vibrant community of gamers, enthusiasts and curious folk in the play sphere. Further to our flagship conference, we host networking events and professional development workshops for industry players.

A game development summit like no other, the Play By Play conference brings game developers of all skill levels together for two days of low-pressure learning and sharing. We aim to engage delegates with a fun, light-hearted atmosphere and a playful approach to improving our craft.

This year’s theme is “The Power of Many” and reflects our strength in community, diversity and the impact our craft can make when we work together.

With Play by Play now being under the NZ Games Festival banner, we’ve made some changes to the structure of our industry events:

  • As the perfect accompaniment to our conference, we’re bringing back Treat and Greet, a networking event for all of our sweet conference attendees <3
  • For our last course, we’re serving up the delicious Pavs! Our new and improved Awards evening!

These are just some of the many amazing events happening around New Zealand Games Festival. For more events, including workshops, our NZ games exhibition, tabletop sessions and the wildly popular quiz night, please check out our website: nzgamesfest.com

When and Where

Main Conference
10am – 4:30pm 26-27 April 2019
Soundings Theatre, Te Papa, Wellington

Treat and Greet:
6:30pm Onwards, 26 April 2019
Our networking event will be held at Prefab Hall.

The Pavs
7pm Onwards, 27 April 2019
The awards ceremony location will be advertised shortly.

How Much

Earlybird Pricing – Ends 12 March

All Access, all events $95
Student, all events $65
The Pavs awards only $25

More

Play by Play Conference Website
Registration for Play by Play



Writing Big Data Pipelines: the Apache Beam Project – Wellington – 14 March 2019

What

Apache Beam (https://beam.apache.org/) is an open-source project for writing big-data pipelines.

In the first part of this talk, I’ll describe Beam from a non-technical perspective – what it is, why you would use it, how it compares to other technologies in the big data space.

In the second half of the talk I will go into a high-level overview of the technical aspects of Beam. In particular, its heart is a programming model that unifies both batch and stream processing, allowing the programmer to separate the what, where, when, and how of processing. What actual processing is performed on the data. Where in event time is that processing done – how are event times windowed. When in processing time to materialise results. How are updates of results (due e.g. to late data) combined. Beam also provides several language-specific SDKs that instantiate the model for particular languages. Currently Java and Python are available and Go is under development.

Beam also provides a portability framework that allows pipelines to be run on a variety of execution technologies. Beam itself provides a reference runner. There are also efforts to develop runners based on Apache Flink and Apache Spark. Google provides a commercial managed runner on its Google Cloud. Beam builds on the work of Map Reduce, Hadoop, Flume, Spark, and Flink.

Speaker Bio

Neal Glew is a software engineer in the Flume project at Google, where he mostly works on the shuffle system. He previously worked at Intel on parallel programming models within Intel Labs. He has a PhD in computer science from Cornell University and a BSc(hons) in computer science from Victoria University of Wellington.

Data Driven Wellington Meetup Group

There’s so much going on in the world of data that it can be hard to keep up with what’s happening in your own speciality area let alone make connections to others who might have complementary skills or interests. This Meetup is intended to make it easier to stay informed and to make those connections. Its focus is on what people working with data in Wellington-based public, private, non-profit, and academic organisations are doing, what challenges they’re experiencing and what they need help with. It welcomes members who spend their days capturing, storing, manipulating and analysing data as well as those who use data generated by others for decision- and policy-making.

When and Where

Thursday, 14 March 2019
5:30pm – 7:30pm

Rutherford House
23 Lambton Quay
Wellington

Rutherford house is the tall building between the Beehive, Railway Station, and Old Government Building; The Meetup will be in VicBooks Cafe, on the Bunny Street side of the ground floor.

How Much

Free

More

Writing Big Data Pipelines: the Apache Beam Project
Data Driven Wellington Meetup