hyperLINK Issue 4

hyperLINK Issue 4

Here is this week's hyperLINK, your window on the local, national and international IT sector, brought to you by Canterbury Software Inc. and editor Carol Webb. It includes news on the next CSI Tech BBQ and other CSI events, as part of promoting success through connections for IT products, services and people.

See the full version at http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/current.htm Sign-up options at http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/news.htm

+ Please forward this newsletter. You can freely re-use the feature stories, provided you acknowledge the credited feature story writer and hyperLINK as source.

FRIDAY TECH BB

qMAY 30: Hosted by Activate Design, Suite 71, 224 Cashel St, Cashel Business Centre. Entrance off Bedford Row, Madras St end Contact Kevin Addison (activatedesign@xtra.co.nz) for details.

JUNE 6: At the Canterbury Innovation Incubator (Cii) from 6pm approx to 7.30pm, following the Elevator Cafe. Come upstairs at Cii, 200 Armagh St, and BYO drinks and nibbles.

For further information (and to see who got snapped by the CSI paparazzi at recent events) go to the Tech BBQ page at http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/bbq.htm

+ Canterbury Software Inc is keen to promote the Friday Tech BBQ as a meeting point for the Christchurch tech community. If it's been a while since you last checked out the BBQ scene, now could be the time. If you know of anyone who might be interested in coming along, especially those new to the sector or new to Christchurch, forward this to them. The BBQ is an informal social and networking event that takes place every Friday, 5.30pm to around 7.30pm. It gives members of the tech community a chance to meet other similar people in a relaxed environment, talk shop, network and get to know each other better.

STOP PRESS: SOFTWARE SECTOR WORKSHOP NEXT WEEK: “Developing the best marketing strategy” being held by CSI and Biz specifically for the software sector. Presenter: Warwick McCormack of Wellington. On Thursday 5 June 9am-noon at the Canterbury Innovation Incubator, 200 Armagh Street, Christchurch. To register your interest, please phone Nicky Leadley at the Canterbury Development Corporation on 0800 249 232.

hyperLINK contents: Issue 4, May 29 2003

+ Elevator Cafe presenters wanted

+ Doors open to seed stage entrepreneurs

+ Capital sets sights on ICT growth

+ Tech Newsbytes from all around

+ Incredibly useful website of the week

+ Online with CSI

+ Hot topics at the forum

+ Contact us, subscribe/unsubscribe etc

+ Coming next week in hyperLINK: An insider's view of VC

*FEATURE STORY*

DOORS OPEN TO SEED STAGE ENTREPRENEURS By CAROL WEBB Fledgling high-tech entrepreneurs will be more easily able to tap into the resources of the Canterbury Innovation Incubator, with a seed stage centre being developed to help make the new companies "incubator ready". [more here http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/current.htm#feature1 ]

*FEATURE STORY* CAPITAL SETS SIGHTS ON ICT GROWTH Wellington has nailed its colours to the mast with plans for big growth in its ICT sector, in line with the Government's blueprint for the sector. [more here http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/current.htm#feature2 ]

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*NEWSBYTES*

SPOTLIGHT ON CHRISTCHURCH: Christchurch will be basking in the science/technology spotlight when the 4th APEC Science Ministers' Conference on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation comes to town in March 2004. A New Zealand innovation showcase to run alongside the conference will provide a unique opportunity for hi-tech companies to develop business relationships with dynamic APEC economies, including the US, Japan, Korea, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Canada and Australia. Key themes at the science ministers' conference will be development of international science networks, technology cooperation in APEC, human capacity building, and connecting research and innovation. Ministerial delegations will include business representatives, adding an important commercial dimension to the conference. The innovation showcase aims to take advantage of this.

HANDS ON: A new course in building data warehouses is being run as part of Auckland University's Bachelor of Business Information Management degree. A six-week hands-on laboratory programme is designed to teach students design and implementation of systems using Oracle products Data Warehouse Builder, 9i Application Server Portal and Discoverer. - IDG

BLEAK JOB MARKET: Demand for US information technology positions ranging from software programmers to network engineers will hold steady or decline in the next 12 months, according to a telephone poll of 400 hiring managers by Information Technology Association of America. The survey found there are about 493,000 unfilled technology jobs in the United States, down from 1.6 million open positions at the start of 2000. The United States has about 10.3 million technology jobs. Nearly one in four large technology companies surveyed said they had already outsourced technology work to foreign countries, and an additional 15 per cent of large technology companies said they were considering a similar move within the next year.

HIT LAB MAGIC: Children's writer and illustrator Gavin Bishop has teamed up with the HIT Lab NZ to bring one of his stories to life. Gavin Bishop and the HIT Lab AT Canterbury University have received a grant of more than $20,000 from the Smash Palace Collaborations Fund, to transform Bishop's picture book, Giant Jimmy Jones, into a three-dimensional animation utilising the Lab's MagicBook technology. HIT Lab NZ director Mark Billinghurst says the Smash Palace funding has provided the Lab with an outstanding opportunity to collaborate with a world renowned author, and introduce him to some of its interface technology. Dr Billinghurst and Bishop will run a one-week workshop in conjunction with the Christchurch City Library to teach high school students how to develop content for the Giant Jimmy Jones MagicBook. This will be followed by an exhibition of the children's work. [ http://www.hitlabnz.org ]

*EXPORT FOCUS*

STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND JOINT VENTURES

This document looks at two of the most common beyond exporting options - joint ventures and strategic alliances. http://www.marketnewzealand.com/common/files/strategicalliances-h tg.pdf

Next week's featured guide: Marketing and the Internet

+ From a Trade New Zealand series of very useful How To guides for exporters. Next week's featured guide: Marketing and the Internet.

INCREDIBLY USEFUL WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

REUTERS: Reuters US or UK websites are good sources of news on what's happening worldwide in the tech sector. There are up-to-the- minute sections for internet, technology and science newS. For some light relief, check out the Oddly Enough section. News fiends can download a Reuters news ticker for their desktops. Downside: the popups. http://www.reuters.com or http://www.reuters.co.uk

+ Tell the editor ( mailto:editor@canterburysoftware.org.nz) about any sites you'd like to share with hyperLINK's readers

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT CSI'S WEBSITE

EVENTS

Events of interest to CSI members in Christchurch, New Zealand and around the world. Submit your upcoming event, or check out what's coming up, at http://www.canterburysoftware.org.nz/events.htm

MEANWHILE, AT THE FORUM

+ What are the biggest obstacles to exporting in the IT sector? Get creative about how they might be tackled! Tell us what you think about these hot issues by posting your thoughts to CSI's email Forum.

Tell us what you think about these hot issues by posting your thoughts to Canterbury Software Inc's Email Forum.

The Forum is your online community, where you can:

+ air your problems and concerns about marketing your software internationally

+ get rapid and effective suggestions from others like you, who've already done it

+ raise and discuss subjects of general concern to members Go to http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/forum.htm

CONTACT US ... SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE

hyperLINK is the weekly e-newsletter produced for Canterbury Software Inc to foster "success through connections" by helping keep the Christchurch IT and tech sector informed.

Information on hyperLINK email options http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/news.htm

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