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Here is the latest issue of Canterbury Software Inc�s hyperLINK weekly e-newsletter. Keep reading hyperLINK if you want to be up with the play in the Canterbury tech sector. See the full version of hyperLINK 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. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UPCOMING EVENTS FEBRUARY 1: CSI committee meeting. FEBRUARY 4: Free Elevator Caf�, Canterbury Innovation Incubator, 200 Armagh St, at 5.30pm. The upcoming elevator features insights from the following speakers: David Johnston (Hindin Communication), Graham Dockrill (Hairy Lemon) and Peter Gallagher (Gallagher Business Systems Limited). FEBRUARY 10 and 11: Virtual Worlds Consortium, HIT Lab NZ, University of Canterbury, Christchurch. High-powered scientists in human- computer interface research will gather in Christchurch in February 2005 for the HIT Lab NZ�s international Virtual Worlds Consortium at the University of Canterbury. FEBRUARY 11: Tech BBQ, 6.00pm, Punt Jousting Down the Avon in Teams of Five. Meet at the Boatshed. FEBRUARY 18: Tech BBQ, 5.00pm, location to be advised. FEBRUARY 18: TUANZ Contact Centre Luncheon February in association with Gen-i, The Latimer, 30 Latimer Square (Cnr Worcester St & Latimer Sq). Apart from retention, churn, motivation and productivity, what are the other issues you need to be aware of in 2005 and how can you overcome them? FEBRUARY 25: Tech BBQ, 5.00pm, location to be advised. For more information on events check out: http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/events.htm ############### hyperLINK: Issue 62 January 27, 2005 + Feature: 2004 in review + Feature: Ten years on - absolutely fab at FAB + Research Focus: Slowdown for packaged software market + Tech Newsbytes from all around the world + CSI website happenings + Meanwhile, at the forum + Contact us, subscribe/unsubscribe etc ############### *FEATURE* 2004 IN REVIEW >From legislative change to new regional events, 2004 was a high- velocity year for Canterbury Software Inc. and the companies it supports. Hamish House considers some of the year�s key moments. Last year was a fast-paced mixture of more of the same and ringing in the new for Canterbury Software Inc (CSI). As well as continuing to provide collaboration and practical, day-to-day support activities for the local IT sector, CSI has launched a number of ongoing initiatives aimed at boosting both the domestic and international success of our members businesses. [more here http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/current.htm#feature1 ] ############### *FEATURE* TEN YEARS ON - ABSOLUTELY FAB AT FAB Niche software developer Financial Application Builders Software Limited is optimistic about its future as it enters its second decade in business. Michael Herman reports. Born before the dotcom boom and high-tech feeding frenzy of the mid- '90s, Christchurch FAB Software Limited survived the dotbomb market phenomenon of 2000-2001 intact and with its sights on bigger and better things. [more here http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/current.htm#feature2 ] ############### *RESEARCH FOCUS* SLOWDOWN FOR PACKAGED SOFTWARE MARKET Linux software, web services and multifunctional security suites are among the areas of the software market to enjoy growth in 2005. Michael Herman reports. Information and telecommunication research company IDC says the packaged software market in Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) will grow by 10.8% this year, down almost 4% from 14.5% in 2004. IDC attributes the anticipated drop in revenue to the impact of price competition, increasing availability of bundled solutions, and the effects of mergers and acquisitions. [more here http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/current.htm#feature3 ] ############### *TECH NEWSBYTES* 17 December: US elearning publisher Rapid Intake has released a new rapid development toolkit for elearning developers using Macromedia Flash called Flash Companion. The toolkit is designed to quickly create scalable maintainable courses that automatically communicate with SCORM conformant learning management systems (LMSs). The toolkit produces a course with an architecture based on XML (eXtensible Markup Language), a scalable universal format for structured information on the internet. The use of XML separates content from the navigation and architecture. For more information go to www.rapidintake.com. 10 January: Waiariki Institute of Technology will be hosting an international conference about Moodle software (Modular Object- Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) on February 3 and 4, 2005. Moodle is a learning management system used by many of New Zealand�s top elearning establishments. The organizers are expecting over a hundred delegates from all over the world, who will be learning about this open source software in lectures and workshops. Moodle founder Australian Martin Dougiamas will be at the event. To register for the conference or for more information, got to www.moodle.co.nz/conference.html. 19 January: The University of the South Pacific's (USP) Department of Mathematics and Computing Science at its Laucala Campus in Suva, Fiji, is partnering with the United Nation Universoity's International Institute for Software technology (IIST) to improve opportunities for software development in the South Pacific. USP and IIST will jointly host a special two-week course on the Rigorous Approach to Industrial Software Engineering (RAISE) from 7 to 18 February 2005, which is open to students regularly enrolled as well as to computing science graduates or those in this field with experience in large software development projects. January 20: Pulse Data International has merged with Canadian rival VisuAide to form a new $65 million venture called HumanWare Group. Pulse Data International's chief executive Dr Russell Smith will head the new organisation, which employs over 200 employees worldwide and is one of the largest companies in the low-vision and blindness industry. Pulse Data and VisuAide have shared a similar research and development philosophy and have invested heavily in ongoing product development. HumanWare will maintain the existing R&D operations in both New Zealand and Canada, giving the new company the largest R&D capability in its industry. The parent company will be based in Christchurch. January 26: Visual Pronunciation Software (VPS) director Thor Russell says the company has appointed a chief executive. The three-year-old Christchurch company has developed a software package that gives language learners personalised feedback on their pronunciation and tells them how to improve their speaking skills rapidly. VPS, which has been based at the Canterbury Innovation Incubator since March 2003 has business development managers opening up new markets in Asia, Australia and Europe and could be in line to graduate from the incubator later this year. ------------------------------ *CSI WEBSITE HAPPENINGS* EVENTS If you're planning a software-related event in Canterbury, or a business-related one which could be of use to the software community (such as how to get government funding or great marketing strategies!), we've now got an easy Events submission form on the Canterbury Software Inc Website. Get more people along, by letting the software community know what you've got planned. Use the form at: http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/events.htm#evform ------------------------------ *MEANWHILE, AT THE 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 email options: http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/news.htm Contact the editor, Michael Herman: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --> via Canterbury Software email forum: Success through Connections Replies will go to the CSForum. Leave or rejoin the list: http://canterburysoftware.org.nz/forum.htm Searchable list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
