[open-government] Fwd: [Open Data Ireland] Open Data Hack Day Sat Feb 15th Galway

Mon Feb 14 22:41:57 UTC 2011

Great to see! ;-)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kevin Flanagan
Date: Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 11:36 PM
Subject: [Open Data Ireland] Open Data Hack Day Sat Feb 15th Galway

FROM: http://091labs.com/2011/02/open-data-hack-day-this-sat-feb-19th/

As part National Engineers Week 091Labs in partnership with the
Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI) at NUIG are co-hosting an
‘Open Data Hack Day’ to raise awareness of the benefits publishing
Open Data has to offer both public and private organisations.

For example governments collects all kinds of information from TDs and
Departmental expenses to information on the health of our economy,
environment and society. When governments open this data to the public
they create greater opportunities for civic engagement and
participation in governing processes.

Why Open Government Data?

In the Free Software and Open Source movement there is an expression
coined by Eric Raymond termed ‘Linus Law’ The law states that “given
enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow”
Likewise by pro-actively publishing data Government invites greater
oversight and analysis from civil society. Government can then draw on
a broader pool of talent and expertise than that which is solely on
the pay role. Greater engagement of civil society in the processes of
government create greater opportunities for positive feedback in the
form of constructive fact based critique. This is the kind of feedback
that spurs innovation in Government. Assisting Government and society
at large in adapting in a more dynamic way to our changing world.

The first part of the day (10am – 6pm) will consist of a ‘Hackathon’
at DERI where Coders, Hackers, Web Developers are invited to get
together to build applications using ‘Open Data’. (Bring your own
Laptop) DERI IDA Business Park Dangan. (First block on the left as you
enter the IDA business park)

This will be followed by public presentations from 7pm – 9pm at
091Labs including a keynote on ‘Open Government Data’ and project
presentations from the earlier Hackathon. 091 Labs, Exchange House,
Fairgreen – (On the corner beside the Revenue Office as you turn in
towards the Radison)

COME ALONG AND MASH UP SOME DATA

Of course there are loads of other great events on in Galway as part
of Engineers Week and indeed all over the country.
Tog Hackerspace in Dublin will also be hosting a number of events
worth checking out if your in that neck of the woods.
http://www.tog.ie
To find out whats happening in your area see
http://www.engineersweek.ie/events-2011/

-- 
Jonathan Gray

Community Coordinator
The Open Knowledge Foundation
http://blog.okfn.org

http://twitter.com/jwyg
http://identi.ca/jwyg