App-y days for wi-fi world

An event challenging IT experts to produce new apps with data supplied from government agencies has produced a map of free wi-fi around Geelong.
Deakin University students Daniel McCarthy and Parham Hausler were one of GovHack’s winning teams last year for their Free WiFi Geelong app.
The product is now available online, with regular site additions and an invitation for business offering free wi-fi to register for inclusion.
Mr McCarthy welcomed the chance to access government data through the GovHack competition.
“Open data for us is about lots of opportunities to test our skills, explore potential projects that the data owners don’t have time to do and show others what can be achieved,” Mr McCarthy said.
“The Free Geelong Wi-Fi project gave us a chance to extend the original GovHack idea and produce a real outcome for the community.”
The app is available at freewifigeelong.net.au.
GovHack returns to Geelong this weekend, with organisers hoping it can produce as many great results as last year’s inaugural event.
Entry is open to registered computer programmers and software developers wanting to use their IT skills to develop apps useful to everyday lives.
GovHack teams comprise four to five designers, developers, analysts, testers and storytellers using open data sets to solve problems, visualise information and create applications.
City Hall digital, information and technology manager Andrew Downie said the event was an opportunity to find solutions within existing data.
“The opportunity to have a specialised fresh set of eyes go over existing data can produce some innovative ideas and solutions,” he said.
“Both local experts, along with participants from across Australia and New Zealand, will sift through the data and also respond to some specific challenges that we have set and may come up with apps that will make our everyday life easier and improve council services.”
Digital Geelong was launching a new data portal at geelognaustralia.com.au/data in time for GovHack “to bring all of Geelong’s open data together in one location,” Mr Downie said.
“We encourage any and all organisations to open up data, and this site can accommodate so much more then just City of Greater Geelong datasets.”
The City has released 105 datasets providing information on events, wi-fi, pet regulations, street trees, public barbecue locations, garbage collection zones and other facilities and services.