iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Hamish @polemic.nz · 11/09/2026

Most organisations today could extract more business value from their GIS by moving the entire stack to a single S3 bucket of raw files, a text file describing the contents, and their favourite AI coding agent. Come at me.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 15/08/2026

Karanga-a-Hape station first look - what an brill piece of #Auckland infra.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 16/02/2026

Wild watching the SailGP crash between NZ and France, and the follow-up that is focused on the number of boats & racing format rather than the physical safety of the machines. Coutts suggesting that sailors "know the risk" and it's like F1.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 24/11/2025

> ..roll out in three phases: stabilising critical systems, modernising platforms, and enabling innovative healthcare models.. seems reasonable > ..a collaboration between Health New Zealand and global experts in AI and process engineering.. Ah ok expensive disaster.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 14/11/2025

Just one of the many cool side events happening at FOSS4G next week. #gischat

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 10/11/2025

Ok #gischat less than a week until @foss4g.org - the open, inclusive, educational and fun geospatial conference happening in Auckland from 17th-23rd November. 2025.foss4g.org - can I fit everything we're doing into one skeet (takes a breath)...

2025.foss4g.org

FOSS4G Auckland 2025

FOSS4G stands for Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial, a conference hosted in partnership with OSGeo.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 05/11/2025

My word of the year is "Fractional". Mate, just say part-time.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 27/10/2025

Choose your fighter: medical efficacy study [in mice]; safety standard [based on 1950s white male]; sociological research outcome [using AI agents in place of humans]

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 27/09/2025

New Zealand used to have a spine on international issues. This is very disappointing, and the weeks of "wait and see" coyness from the PM is a bonus insult. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

rnz.co.nz

NZ not yet recognising Palestinian state, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announces

The government has decided against recognising Palestinian statehood, retaining its "when, not if" position.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 26/09/2025

I find it interesting that the majority of GIS innovation happens outside of the USA. Tell me I'm wrong. #gischat

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 19/09/2025

Hey #gischat don't forget to register for FOSS4G 2025. The schedule is up at 2025.foss4g.org. Just a few highlights: - 4 amazing keynotes - 44 workshops, 140 presentations, 50 lightning talks, 2 community days - business 2 business, geochicas and gala dinner events - movie screening + much more

2025.foss4g.org

FOSS4G Auckland 2025

FOSS4G stands for Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial, a conference hosted in partnership with OSGeo.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 12/09/2025

Auckland is showing up

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 09/09/2025

It's only a constitutional crisis if one or more branches actually dissented. No, the USA has a constitutional conspiracy.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 28/08/2025

Bit tired of the sci-fi fever dreams from people who don't have to fold their own damn laundry.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 08/08/2025

Good morning Auckland!

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 01/08/2025

Earth Sciences NZ, our new center of excellence for environmental science in New Zealand, uses this image as their logo / hero image on their website. It's.. wrong. Wrong in a 6-fingered AI generated human way. Not an auspicious start to the agency's future. #gischat

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 27/07/2025

Can't beat Auckland

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 17/07/2025

Hey #gischat - you've got just 24 hours left to submit a talk or get early bird pricing for @foss4g.org - it won't be extended again! Community voting will start on over 200 talks and 40 workshop proposals from next week. 2025.foss4g.org

2025.foss4g.org

FOSS4G Auckland 2025

FOSS4G stands for Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial, a conference hosted in partnership with OSGeo.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 01/07/2025

We've just launched the new #foss4g2025 Auckland website! 2025.foss4g.org. Early bird tickets still available and CfP closing soon, so get in quick. Sales & submissions are going strong so get in quick, it's going to be a fun one. #gischat #osgeo

2025.foss4g.org

FOSS4G Auckland 2025

FOSS4G stands for Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial, a conference hosted in partnership with OSGeo.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 21/06/2025

Matariki / mid-winter soltice swim done ✅. Hard to beat Auckland, any day of the year.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 20/06/2025

Never not a deeply interesting, insightful and relevant discord.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 11/06/2025

Exploring home with the new LINZ Auckland 2024 LiDAR capture (data.linz.govt.nz/layer/d3VcCb...)

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 09/05/2025

Logo trends are interesting. Forget the omni-app rainbow, or tech blue-on-white, AI is all about the stark monochrome.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 09/05/2025

Newmarket has never quite figured out what it's for - and maybe the mall is bad for street retailers - but I don't recall them thriving during the rebuild. The mall was and remains the biggest draw to the strip.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 27/03/2025

Wondered if there was a Māori name for Rosebank Peninsula. Got Google's confidently incorrect (and confusingly plausible) answer.

Google AI search result for "Maori name for rosebank peninsula" responding with "Te Atatū"

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 13/03/2025

Hey Auckland, there's a lunar eclipse tonight! Full effect around 8pm. Low on the horizon to the east, should look pretty spooky. www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/n...

timeanddate.com

March 14, 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse in Auckland, New Zealand

Start time, end time, animation, and detailed viewing information for the upcoming eclipse in Auckland, New Zealand

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 05/03/2025

Ahhh the "Fremen mirage" enters the chat. Musk thinks we are too soft, and will therefore destroy the very things that make western civilisation powerful.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 28/02/2025

The FOSS4G 2025 logo competition is running! You don't need to be a designer (we'll help the winner with professional design support) so get submitting ASAP 2025.foss4g.org/logo-competi...

2025.foss4g.org

FOSS4G 2025 - Auckland, New Zealand

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 21/02/2025

All open source is political. Even Rouault – archetypal GIS "random person maintaining the code that supports all modern digital infrastucture" – commited to GDAL github.com/OSGeo/gdal/p... - will now print "Trans rights are human rights" with `--version`. #gischat 🏳️‍⚧️👏🏼🏅

github.com

Add a GDAL_RELEASE_NICKNAME define by rouault · Pull Request #11865 · OSGeo/gdal

GDAL is an open source MIT licensed translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats. - Add a GDAL_RELEASE_NICKNAME define by rouault · Pull Request #11865 · OSGeo/gdal

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 19/02/2025

Got my copy along with Hannu Rajaniemi's latest Darkome from Timeout in Mt Eden. Just finished The Sunforge and I'm still reeling. High up on the re-read list.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 13/02/2025

Quote post with a beach photo from your library. Waikahoa Bay, Jan 2025. Peak summer season. We've been going for 10 years and the full fishing ban in the marine reserve is making a difference. Dolphins turned up for the first time to catch fish and play around the rocks.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 08/02/2025

Is there a more liminal space than the storage facility hallway. (also hooray for finally emptying out the unit after a year-long renovation project)

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 04/02/2025

Experimenting with GeoDeep (github.com/uav4geo/GeoD...) – incredibly quick & easy way to get started in ML for geo. Classifying trees, roads and cars with built-in/free models. Data CC-BY LINZ source from data.linz.govt.nz/layer/95497-... #gischat

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 04/02/2025

The counter-punch is "well obviously it is always now".

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 03/02/2025

Clearing out the office bookshelf and came across these GIS gems from 2005! There is a lot of GDAL still relevant today, and a 3d example! #gischat

The books "Web Mapping" and "Mapping Hacks" published 2005

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 29/01/2025

TIL, NZ geographical quirk: Lake Otamangakau in Tongariro National Park technically connects the Whanganui River to Lake Taupō (and therefore onwards to the Waikato River). Huge trout too, apparently.

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Reposted by Hamish

Sam[uel] Smith @sgowsmith1988.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 08/01/2025

Getting @kartfordata.bsky.social onto Bluesky. I think it's pretty neat, you should check it out #gischat

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 07/01/2025

I like a good Poirot tale but it's remarkable how many more innocents die because he's on the case.

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 17/12/2024

gdalinfo or ogrinfo, I'll always try the wrong one first. It's like the USB thumbdrive flip of GIS. #gischat

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Reposted by Hamish

Daniel Silk @dwsilk.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

(1/5) My employer, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (linz.govt.nz) is now sponsoring GDAL (gdal.org/en/latest/sp...). I believe we are the first government mapping agency to directly sponsor the project. Would be great to have some peers join us! #osgeo #foss4g #gdal #gischat

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 04/12/2024

An emerging problem with "JSON for geo" we've now got piles of .json floating around and you can't figure out what it is without opening it running heuristics against increasingly vague schemas & conventions. "Is this file an MVT style, GeoJSON, a STAC catalog, a 3DTile doc?" #gischat

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 03/12/2024

Look I'm not saying web designers should be forced to use refurbished 22 inch dell business monitors but hear me out

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 21/11/2024

shapefiles are pretty good actually

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Hamish @polemic.nz · 20/11/2024

Hello hello whats this then 😁

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