The New Zealand Ministry of Education on Monday announced that all state and state-integrated schools using Macs would get free copies of Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, Keynote and iLife by mid-February. “With more than 20,000 Apple computers currently in use in New Zealand schools these software upgrades will greatly benefit teachers and students throughout the country,” said Murray Brown, Manager Information Communications Technology, Curriculum Teaching and Learning, Ministry of Education. “Besides up-dates for their current operating software schools will also be provided with additional Apple-specific programs. Schools will have access to free upgrades for their operating systems over the next three years.”