MatsuShimizu
Well-Known Member
No More Microsoft! This German State Plans to Switch 25,000 Windows PCs to Linux and LibreOffice
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost German state that has planned to switch to open-source solutions in its administration and schools. And, it is not about a couple of systems; as per the report by The Document Foundation, all 25,000 PCs associated with administration and school will be...
news.itsfoss.com
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost German state that has planned to switch to open-source solutions in its administration and schools.
And, it is not about a couple of systems; as per the report by The Document Foundation, all 25,000 PCs associated with administration and school will be moving from Windows to Linux.
Not just limited to that, the switch also involves replacing Microsoft Office with LibreOffice.
The digital minister, Jan Philipp Albrecht, shared more details in an interview with a local news outlet.
The plan to rely more on an open-source solution is a massive step to promote FOSS.
And, considering the transition to LibreOffice by giving up Microsoft’s Office, the German state will end up integrating the use of FOSS for most of their work.
LibreOffice has been a great free and open-source alternative to Microsoft Office. Even though it is still a hit-and-miss for some scenarios, many users haven’t even given it a try, fearing it would break their workflow with documents/sheets.
But, now that it will be used in schools and government administration, more users will get to experience what it offers and how it can replace Microsoft Office.
Microsoft is undoubtedly a dominant force globally for its software products, including the Office suite and Windows itself.
Privacy enthusiasts and FOSS appreciators have been using Linux and other products to fight back against a monopoly and make open-source solutions a viable alternative for a long time.
However, with an open-source model being chosen as a priority by governments, it should considerably influence the people in power to embrace open-source.
Many users get the freedom and do not have to depend on vendor specific products like Microsoft’s.
