The German State transfers 30.000 PCs to LibreOffice
In a surprising move the state of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany has made a decision which could mark a significant step in favor of open source, since Its plan to completely replace Windows and Microsoft Office with Linux and LibreOffice, respectively, was announced.
This decision, announced by the Minister of Digital Affairs, Dirk Schrödter, involves the transition from Windows to Linux as an operating system on approximately 30 thousand computers. Regarding the case, it is worth mentioning that it is not the first case of this type, since similar movements to replace Windows with Linux have occurred in other cities or government agencies around the world.
A clear example that can be highlighted from the implementation of Linux and that mentions that lessons learned from previous experiences have been taken into account is the case of the transition of government agencies. in the city of Munich to Linux-based systems. Since it seeks to avoid past errors related to compatibility with proprietary formats and the obsolescence of distributions, guaranteeing a fluid and efficient migration.
It is mentioned that one of the main reasons behind this decision It is due to the need to reduce dependence on a single supplier, since if there was a problem the entire infrastructure would be compromised and that the decision to transition was made after the successful completion of a pilot project that lasted two and a half years.
Independent, sustainable, secure: Schleswig-Holstein will be a digital pioneer region and the first German state to introduce a digitally sovereign IT workplace in its state administration. With the cabinet's decision to introduce open source software LibreOffice as the standard office solution across the board, the government has given the go-ahead for the first step towards full digital sovereignty in the state, with further steps to follow.
In addition, it is mentioned that with this movement The aim is to move towards digital sovereignty, by adopting open source software, The government seeks to increase the security and privacy of its infrastructures, as this allows greater control over work processes and the ability to participate in development to implement specific functionalities and solve emerging problems efficiently.
Regarding the selection of the distribution of Linux that will be used, It is mentioned that it is still in process, although it is hoped that one that is friendly will be chosen for beginners and robust for the needs of office administration, among the main candidates that we can mention could be Ubuntu or one of its flavors, Linux Mint and it could even be Fedora, but as mentioned, the choice of distribution will be based accordingly. to the needs to be covered.
Out of the box, LibreOffice is the natural choice as the alternative to Microsoft Office, as it offers a smooth transition for users, allowing you to work with existing file formats efficiently and without additional costs. On the other hand, it is mentioned that new collaboration tools such as Nextcloud, Open Xchange and Thunderbird will be implemented instead of Microsoft solutions such as SharePoint, Exchange and Outlook.
In addition to the benefits in terms of autonomy and safety, the transition to open source software also has economic implications. Instead of allocating budget funds to the payment of licensing fees, these resources will be invested in the development of open products and the preservation of jobs in the region. This represents a more sustainable economic strategy aligned with the principles that are sought to be promoted in the state.
Regarding the transition, it is worth mentioning that the process will be gradual, since it is planned to begin with the replacement of MS Office with LibreOffice in the first stage. This strategy allows for progressive adaptation and adequate management of changes, ensuring that all users can become familiar with the software and subsequently take full advantage of the new tools and functionalities provided by open source software.
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