German government switches 30,000 PCs to Linux and migrates from Microsoft Office to open source LibreOffice
Dirk Schröder, Minister of Digital Affairs for the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, has announced that the state government will switch to open source software, with approximately 30,000 employees switching from Windows to Linux and from Microsoft Office to
schleswig-holstein.de - The Minister President - State Councils and Federal Councils - In the United States: Schleswig-Holstein is set up at a digitally managed IT Arbeitsplatz in the Landesverwaltung
https://www.schleswig-holstein.de/DE/landesregierung/ministerien-behoerden/I/Presse/PI/2024/CdS/240403_cds_it-arbeitsplatz.html
German state moving 30,000 PCs to LibreOffice - The Document Foundation Blog
Minister Schroeder pointed out, 'We as a government cannot control the operational processes and data of proprietary solutions. As a country, we have a great responsibility to ensure that our citizens' data is kept safe. We must always control the solutions we use and be able to act independently as a nation. Ensuring digital sovereignty is at least as important as ensuring energy sovereignty.' With the aim of positioning Schleswig-Holstein as a pioneer in the digital field, he made it clear that he would restructure the system so that it could be managed by the government, not by a single company.
In response to this, Minister Schröder has announced that he will push forward with the following six measures:
Switching from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice
・Switching from Microsoft Windows to Linux
Switching from Microsoft Sharepoint , Microsoft Exchange , and Microsoft Outlook to Nextcloud , Open Xchange , and Thunderbird , respectively
- Vision for an open source-based directory service to replace Microsoft Active Directory
・Creating a procedure for compatibility and interoperability between LibreOffice and Linux
- Developing an open source-based telecommunications solution to replace Telekom
The switch to LibreOffice will be rapid and its use will be mandatory, with training programs planned and the rollout supported by a central national IT team.
'Digital sovereignty is an essential part of the state's digital strategy and our goals cannot be achieved with standard corporate products. Starting with the replacement of Office software, we will then move on to free software in the operating system, directory services and communication solutions,' said Minister Schröder.
' (PDF file) Digital sovereignty ' is a policy that is being actively promoted in Germany, which is well-known for its privacy protection. Based on this policy, components such as ' openDesk ', which was developed under the commission of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, and ' Phoenix ', a comprehensive management system developed under government leadership that allows the country to take sovereignty, have appeared. Phoenix incorporates open source software such as the data management service Univention Corporate Server , the messaging service Element , and the online conference service Jitsi .
The Munich city council in Bavaria had already switched to open source solutions in 2004, and successfully migrated completely from Windows to Linux in 2013. However, due to a lack of training for employees, some employees expressed dissatisfaction, and the council reverted to Windows in 2017. It has also been pointed out that Microsoft's marketing strategy was behind this.
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