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Yet another European government is ditching Microsoft for Linux - here's why
"We're done with Teams!" declared Digitalisation Minister Dirk Schrödter, speaking via an open-source video platform, in his announcement that the German state of Schleswig-Holstein will phase out all Microsoft software from government workplaces. The goal is to fully transition from Microsoft programs to Linux and open-source programs within the next three months.
The decision will affect nearly every civil servant, police officer, and judge, about 30,000 employees. Eventually, the rest of the civil service employees, primarily school teachers, will make the open-source shift. The radical change is being hailed as a major step toward "digital sovereignty" and a signal of growing European resistance to reliance on US tech giants. The move came soon after Danish officials had said they'd be leaving Microsoft behind.
Update
In Indian press:
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microsoft exit germany: After Danish cities, Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein state government to ban Microsoft programs at work - The Economic Times
Microsoft exit Germany is making headlines as the state of Schleswig-Holstein becomes the first in Europe to completely ditch Microsoft tools like Teams, Word, Excel, and Outlook in public offices. Instead, the state is switching to open-source software like LibreOffice, Linux, and Open-Xchange to gain digital sovereignty and reduce reliance on U.S. tech giants. With 30,000 public workers already moving and 30,000 teachers to follow, the move aims to cut long-term costs and control data locally. As EU regulations tighten and political tensions grow, this digital shift could spark a major trend across Europe.
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’We're done with Teams': German state hits uninstall on Microsoft [iophk: the AFP post ignores/omits the intrigue from Microsoft that went on in Munich]
At a time of growing concern over the power of the world's mighty tech companies, one German state is turning its back on US giant Microsoft.
Also here:
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"We're done" - major government organization slams Microsoft Teams as it drops Windows for good
The region is now seeking open source alternatives, with the likes of LibreOffice, Open-Xchange and Linux being broadly adopted.
To date, an estimated 30,000 public employees have already turned their backs on Microsoft's products, with a further 30,000 teachers set to follow suit.