The European Union and China are making moves away from Microsoft’s dominance on desktops by embracing open-source software like Linux and LibreOffice for digital sovereignty. The German state of Schleswig-Holstein is switching 30,000 employees to Linux and LibreOffice for improved security, cost-effectiveness, and data protection. They aim to replace Microsoft Office, Windows, and other proprietary software with open-source alternatives like Nextcloud, Open Xchange/Thunderbird, and Univention Active Directory (AD) connector. This decision mirrors Munich’s switch to Linux in 2004 and China’s recent shift to Kylin Linux. These moves are driven by the desire for local control over desktop systems, rather than relying on foreign companies like Microsoft.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/german-state-ditches-microsoft-for-linux-and-libreoffice/