Mastodawn

The French city of Lyon is dropping #Microsoft software in favor of #OpenSource alternatives. It doesn't want to depend on proprietary, closed-source software, and it doesn't want to depend on *American* software. It doesn't want "potential [US] governmental surveillance."
https://news.itsfoss.com/french-city-replaces-microsoft/

PS: It seems clear that #Trump is playing a role here. While he uses tariffs to boost American companies, he scares foreign buyers away from American companies, at least software companies that collect user data. He's creating a #TikTok problem for American software. Microsoft didn't help itself on this front by giving $1 million to the Trump inauguration.

BTW, many other US closed-source software companies gave $1m to the Trump inauguration, among them Adobe, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Perplexity.

French City of Lyon Kicks Out Microsoft

Microsoft faces growing rejection in Europe whereas open source software sees growing adaption.

It's FOSS News

petersuber Sep 28, 2025

Update. "#Austria's military has switched from #MicrosoftOffice to #LibreOffice. The move was all about digital sovereignty, not cost savings. Other governments are moving away from Microsoft to protect their citizens' privacy."
https://www.zdnet.com/article/this-european-military-just-ditched-microsoft-for-open-source-libreoffice-heres-why/

#OpenSource #Privacy #Surveillance #USPol #USPolitics

This European military just ditched Microsoft for open-source LibreOffice - here's why

It's not about the cost savings, either. Many government organizations are replacing Microsoft software for a more important reason.

ZDNET

petersuber Oct 31

Update. "The International Criminal Court (#ICC) will switch its internal work environment away from #MicrosoftOffice to #OpenDesk, a European [German] #OpenSource alternative."
https://www.euractiv.com/news/international-criminal-court-to-ditch-microsoft-office-for-european-open-source-alternative/

petersuber Nov 30

Update. The #UN is dropping #GoogleDocs in favor of #OpenSource #CryptPad (@CryptPad).
https://itsfoss.com/news/un-ditches-google-form/

UN Ditches Google for Taking Form Submissions, Opts for an Open Source Solution Instead

The United Nations opts for an open source alternative to Google Forms.

It's FOSS

petersuber Dec 9

Update. The German state of Schleswig-Holstein is migrating from #MicrosoftOffice to #LibreOffice and expects to save €15 million in 2026 alone.
https://itsfoss.com/news/german-state-ditch-microsoft/

#Germany #Microsoft #OpenSource

Hurray! This German State Decides to Save €15 Million Each Year By Kicking Out Microsoft for Open Source

Schleswig-Holstein's migration to LibreOffice reaches 80% completion, with a one-time €9 million investment on cards for 2026.

It's FOSS

petersuber Dec 18

Update. The Danish government is moving away from #Microsoft products to #OpenSource alternatives.
https://itsfoss.com/news/denmark-road-traffic-authority-ditches-microsoft/

Denmark Begins its Exit from Microsoft — and This is Just the Beginning

The move is part of a government-wide effort to reduce dependency on Microsoft software. The traffic department's move is just the beginning.

It's FOSS

petersuber Feb 14

Update. "Washington pushes back against EU’s bid for tech autonomy."
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-bid-for-tech-autonomy-washington-us-pushes-back/

PS: #Trump doesn't realize that he's the problem. Europe doesn't want to use software subject to US #surveillance, just as Trump himself (in his 2020 Executive Order 13942) didn't want Americans to use TikTok and other ByteDance software subject to Chinese surveillance.

It doesn't help when Trump turns US tech CEOs into donors and toadies. If the tech CEOs don't see this problem themselves, then shareholders should see it.

#FAFO #USPol #USPolitics

Washington pushes back against EU’s bid for tech autonomy

Suggesting US tech is as risky as Chinese tech is ‘a giant false equivalency,’ top US cyber official says.

POLITICO

petersuber 21h ago

Update. "Almost Two-Thirds of Europeans Back Replacing US Tech, Poll Finds."
https://www.techpolicy.press/almost-two-thirds-of-europeans-back-replacing-us-tech-poll-finds/

PS: When will US tech CEOs realize that this is all because of Donald #Trump?

#USPol #USPolitics

Almost Two-Thirds of Europeans Back Replacing US Tech, Poll Finds

EU leaders are pursuing digital sovereignty plans to reduce the 27-country bloc’s dependence on the United States, writes Mark Scott.

Tech Policy Press

Egon Willigh☮gen 🟥20h ago

@petersuber I do not think that is correct. It certainly is an aspect of it, but it also includes the lack of consumer rights, the lack of privacy, and the platforms just getting worse than they were (e.g with hate speech, misinformation, etc)

heart_autistic_pride

@egonw @petersuber Hard agree: Trump is a mere symptom of the systemic problems rooted in rampant neoliberal ideology throughout the US economy and culture. Products and platforms optimised to the nth degree for pure short term profit at the expense of rights, privacy, basic functionality and anything else that can be tweaked to show a slight increase over last quarter's numbers.

Not that the UK or EU are immune, of course. We're just a bit behind the US on neoliberalism and pushing hard.

iBallesty 18h ago

@petersuber great source of Euro alternates here: https://mastodon.social/@european_alternatives/115066127516563007

Mela Eckenfels 18h ago

@petersuber it's not all because of Donald Trump. It's also because of US tech leaders are going bonkers.

Which #Linux distro is the Danish traffic agency going to replace Windows with?

Jiří Fiala Total Landscaping Dec 19

@petersuber while calling for Chat Control. Curious

Daniel Hernández Dec 19

@stooovie @petersuber I don't see a contradiction. This exit from Microsoft is not for the sake of citizens privacy but for reducing the Danish geopolitical vulnerability because of depending on Microsoft.

Daniel Hernández Dec 19

@petersuber When I lived there, they were super dependent on Microsoft. Now they are starting this process to avoid this vulnerability.

George Liquor, American Dec 19

@petersuber Bravo.

@petersuber the way to go

Steve Lindsay Dec 9

@petersuber Would be interested to hear how that goes.

@petersuber @CryptPad

Bravo. I hope that holds against the lobbyists.

Look here #europe

JesseBot Nov 30

@petersuber @CryptPad oh this is huge! I love this!

Jan Ainali Nov 30

@petersuber @CryptPad not Google docs, but just one use of Google Forms. In the right direction, but the tiniest of all baby steps.

Henrik Sundström Nov 30

@petersuber @CryptPad
A brighter future.

VeilleOff Dec 1

@petersuber @CryptPad
@PirBoazo

Th.Hampel Dec 1

@petersuber Old. That was reported 6 months ago

AdventureTense Sep 28, 2025

@petersuber Interesting read. Thanks for sharing.

Like the Austrian Military has successfully done, I hope that when other sizeable organizations migrate to LibreOffice (which is fantastic), that they still maintain a reasonable budget for funding FOSS donations.

(edited to correct my misunderstanding of the article, as posted by @jedbrown )

#FOSS #OpenSource #LibreOffice

Jed Brown Sep 28, 2025

@adventure_tense
Yes. The article shows how they've been practicing good stewardship:

> Austria isn't just replacing Microsoft software. Unlike typical public-sector and corporate migrations, Austria's military has heavily invested in LibreOffice development itself. The armed forces have been funding the creation of new features and improvements that are now included in public releases. These additions, ranging from improved slideshow editing to better handling of pivot tables, have been rolled into the latest version of LibreOffice.

AdventureTense Sep 28, 2025

@jedbrown @petersuber
Interesting. The entire "Years in the Making" section at the bottom doesn't show up on my phone, but does so on my computer.

I'll update my original post to clarify. I appreciate the feedback.

JanPV Sep 29, 2025

@jedbrown How fascinating! If only they could also stop images dancing around at random within documents! 😂

Linux and praxis: part of the resistance 🇵🇸 ☮️Sep 29, 2025

@jedbrown @adventure_tense @petersuber

US military doesn't trust M$ either:

https://archiveos.org/tens/

https://archive.org/details/tens-3.0.3.1-public

LPS>TENS

TENS

Web site: spi.dod.mil/lipose.htm (not active) Origin: USA Category: Specialist Desktop environment: Xfce Architecture: x86, x86_64 Based on: Thinstation Wikipedia: Media: Live CD The last version |…

ArchiveOS

John Carlos Baez Sep 28, 2025

@petersuber - excellent. I use LibreOffice.

yunchtime Sep 29, 2025

good move! MS is p8wned 4ever.

krubzor Jul 5, 2025

@petersuber this is the future, I hope Sweden does this too

Ozwald I Jul 5, 2025

@krubzor @petersuber hopefully this time finally Eureope learns.. Trump aint desease, he'sjust a syptom who brings everything clearly up in daylight! Who knows, who'll be next leader there after Trump dies (or if things happens and there would be elections earlier)

Ashwin Dixit Sep 28, 2025

Here is a criticism of Microsoft that doesn't pull punches:

https://rant.li/ashwin/castles-made-of-sand

Castles Made of Sand

( How Microsoft Crumbles ) Table of Contents Introduction Parasites ( A Poem ) Microsoft "Philanthropy" Software Donations "Microbi...

The Moving Finger

minzastro Feb 14

@petersuber sadly, this is genuinely bad, as it implies high losses on both sides and no big gains. Digital sovereignity sounds cool, but costs dearly.