Buy European- The largest German state, Bavaria, has canceled a nearly billion-euro contract with Microsoft.
- The state administration will pursue a “sovereign basic workspace” based on open-source components.
- Bavaria’s Digital Minister Fabian Mehring says the decision allows the state to protect itself from price hikes and ensure data privacy.
The Bavarian Ministry for Digital Affairs has officially announced the cancellation of a planned framework agreement with American tech giant Microsoft intended to implement its productivity suite across the state administration.
Regional news website Mittelstand in Bayern reports that Microsoft services would have cost nearly €1 billion ($1.16 billion) over a five-year period.
Instead, Bavaria will pursue a “sovereign basic workspace” based on open-source components.
The decision comes after a months-long power struggle between the state’s Finance Ministry, led by Albert Füracker, who wanted to consolidate existing contracts and secure discounts, and Digital Minister Fabian Mehring, who pushed for open source.
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Note that it was not the leading CSU who pushed for this, but the opposition parties (SPD and Greens) and a minister from the smaller coalition partner FW.
So you're saying it's in danger of being reversed by Christians and right-wingers at the next election. As usual...
I actually think this decision will likely prevail—but only because similar programs are being implemented by other German states and European countries while the US government's actions keep getting worse. The CSU will of course be standing on the breaks of every attempt to move faster.
As long as the Bavarians don't vote for corrupt right-wingers in the next election...
The beauty of open source is that it doesn’t need to become the majority to win, as long as it has a decent chunk of the market it will thrive.
This is actually interesting because Bavaria is like the Texas of Germany.
Does Texas have something as good as Bavarian Sausages?
Don't Texans have toilets?
Oh yeah, they do a mean barbecue in Texas.
See you in four years, when they'll enter a new Microsoft contract for five billion Euros because Microsoft generously donated the new Minister a thousand surface laptops.
I dunno, Microsoft said they are moving away from operating systems, and frankly, this new Outlook bullshit is enough for me to look around to replace our firm’s tech.
I would rather see Microsoft have to perpetually bride to remain in use then they just be the defacto choice
I concur!
This is the way. Everyone, everywhere follow their lead.
More of this please. And quicker.
Microsoft has an entire team whose only goal is to prevent European governments from switching to Open Source. They distribute gifts to politicians. Remember, this is exactly how Microsoft operates in the United States:
https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/07/us/us-versus-microsoft-the-strategy-how-microsoft-sought-friends-in-washington.html
Remember, Trump no longer prosecutes U.S. firms involved in bribery:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c391ml9x878o
Microsoft earns nearly $30 billion annually from Office.
$30 billion dollars are at stake. You think their marketing department doesn't bribe reviewers to harshly criticize LibreOffice?
The switch to Open Source isn't going to happen magically.
It's going to be a long and bitter battle.
I've recently been employed by a German state for the last part of legal studies. We MUST not gift flowers, cakes or even a mug to our teachers even after passing their test due to anti-corruption laws. But when you spend millions it is suddenly business as usual
I don't doubt that they will try, but €200 million per year in outgoing expenses is probably what's going to be looked at, along with the security issue that sparked this whole thing in the first place, the next time any Bavarian politician tries to convince them to move away from euro office, open office or libre office etc. and back to Microsoft. I think the security issues are far too great to convince them, never mind the expense.
This is big. Bavaria has been solidly in Microsoft’s pocket forever.
Let's Go
More detailed information from a classical newspaper, in German language: https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/bayern/abhaengigkeit-von-usa-bayern-will-keine-microsoft-lizenzen-1-114314412
Thank you. This article provides better context to the decision. The initial step aims at 40 people in one of the ministries by next year. It’s a start, but a far cry from the misleading main article in the post.
Starting with 40 jobs in one ministry while canceling a billion € statewide contract does signal the direction they're going, and does seem to indicate a gradual rollout rather than a sudden changeover
Maybe this time big tech will think twice before paying for an actively harmful political party to gain power. These bridges all got burned and they’re not easily coming back.
… again. I there was already such an attempt resulting into getting back to Microsoft. Looks like something is going to get rich!
