Why Munich decided to refuse Windows for benefit of Linux again

2020: Transition from Windows to Linux

In the middle of May, 2020 it became known of the decision of the authorities of Munich to return to the software with open source codes instead of using products of Microsoft. Priority inversion happened after the choice of the new government.

Where there are technological and financial capabilities, the city will place emphasis on open standards and a free licensed software open source … We will adhere to the principle: "budgetary funds, the open code, said in the new coalition agreement signed between recently elected Green Party and social democrats. They will be in power till 2026.

Munich decided to refuse Windows for benefit of Linux again

Under the terms of the arrangement, in those city program systems where confidential or personal data are not stored, source codes will be open.

One of the reasons which induced the city to return to Linux can be connected with dependence of the German cities on Microsoft. Earlier the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Germany charged to consulting company PwC to find out how Germany can reach bigger digital sovereignty and to become less dependent on Microsoft and other technology giants.

According to ZDNet made by the Munich authorities the decision can be considered a victory of supporters of freely distributed software who consider it software the best option in terms of economic, political and administrative transparency.

In the publication it is said that a story with torments of the choice of the software in the third largest city of Germany began 17 years ago — in 2003 — against the background of plans of Microsoft to stop support of Windows NT 4.0. In search of replacement Munich began to pass to the products Open Source, having become in this sense the pioneer in Europe. According to ZDNet, the city decided to transfer IT infrastructure to formats of open standards not to depend on specific producers and to create unique computer infrastructure based on Linux. Such project received the name LiMux (an acronym from the words Linux and Munich).

City authorities wanted that 80% of the PC in administration used software of LiMux, but in fact these programs coexisted many years together with solutions of Microsoft. Then the mayor's office decided to return to Windows and other software of Microsoft what probably plans of the company to open office in Munich affected.

To the middle of May, 2020 migration on software of Microsoft and also other producers, like Oracle and SAP continues. The cost of this project is 86.1 million euros.^[1]

The European fund of the free software (Free Software Foundation Europe) welcomed the solution of the Munich officials to return to Linux, however notes that this process will take years at least because it is necessary to wait for the termination of validity periods of usage contracts of the "closed" software.

In the middle of May, 2020 it became known of the decision of the authorities of Munich to return to the open source software instead of using products of Microsoft

But also it is possible that Munich will quicker pass to the open source software, than other cities as will do it it not from scratch, Alex Sander working in Free Software Foundation Europe the state policy manager in the EU says.

The European fund of the free software would like that the city council of Munich thought up the road map for achievement of the purposes after new council enters a position. Perhaps, it will occur in 100 days or about that, Sanders reported.

Basanta Tkhapa, the expert in the digital government from Institute of open communications systems of Fraunhofer in Berlin, called the solution of Munich on return to Open Source rather political, than technology. In the technical plan any of systems cannot be better another when it is about use in modern realities, he added, referring to a number of researches.

According to the expert, the main problems on the way of this migration are need to train employees in work with the new systems and complexity of interaction between the open source software and Windows.^[2]

2017: Return to Windows

In November, 2017 it became known of intentions of the authorities of Munich to refuse use of Linux and to return to Windows. It is going to update about 30 thousand computers and to spend about 50 million euros for these purposes.

On November 23, 2017 the administrative and personnel committee of city council of Munich  voted for transferring computers to Windows 10 till 2020.

Munich selects 50 million euros for transition from Linux to Windows 10

According to the approved plan, 49.3 million euros will be selected for installation of the Microsoft operating system. These investments will become a part of wider project on updating of IT systems of city council. Expenses on it will make 89 million euros from which 3.1 million euros will go for testing and training of employees.

In addition to the Windows 10 installation, the city administration will expand use of virtualization of operating systems and will begin testing of Microsoft Office 2016. For this purpose from the budget will select 14 million euros for personnel training, with 24 million euros for involvement of external consultants, 13.4 million euros for development of internal IT services, 4.8 million euros for equipment procurement and 29.9 million euros for acquisition of licenses for the different software of Microsoft.

Despite the made decision on return to Windows, the authorities of Munich recognize a number of shortcomings of such migration. Among them — need of purchase of licenses from Microsoft, expenses on retraining of personnel for use of new software and loss of independence of the unique software maker. The last factor was one of main at that time when the authorities began to pass to software products open source.

Screenshot in LiMux OS

Preparation for transition to Windows 10 in Munich is wanted to be started at the beginning of 2018. Start of process of updating is planned for 2020, and end of all project — for the end of the 2022nd or the beginning of the 2023rd. Up to this point LiMux OS (the custom version of Ubuntu) will be supported in the city administration and to be used along with Windows 10.

As notes the TechRepublic edition, return of Munich to Windows is caused by change of the government. Political  party CSU which always was against LiMux, having become a part of ruling coalition in Munich, suggested to return on software of Microsoft.

According to supporters of this idea, the most part of software started in the environment of LiMux is cross-platform that significantly reduces work on transfer the program by Windows 10. To acceleration of process of migration it is going to involve five programmers in addition.^[3]

2003-2013: Failure from Windows for benefit of Linux

In 2003 the authorities of Munich made the decision to refuse use of the software of Windows and Microsoft Office. After many years which approval of this project was required on receiving testing and retrainings, the city administration nevertheless passed preparation to Linux distribution kit Kubuntu. It happened only in 2013.

In the 2012th at the request of public organization at city council of Munich  the expense report of the LiMux project which provides the Linux and OpenOffice installation (LibreOffice) was published. Comparison of expenses on LiMux with two technology equivalent scenarios was given in the report. The first scenario — Windows and OpenOffice, the second scenario — Windows and Microsoft Office. In the first case only on prolongation of licenses it should give 2.6 million euros, in the second case — 6.8 million euros. Plus additional expenses of 4.7 million euros for upgrade of the equipment under the new software. As a result, the general economy for the city budget for the first and second scenarios made 7.1 million euros and 11.3 million euros, respectively.

Notes