Archived version

• 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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Not so long ago.
Also didn't Munich already tried it only to cave to Microsoft soon after?
Anyway, hope it works for them and they set a direction for others, such as for Slovenia which only follows.

Largest state by area, not population fyi

So Microsoft will close their office in Munich soon? 🌝

For the first time in a while Bavaria doing something based? No way

only to cave to Microsoft soon after?

"Cave" is the wrong verb here. They were outright bribed by Microsoft building their new headquarter in Munich, so they rolled the ongoing transition to Linux back.

No, they will build an expensive extension so the Bavarian government suddenly remembers that Linux doesn't work and goes back to Microslop products.

God I hate those Bavarian Zipfelklatscher, but this makes me re-evaluate that sentiment.
We all should ditch MS, Google, palantir, crapbook, whatabetterapp et al.

Holy shit, I didn't think this would happen!

Finally! ❤️

It also doesn't help that Bavaria is the most corrupt state in Germany.

They might just be blackmailing Microsoft there.

2nd largest by population

Ah fuck, didn't get the memo Linux does not work and used if for 2 years accidentally :(

Think it was accidental or the were shitfaced.

18 years here, I didn't get that memo either.

Funny thing is, I keep discovering awesome open source projects when a need arises. This week it was meshroom for photos to 3d models.

only to cave to Microsoft soon after?

LiMux ran for 13-16 years, depending on how you want to read it. And after the 2017 cancellation the government in 2020 decided to "use open standards where possible".

richtig! no way! die sache wird schon noch nen dicken haken haben

scheiß csu opfer sind das