Barcelona switching to Linux

[Goeroeboeroe]

Barcelona is moving from Windows to Linux:
https://itsfoss.com/barcelona-open-source/

[mr_raider]

Didn't Munich try this and it was a major disaster?

[dequire]

Didn't Munich try this and it was a major disaster?

They had their challenges, but most of it was purely political. As was the decision to move back to Windows. In fact, the mayor hired a Microsoft consulting company to build a case for moving from Linux. It's plain to see the move was typical Government back-door dealing. Best write-up I've seen on it (and certainly worth a short read) is ZDNet's "Why Munich should stick with Linux", which gives a short and concise overview of the situation. It stinks, TBH. But totally to be expected from politicians looking to get cozy with big business. Note the part of the story that really matters:

The real reason, Matthias Kirschner, the president of Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) said, was that Munich lord mayor Dieter Reiter has been "against free software from the beginning." This, in turn, was, at least in part, because Reiter wanted Microsoft to move its Microsoft Germany corporate headquarters to to Munich. Microsoft moved and Reiter wants to deliver on his promise to make Munich a Windows-powered city.

[Snowhog]

I think, that 'generally', Government (as opposed to (some) individual Agencies within Government) isn't interested in 'free software' in general, and 'free operating systems' specifically, because they can't really make money off of it, or spend money (lots and lots of money) on it. Government is about 'spending money', not 'saving money'. It's an ugly truth.

[TWPonKubuntu]

@Snowhog
Sad, but true. I would also say "follow the money" as I strongly suspect that kickbacks are involved to those voting for closed source solutions.

Munich was a example of this in action. Not enough money was flowing to politicians from their Linux installation, so they spent Billions of pounds to go back to the Redmond products... Leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

[SpecialEd]

Quidsup did a couple videos on this topic that were very well done. Munich had mega problems but Linux was not the cause.

[GreyGeek]

Munich will end up paying more than they think they will. They will be paying through their nose, ad infinitum.
The State office I worked in was well on their way to converting to Linux. Then, a new Gov was voted in and his pick for Tax Com & Assistant were MS fans. The state paid tens of millions in licensing fees in switching to pure MS, and continue to pay. Their biggest financial drain was selecting Oracle over PostgreSQL. Ellison has reaped millions in profits and cost the State even more in forced data moves as old releases were abandon and new ones forced down the pipes. But hey, it's not their money so the politicians don't care.

[TWPonKubuntu]

It's a sad state of affairs and I see no cure for the system.
The voting majority don't appear to be concerned (or are simply buying into the hype and blather).

ARGGGH!

[MoonRise]

It's a sad state of affairs and I see no cure for the system.
The voting majority don't appear to be concerned (or are simply buying into the hype and blather).

ARGGGH!

But that is in some extent the human condition.

[woodsmoke]

This is all about "covering my A## so that I can keep sucking on the teat of other's people money"...

But this from DQ sums it up:

[/b]
They had their challenges, but most of it was [b]purely political. As was the decision to move back to Windows

SEE...I TOLD YOU THAT EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT CHANGE TO OPEN SOFTWARE I WAS RIGHT...

. In fact, the mayor hired a Microsoft consulting company