Latest news with #DirkSchroedter
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Why this German state is banning Microsoft Teams and other tools from its government operations
The German state of Schleswig-Holstein is set to ban Microsoft Teams and other software programs developed by the tech giant from its government operations, a report claims. This change will reportedly affect nearly all civil servants, police officers and judges within less than three months. With this move, it wants to 'take back control' over data storage and ensure 'digital sovereignty,' Dirk Schroedter, the German state's digitalisation minister, said to the news agency AFP. While speaking on a video call via an open-source German program, Schroedter said, 'We're done with (Microsoft) Teams.' The report adds that this switch-over will impact about half of Schleswig-Holstein's 60,000 public servants, with nearly 30,000 teachers expected to follow in the coming years. How the German state is moving away from Microsoft tools According to the report, the state's transition to open-source software began in 2024. The initial phase involves replacing Microsoft Word and Excel with LibreOffice, similarly switching Outlook for emails and calendars with Open-Xchange. Over the coming years, a Linux-based operating system is also planned to be adopted to complete the shift away from Microsoft Windows. 'The geopolitical developments of the past few months have strengthened interest in the path that we've taken,' Schroedter said, noting that he had received requests for advice from around the globe by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Undo 'The war in Ukraine revealed our energy dependencies, and now we see there are also digital dependencies,' he added. Schroedter highlighted that the Schleswig-Holstein government intends to move its data storage to a cloud platform outside Microsoft's control. He said the state prefers to use publicly owned German digital infrastructure instead of relying on an American provider, the report continued. This comes after concerns about the influence of major American tech firms in Europe. Microsoft is also facing scrutiny over its market dominance, stemming from its control of the Windows operating system and the widely used Office suite in the EU. In 2023, the European Union opened an antitrust investigation into Microsoft's practice of bundling Teams with its other business applications.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
After Danish cities, Germany's Schleswig-Holstein state government to ban Microsoft programs at work
Microsoft exit Germany is making headlines as the state of Schleswig-Holstein becomes the first in Europe to completely ditch Microsoft tools like Teams, Word, Excel, and Outlook in public offices. Instead, the state is switching to open-source software like LibreOffice, Linux, and Open-Xchange to gain digital sovereignty and reduce reliance on U.S. tech giants. With 30,000 public workers already moving and 30,000 teachers to follow, the move aims to cut long-term costs and control data locally. As EU regulations tighten and political tensions grow, this digital shift could spark a major trend across Europe. Germany's Schleswig-Holstein ditches Microsoft for open-source tools like LibreOffice, Linux, and Open-Xchange to gain digital control, lower costs, and end reliance on U.S. tech. This bold move may inspire a wider European shift toward digital independence. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Why is Schleswig-Holstein breaking up with Microsoft now? LibreOffice is replacing Microsoft Word and Excel Open-Xchange is taking over Outlook for email and calendars Plans are underway to replace Windows with the Linux operating system Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Is digital independence the real goal here? Are costs driving the move away from Microsoft? Will this shift be smooth for government workers? Are other governments also ditching Microsoft tools? France's gendarmerie (about 100,000 personnel) has been using Linux for years. India's Defence Ministry introduced its own operating system, Maya OS, in 2023. Local governments in Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark are reportedly exploring similar options. The EU's Interoperable Europe Act, passed last year, actively encourages open-source software use across public bodies. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Is this the beginning of a wider shift in Europe? FAQs: In a bold digital transformation move, Germany's Schleswig-Holstein state is cutting ties with Microsoft. Within the next three months, civil servants, judges, and police officers across this northern state will no longer use Microsoft tools like Teams, Word, Excel, or Outlook at work. Instead, the state government is shifting completely to open-source software, aiming to achieve what officials call 'digital sovereignty' and to reduce reliance on U.S.-based tech Minister Dirk Schroedter made the announcement on a video call using an open-source platform—not Microsoft Teams—and declared, 'We're done with Teams!'The shift began in 2023, but it's now gaining momentum. Out of the state's 60,000 public servants, half—about 30,000 employees—will be fully transitioned to open-source tools in this first phase. The rest, mostly schoolteachers, will follow isn't just about software. It's about control over sensitive data. Schleswig-Holstein wants to stop depending on U.S. companies for its digital infrastructure, especially amid rising geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and EU, and concerns about surveillance, data ownership, and monopolistic According to Schroedter, the aim is to 'take back control' of the state's digital operations. He cited concerns over "digital dependencies"—especially in light of how Europe realized its energy dependencies during the war in Ukraine. Now, digital infrastructure is being seen through a similar state also plans to move all data storage away from Microsoft servers to German-owned cloud infrastructure. This aligns with broader European efforts to protect user data and public sector IT operations from foreign The cost of Microsoft licenses and mandatory software updates has long been a financial burden for many governments and organizations. Benjamin Jean, from the consulting firm Inno3, told AFP that many feel 'taken by the throat' when forced to pay unexpected fees just to keep software up to contrast, open-source alternatives not only offer more transparency and flexibility but also come at a lower long-term cost. Schleswig-Holstein officials estimate this transition could save tens of millions of euros in the years to the tricky part. Any major software change risks user resistance, especially if employees aren't trained or supported properly. Francois Pellegrini, an IT professor at Bordeaux University, warned that without guidance, people may simply want to revert back to what they know. Change is always tough—especially on this precedent too. The city of Munich once led an open-source revolution but reversed course in 2017 due to political pressure and integration issues. So while Schleswig-Holstein's vision is ambitious, it'll need to navigate this change not just in Germany. This move from Schleswig-Holstein is part of a growing global trend:Schroedter said his team has already received international requests for guidance, showing how closely this digital independence movement is being starting to look like it. The European Commission is already investigating Microsoft over antitrust concerns related to how it bundles Teams with its Office suite. These developments, combined with increasing political tensions and data privacy concerns, are pushing more public institutions toward open, transparent, and locally controlled software Schleswig-Holstein, this isn't just a tech update—it's a signal to the world that digital sovereignty is now a priority. Whether other states and countries follow will depend on how smoothly this transition goes and whether the benefits—financial, political, and technological—prove worth the cut costs, protect data, and gain digital control using tools like LibreOffice and Open-Xchange, and Linux are replacing Microsoft's Office, Outlook, and Teams.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
'We're done with Teams': German state hits uninstall on Microsoft
At a time of growing concern over the power of the world's mighty tech companies, one German state is turning its back on US giant Microsoft . In less than three months' time, almost no civil servant, police officer or judge in Schleswig-Holstein will be using any of Microsoft's ubiquitous programs at work. Instead, the northern state will turn to open-source software to "take back control" over data storage and ensure " digital sovereignty ", its digitalisation minister, Dirk Schroedter, told AFP. "We're done with Teams!" he said, referring to Microsoft's messaging and collaboration tool and speaking on a video call -- via an open-source German program, of course. The radical switch-over affects half of Schleswig-Holstein's 60,000 public servants, with 30,000 or so teachers due to follow suit in coming years. The state's shift towards open-source software began last year. The current first phase involves ending the use of Word and Excel software, which are being replaced by LibreOffice, while Open-Xchange is taking the place of Outlook for emails and calendars. Over the next few years, there will also be a switch to the Linux operating system in order to complete the move away from Windows. 'Digital dependencies' The principle of open-source software is to allow users to read the source code and modify it according to their own needs. The issue of the power wielded by American tech titans has been thrown into sharper relief by Donald Trump's return to the White House and the subsequent rise in US-EU tensions. In the case of Microsoft, there have long been worries about the dominant position it enjoys thanks to it owning both the Windows operating system and a suite of programs found in offices the world over. In 2023, the European Union launched an antitrust investigation against Microsoft over the way it tied Teams to its other programs for businesses. "The geopolitical developments of the past few months have strengthened interest in the path that we've taken," said Schroedter, adding that he had received requests for advice from across the world. "The war in Ukraine revealed our energy dependencies, and now we see there are also digital dependencies," he said. The government in Schleswig-Holstein is also planning to shift the storage of its data to a cloud system not under the control of Microsoft, said Schroedter. He explained that the state wants to rely on publicly owned German digital infrastructure rather than that of an American company. Taken 'by the throat' Experts point to economic incentives for the sort of shift Schleswig-Holstein is making, as investing in open-source alternatives and training staff to use them often costs less than the licences for Microsoft's programs. This is particularly the case when businesses and public bodies find themselves taken "by the throat" when hit by unexpected extra costs for mandatory updates, said Benjamin Jean from consulting firm Inno3. Schleswig-Holstein hopes that its move away from Microsoft will eventually save it tens of millions of euros. But organisations considering this sort of change have to reckon with resistance from staff who fear upheaval. "If people aren't guided through it, there's an outcry and everyone just wants to go back to how it was before," warned Francois Pellegrini, an IT professor at Bordeaux University. Pioneer administrations The potential pitfalls can be seen in the experience of Munich, whose city administration was a pioneer in using open-source programs in the 1990s. In 2017, the city announced an about-turn, citing a lack of political support and the difficulty of interacting with other systems. But other public bodies are staying the course: France's gendarmerie, around 100,000 strong, has been using the Linux operating system since the 2000s and India's defence ministry was in 2023 reported to have launched a homegrown system called "Maya OS". Across the border from Schleswig-Holstein, in Denmark, reports say that the local governments of Copenhagen and Aarhus are also looking into ditching Microsoft. Another factor that could push the trend is the EU "Interoperable Europe Act", which came into effect last year and encourages the use of open-source software. According to Jean, "Within the space of two or three years" there could be a number of pioneer administrations who will be able to give feedback on their experiences and inspire others to make the switch.
Local Germany
2 days ago
- Business
- Local Germany
'We're done with Teams': German state hits uninstall on Microsoft
In less than three months' time, almost no civil servant, police officer or judge in Schleswig-Holstein will be using any of Microsoft's ubiquitous programs at work. Instead, the northern state will turn to open-source software to "take back control" over data storage and ensure "digital sovereignty", its digitalisation minister, Dirk Schroedter, told AFP. "We're done with Teams!" he said, referring to Microsoft's messaging and collaboration tool and speaking on a video call -- via an open-source German program, of course. The radical switch-over affects half of Schleswig-Holstein's 60,000 public servants, with 30,000 or so teachers due to follow suit in coming years. The state's shift towards open-source software began last year. The current first phase involves ending the use of Word and Excel software, which are being replaced by LibreOffice, while Open-Xchange is taking the place of Outlook for emails and calendars. Over the next few years, there will also be a switch to the Linux operating system in order to complete the move away from Windows. 'Digital dependencies' The principle of open-source software is to allow users to read the source code and modify it according to their own needs. The issue of the power wielded by American tech titans has been thrown into sharper relief by Donald Trump's return to the White House and the subsequent rise in US-EU tensions. In the case of Microsoft, there have long been worries about the dominant position it enjoys thanks to it owning both the Windows operating system and a suite of programs found in offices the world over. Advertisement In 2023, the European Union launched an antitrust investigation against Microsoft over the way it tied Teams to its other programs for businesses. "The geopolitical developments of the past few months have strengthened interest in the path that we've taken," said Schroedter, adding that he had received requests for advice from across the world. "The war in Ukraine revealed our energy dependencies, and now we see there are also digital dependencies," he said. Last year Germany saw severe disruptions when a glitch in some companies' Microsoft systems halted operations at airports, banks and more . The government in Schleswig-Holstein is also planning to shift the storage of its data to a cloud system not under the control of Microsoft, said Schroedter. He explained that the state wants to rely on publicly owned German digital infrastructure rather than that of an American company. Taken 'by the throat' Experts point to economic incentives for the sort of shift Schleswig-Holstein is making, as investing in open-source alternatives and training staff to use them often costs less than the licences for Microsoft's programs. This is particularly the case when businesses and public bodies find themselves taken "by the throat" when hit by unexpected extra costs for mandatory updates, said Benjamin Jean from consulting firm Inno3. Schleswig-Holstein hopes that its move away from Microsoft will eventually save it tens of millions of euros. But organisations considering this sort of change have to reckon with resistance from staff who fear upheaval. Advertisement "If people aren't guided through it, there's an outcry and everyone just wants to go back to how it was before," warned Francois Pellegrini, an IT professor at Bordeaux University. READ ALSO: 'Machines don't work!' - The problem of getting digital ID photos in Germany Pioneer administrations The potential pitfalls can be seen in the experience of Munich, whose city administration was a pioneer in using open-source programs in the 1990s. In 2017, the city announced an about-turn, citing a lack of political support and the difficulty of interacting with other systems. But other public bodies are staying the course: France's gendarmerie, around 100,000 strong, has been using the Linux operating system since the 2000s and India's defence ministry was in 2023 reported to have launched a homegrown system called "Maya OS". Across the border from Schleswig-Holstein, in Denmark, reports say that the local governments of Copenhagen and Aarhus are also looking into ditching Microsoft. Another factor that could push the trend is the EU "Interoperable Europe Act", which came into effect last year and encourages the use of open-source software. According to Jean, "Within the space of two or three years" there could be a number of pioneer administrations who will be able to give feedback on their experiences and inspire others to make the switch. By Léa PERNELLE
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'We're done with Teams': German state hits uninstall on Microsoft
At a time of growing concern over the power of the world's mighty tech companies, one German state is turning its back on US giant Microsoft. In less than three months' time, almost no civil servant, police officer or judge in Schleswig-Holstein will be using any of Microsoft's ubiquitous programs at work. Instead, the northern state will turn to open-source software to "take back control" over data storage and ensure "digital sovereignty", its digitalisation minister, Dirk Schroedter, told AFP. "We're done with Teams!" he said, referring to Microsoft's messaging and collaboration tool and speaking on a video call -- via an open-source German program, of course. The radical switch-over affects half of Schleswig-Holstein's 60,000 public servants, with 30,000 or so teachers due to follow suit in coming years. The state's shift towards open-source software began last year. The current first phase involves ending the use of Word and Excel software, which are being replaced by LibreOffice, while Open-Xchange is taking the place of Outlook for emails and calendars. Over the next few years, there will also be a switch to the Linux operating system in order to complete the move away from Windows. - 'Digital dependencies' - The principle of open-source software is to allow users to read the source code and modify it according to their own needs. The issue of the power wielded by American tech titans has been thrown into sharper relief by Donald Trump's return to the White House and the subsequent rise in US-EU tensions. In the case of Microsoft, there have long been worries about the dominant position it enjoys thanks to it owning both the Windows operating system and a suite of programs found in offices the world over. In 2023, the European Union launched an antitrust investigation against Microsoft over the way it tied Teams to its other programs for businesses. "The geopolitical developments of the past few months have strengthened interest in the path that we've taken," said Schroedter, adding that he had received requests for advice from across the world. "The war in Ukraine revealed our energy dependencies, and now we see there are also digital dependencies," he said. The government in Schleswig-Holstein is also planning to shift the storage of its data to a cloud system not under the control of Microsoft, said Schroedter. He explained that the state wants to rely on publicly owned German digital infrastructure rather than that of an American company. - Taken 'by the throat' - Experts point to economic incentives for the sort of shift Schleswig-Holstein is making, as investing in open-source alternatives and training staff to use them often costs less than the licences for Microsoft's programs. This is particularly the case when businesses and public bodies find themselves taken "by the throat" when hit by unexpected extra costs for mandatory updates, said Benjamin Jean from consulting firm Inno3. Schleswig-Holstein hopes that its move away from Microsoft will eventually save it tens of millions of euros. But organisations considering this sort of change have to reckon with resistance from staff who fear upheaval. "If people aren't guided through it, there's an outcry and everyone just wants to go back to how it was before," warned Francois Pellegrini, an IT professor at Bordeaux University. - Pioneer administrations - The potential pitfalls can be seen in the experience of Munich, whose city administration was a pioneer in using open-source programs in the 1990s. In 2017, the city announced an about-turn, citing a lack of political support and the difficulty of interacting with other systems. But other public bodies are staying the course: France's gendarmerie, around 100,000 strong, has been using the Linux operating system since the 2000s and India's defence ministry was in 2023 reported to have launched a homegrown system called "Maya OS". Across the border from Schleswig-Holstein, in Denmark, reports say that the local governments of Copenhagen and Aarhus are also looking into ditching Microsoft. Another factor that could push the trend is the EU "Interoperable Europe Act", which came into effect last year and encourages the use of open-source software. According to Jean, "Within the space of two or three years" there could be a number of pioneer administrations who will be able to give feedback on their experiences and inspire others to make the switch. lep/smk/jsk/fz/rmb/sco
