The City of Barcelona has launched a pilot project with 1.000 desktops running Canonical's Ubuntu Linux operating system. '
But according to what the Spanish newspaper reports today El País, the Municipality plans to replace all Microsoft Exchange Server facilities with Open-Xchange and the Microsoft Office suite with the free LibreOffice.
To achieve this goal, the city of Barcelona will outsource the project to local IT companies, which will be able to hire more than 60 developers to work with the installation of various other open source software programs in the new systems of the Municipality running a Linux-based operating system, most likely Ubuntu.
Once the change of e-mail clients and e-mail servers is successfully completed, a new e-platform will be developed where small and medium-sized businesses will be able to participate in public tenders.
According to Francesca Bria, Commissioner for Technology and Digital Innovation in the City Council, the change will take place before the spring of 2019.
The city of Barcelona has decided to invest 70 percent of its software budget in open source software, which seems to be a very smart move. Francesca Bria said taxpayers' money should not be spent on expensive software products, but invested in reusable systems that are open to the local ecosystem.
They also hope to extend the transition of Windows to Linux in other municipalities in Spain, as well as in other cities around the world.
Unfortunately, the city of Munich, which has been running Linux and Open Source products on their public computers for more than a decade, has decided to return to expensive Microsoft products.
Where does microsoft products come from? What am I saying because it is something they have ALREADY paid for. And now they do not have to pay. But with this move they will push…. 70% !!!! The city budget to get something they already have !!!
I imagine Francesca mentions them as expensive when compared to open source products. However, it does not mention 70% of the entire city budget, but the corresponding percentage that the city had for the purchase of software.
On the other hand, if we think about the Greek state, it could be a very good opportunity to create conditions for starters…