French government considers switch to Linux

By Matt Whipp

Posted on 21 Jun 2004 at 16:47

The French government is considering a move to Linux in a bid to stem its public spending and avoid breaking the three per cent of GDP EU limit for the third year running.

According to Reuters, France's public sector shells out nearly £200mn on office programs alone. But ministers reckon they can halve the software bill by moving to Open Source software.

Microsoft's angle is that Open Soure is a false economy, and that you'll spend as much in support and service as you save in acquisition.

But ministries for culture, agriculture and finance in France have already signed up with French Linux distributor Mandrake, so a familiarity may give the home-grown operating system a head start.

But no doubt the likes of Sun, with its Java Desktop System, will be pressing hard for the business too.