This European Military Just Ditched Microsoft For Open-source Libreoffice - Here's Why

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Austria's subject has switched from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice.
• The move was each astir integer sovereignty, not costs savings.
• Other governments are moving distant from Microsoft to protect their citizens' privacy. 

Austria's subject has completed a awesome IT overhaul, replacing Microsoft Office pinch nan open-source LibreOffice suite crossed each its desktop systems. The change, finalized this month, affects astir 16,000 workstations successful nan Austrian Armed Forces. 

This move will substantially trim Austria's package bill. At $33.75 per personification per month, a Microsoft 365 E3 subscription for 16,000 workstations costs astir $6,480,000 per year, compared to LibreOffice's zero cost.

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But this move isn't astir redeeming money. The existent information is to summation integer sovereignty and power complete captious data. As Michael Hillebrand of Directorate 6 accusation and communications exertion (ICT) and Cyber Defense, explained: "It was very important for america to show that we are doing this chiefly to fortify our integer sovereignty, to support our independency successful position of ICT infrastructure and to guarantee that information is only processed in-house."

Austria has plentifulness of company

This interest is not unsocial to Austria. Many EU governments are dumping Microsoft to protect their data. The German authorities of Schleswig-Holstein is replacing each Microsoft software pinch Linux and LibreOffice successful authorities offices.

Austria's move comes soon aft Danish officials said they'd beryllium leaving Microsoft behind for nan aforesaid reasons. The French metropolis of Lyon is besides moving to Linux and LibreOffice from Windows and Office to protect its citizens' data. 

Recently, integer sovereignty has go a contentious rumor for countries extracurricular nan US that person been relying connected American companies. Many European governments nary longer spot their information aliases package to US-based companies nether President Donald Trump. 

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They fearfulness their information could beryllium publication aliases that Microsoft could termination their services connected Trump's behalf. While Microsoft president and wide counsel Brad Smith dismissed specified concerns and promised that nan institution would stand down its EU customers against governmental pressure, others don't spot Microsoft. 

Their concerns will only beryllium inflamed now that The Guardian reports that Microsoft has trim disconnected Israel's entree to Azure, which nan federation had been utilizing to shop information for a Palestinian surveillance system. While immoderate group whitethorn support this decision, it besides serves arsenic a crisp informing that US companies tin and will trim IT resources from their customers for governmental reasons.   

In Austria's case, nan authorities started to interest that specified moves were forthcoming when, successful 2020, nan subject identified nan risks of dependency connected outer unreality services, peculiarly those from nan US. Austria wasn't nan only one. The German Interior Ministry warned successful 2019 that Germany had go overly limited connected Microsoft software.

Years successful nan making

Austria's modulation readying soon kicked off, pinch labor being allowed to migrate voluntarily starting successful 2022. By 2023, outer developers joined to supply training and bolster LibreOffice pinch features needed for subject workflows. Many of these features person since been contributed backmost to nan larger LibreOffice task for nan use of each users.

Austria isn't conscionable replacing Microsoft software. Unlike emblematic public-sector and firm migrations, Austria's subject has heavy invested successful LibreOffice improvement itself. The equipped forces person been backing nan creation of caller features and improvements that are now included successful nationalist releases. These additions, ranging from improved slideshow editing to amended handling of pivot tables, person been rolled into nan latest type of LibreOffice.

Also: I've utilized OnlyOffice for a agelong time, and it conscionable sewage a immense upgrade - for free

While Microsoft Office 2016 was profoundly embedded successful bequest workflows, it has now been purged from each subject systems arsenic of September 2025. However, unit pinch specialized needs whitethorn still petition entree to Office 2024 LTSC modules connected a case-by-case basis. Some programs, specified arsenic Microsoft Access and circumstantial font licenses, proceed to beryllium utilized nether constricted conditions.

Austria's move highlights a increasing inclination among European governments to prioritize information independence, unfastened collaboration, and section power complete reliance connected overseas unreality services. European companies, specified arsenic Linux powerfulness SUSE, are besides offering services to EU countries and companies to thief them modulation to European-based open-source software, clouds, and services. I expect this activity to proceed to summation spot rapidly.