by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
This must be the first such a move on government level anywhere in Europe if not even the world. While government agencies in some countries have made a transition to Linux or tried it, such as some cities in Germany, and law enforcement agencies in France, this is the first for an entire government operation.
The Russian government will transition its computer infrastructure from Microsoft Windows to the Linux open-source operating by 2015, according to an order signed by the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
According to information from the Russian Federation the shift to Linux is set to begin in the second quarter of 2012. The 17-page order, called a “transition plan of the federal authorities and federal budgetary institutions on the use of free software,” outlines what government agencies have to do between 2011 and 2015 to comply.
The order affects a wide range of agencies and other bodies directly controlled by the federal government. It is up to the individual agency to determine appropriate data formats that are supported by free software by the third quarter of 2011, according to the paper.
The transition order provides a timetable for the "complete transition of the federal government and state employees" to free software, the deputy head of the Ministry of Communications Ilya Massuh said.
Open-source software pilot programs are scheduled to begin in second quarter of 2012, and the general rollout to government and fiscal institutions should be completed by the third quarter of 2014, according to the order.
Open-source software has been gaining a lot of traction with governments around the world for a number of years, such as when agencies in the United Kingdom and Japan decided to include the Linux desktop on their lists of approved software. In the United States, a recent IDC report found that various federal government agencies were increasingly using open-source software stacks in the data center. The White House made waves when it announced that the White House Website was developed using open-source content management system Drupal.
The state of Massachusetts revamped its systems to require that by 2007 all documents use open-formats such as PDF or OpenDocument instead of proprietary ones, such Microsoft Office document formats. The state also increased the use of Linux as well as free and open-source software among state employees.
The movement to shift to open-source software in Russia dates back to 2007 when the Ministry of Communications first started developing the concept, and there have been other plans in the education sector.
Putin's support of the plan is akin to President Obama saying the federal government will shift entirely to Linux.
In 2003, the Ministry of Communications and Computerization announced a partnership with IBM to open a Linux Competency Center to promote the adoption of the open-source operating system in Russia. The Center was intended to "create a Linux ecosystem" with IT solutions based on Linux and open standards, according to a statement by the ministry.
While the UK government has been toying with Open Source software so far most of its operations are still dome with Microsoft stuff, including office suites, with the exception of a very few local authorities who have gone over to Star Office or Open Office proper. Those moves are very rare and even in the time of great financial pressures upon the local governments they still rather install expensive proprietary Microsoft and other software rather than go for the likes of Open Office, which is free, even for businesses and government agencies, and Open Source systems altogether.
The rather waste the money on such proprietary software and axe front line service and staff than look at the saving that could be made using Open Source software such as Open Office, Office Libre, and Open Source operating system such as Linux in its various distribution forms.
Open Office works and works better than Microsoft Office, as far as I am concerned and faster, and the same is true for so many other Open Source programs. Too many people are just way too frightened to make the transition and try a new system.
Do take the plunge. You have nothing to lose but lots of savings to gain.
© 2011
