Linux ist kaputt! German Foreign Office kills desktop Linux, hugs Windows XP - Polidicks

[url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/22/germany_rejects_linux_in_favour_of_windows_xp/]Source[/url] [release][quote][tab]Cites 'efficiency gains' and 'interoperability problems'[/tab][img]http://www.h-online.com/imgs/43/6/3/1/1/4/0/NoDeGovLinux-f8cee57a07eff16c.png[/img][/quote] Openistas beware! Politicos at the German Foreign Office are reportedly ditching Linux in favour of returning their desktop PCs to Windows XP-based systems. According to a report on [url=http://www.netzpolitik.org/2011/interne-dokumente-des-auswartigen-amtes-zur-anderung-der-open-source-strategie/#more-20730]netzpolitik.org[/url], which was diligently spotted by [url=http://www.h-online.com/open/features/Background-German-Foreign-Office-drops-Linux-1194263.html?view=print][I]The H[/I][/url], the German Foreign Office recently decided to dump their Linux-based machines. That move came despite the office being reassured in two separate appraisals carried out by consulting outfit McKinsey that Linux and open source software formed a perfectly adequate part of the German Foreign Office's IT strategy. McKinsey did highlight some areas of concern during its first study of the FOSS strategy in 2009, but concluded that it "could generally be considered sound". Somewhat surprisingly, one problem highlighted by McKinsey was interoperability with some office documents. But it was clearly noted that a simple update on all Linux desktops to the latest versions of OpenOffice could fix that particular issue. A second study last year by the consultancy group found that a shift to a pure Windows environment on the German Foreign Office's desktop computers would be costly and work-intensive. But [B]by the end of last year the FO's IT commissioner[/B] Dr Michael Groß [B]told ministry staff that a decision had been reached in August 2010 to revert the entire desktop estate back to Windows XP due to "massive user criticism" about "unsolved interoperability problems".[/B] And [B]in case you're wondering why the migration didn't move directly to Microsoft's latest operating system[/B], [B]Groß said that Windows XP[/B], which turns 10 later this year, [B]was the "uniform basis for the actual step towards implementing a new system using Windows 7 and Office 2010".[/B] Questions have been raised in Germany's Bundestag parliament about the sudden switch back to Windows XP. The German government claimed the OS shake-up wouldn't lead to it having to foot the bill for "indirect costs", and retorted that the migration to "standardised software products" was likely to result in "efficiency gains". [B]All that despite McKinsey confirming in 2009 that the German Foreign Office had splurged less cash on its individual IT workspaces then any other federal authority in the country while running a Linux desktop shop[/B]. Shurely shome mishtake? ®[/release] I guess the SysAdmins at that place got tired of listening to complaints about This or That program not being as efficient or "easy to use" as its W*ndows counterpart... I'm really dissapointed, Germany... :smith:

Why do places still insist on using 10 year old software. 7 is faster, more secure, and (in my personal opinion) better in every way.

......wow, OP, really? We have civil war in Libya, missiles fired at Israel, New Zealand earthquakes, and this is news? [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Why reply?" - Benji))[/highlight]

[QUOTE=Strongbad;28247286]......wow, OP, really? We have civil war in Libya, missiles fired at Israel, New Zealand earthquakes, and this is news?[/QUOTE] Wow people are starving in Africa, why the fuck are you on the computer posting useless shit. You should be in Africa helping starving kids. Ontopic: Why did they switch to XP?? I understand why corporations don't use modern OSes, because of the cost of upgrading. But if they were already switching form Linux why not use 7?

[QUOTE=rieda1589;28247313]Wow people are starving in Africa, why the fuck are you on the computer posting useless shit. You should be in Africa helping starving kids. Ontopic: Why did they switch to XP?? I understand why corporations don't use modern OSes, because of the cost of upgrading. But if they were already switching form Linux why not use 7?[/QUOTE] Your analogy, it fails.

[tab]/offtopic On[/tab] [QUOTE=Strongbad;28247286]......wow, OP, really? We have civil war in Libya, missiles fired at Israel, New Zealand earthquakes, and this is news?[/QUOTE] Perhaps you haven't noticed, but war and starvation isn't the center of my universe--probably not even yours [tab]/offtopic Off[/tab]

[QUOTE=Pretiacruento;28247062] I guess the SysAdmins at that place got tired of listening to complaints about This or That program not being as efficient or "easy to use" as its W*ndows counterpart... I'm really dissapointed, Germany... :smith:[/QUOTE] Newsflash buddy, not everyone has the time or interest to learn an entirely new OS just because it's nerd factor +1. Reasons like "it's got better memory handling" doesn't matter to ordinary users.

What kind of software would a government office use on windows that wouldn't be or not have an equivalent on linux? "Our office workers like to play half life 2 lol"

[QUOTE=demoguy08;28247404]Newsflash buddy, not everyone has the time or interest to learn an entirely new OS just because it's nerd factor +1. Reasons like "it's got better memory handling" doesn't matter to ordinary users.[/QUOTE] It matters to programmers like me who have to deal with retarded users.

[QUOTE=demoguy08;28247404]Newsflash buddy, not everyone has the time or interest to learn an entirely new OS just because it's nerd factor +1. Reasons like "it's got better memory handling" doesn't matter to ordinary users.[/QUOTE] Newsflash buddy, windows XP has been denied service by microsoft for two years now and is a deprecated system.

I'd rather have Linux than XP.

Well, most pencil pushers are completely computer illiterate, and on top of that, they're way more familiarized with W*ndows than Linux, so it's not a surprise this implementation failed miserably :/ Now, the real question here is, who's head rolled over the idea of using Linux? :v:

[QUOTE=Strongbad;28247286]......wow, OP, really? We have civil war in Libya, missiles fired at Israel, New Zealand earthquakes, and this is news?[/QUOTE] ........wow, Poster, really? We have civil war in Libya, missiles fired at Israel, New Zealand earthquakes, and this is your post?

[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;28247468]It matters to programmers like me who have to deal with retarded users.[/QUOTE] Again, ordinary users don't care, they just want things to work without hassle. XP is alot more user(retard)-friendly than Linux. Yes, even ubuntu. [QUOTE=jjsullivan;28247472]Newsflash buddy, windows XP has been denied service by microsoft for two years now and is a deprecated system.[/QUOTE] What has that got to do with anything

[QUOTE=ThatDarnGrei;28247216]Why do places still insist on using 10 year old software. 7 is faster, more secure, and (in my personal opinion) better in every way.[/QUOTE] Because managers don't want to deal with people who don't know how to adapt to a new OS so they just keep the software they are familiar with until they can't anymore. Hell, the office where my Mom works still runs Windows 98 on almost all of the PCs

[QUOTE=Strongbad;28247286]......wow, OP, really? We have civil war in Libya, missiles fired at Israel, New Zealand earthquakes, and this is news?[/QUOTE] Wow, Strongbad, that name...you seem very worldly You have respect from me, anytime.

[QUOTE=Strongbad;28247344]Your analogy, it fails.[/QUOTE] :vd:

Germony, I am dissapoint.

[QUOTE=demoguy08;28247542]Again, ordinary users don't care, they just want things to work without hassle. XP is alot more user(retard)-friendly than Linux. Yes, even ubuntu. What has that got to do with anything[/QUOTE] Ordinary users would care if they knew they were using versions of programs that were 2+ years old with no updates. Also you know what I mean, if there's a problem with the system for instance, that cannot be fixed by anyone else than microsoft, who do you call? Oops no more customer support/tech help, that sucks, maybe if you had linux your IT guy would be able to figure out how to fix it for free? Plus in any case, as much as getting on the phone with microsoft burns money.

[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;28247468]It matters to programmers like me who have to deal with retarded users.[/QUOTE] As a programmer, I find linux to be a really interesting operating system, but it is totally unsuited for a commercial environment. Productivity is part of how good a program (or operating system) is, and I hate it when crazies obsessed with linux don't realize this. [editline]23rd February 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=jjsullivan;28247607]Ordinary users would care if they knew they were using versions of programs that were 2+ years old with no updates. Also you know what I mean, if there's a problem with the system for instance, that cannot be fixed by anyone else than microsoft, who do you call? Oops no more customer support/tech help, that sucks, maybe if you had linux your IT guy would be able to figure out how to fix it for free? Plus in any case, as much as getting on the phone with microsoft burns money.[/QUOTE] Will you actually read the article? A few posts in and you still missed the part of the article where it says it's just part of a transition to windows 7, it's even bolded. :geno:

[QUOTE=Elspin;28247736] Will you actually read the article? A few posts in and you still missed the part of the article where it says it's just part of a transition to windows 7, it's even bolded. :geno:[/QUOTE] Hm, Op, do you think you could have put this in the title?

[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;28247468]It matters to programmers like me who have to deal with retarded users.[/QUOTE] boo hoo you develop a product and have to worry about dumb users get over it

[QUOTE=jjsullivan;28247804]Hm, Op, do you think you could have put this in the title?[/QUOTE] It's not the OP's responsibility to put things in the title for people who don't read the thread, he even bolded it

Well, at least they gave it a try... it's a shame it didn't work out. :/

Well the simple fact with this issue is that more people find it easier to use Windows XP than Linux it seems. Obviously people wanted XP back, now they got what they wanted. Hopefully that means that they can work more and complain less. No matter what you think about Linux/Windows yourself, you have to consider your entire company when making decisions, not changing to Linux because you think it's the best OS or it might save you some chump change. Obviously the average computer user isn't the brighest in the world, and this serves for their benefit.

Not everyone has the time or will to sit around compiling the kernel every day.

[QUOTE=acds;28253016]Not everyone has the time or will to sit around compiling the kernel every day.[/QUOTE] That's why Canonical do it for you.

I can't blame them, I'd use XP over Linux any day.

Linux sounds good on paper, but when I was in high school they had one of the computer classes use Linux instead of Windows and everyone was having problems with Open Office and other little things with the OS. Linux just isn't ready for office work yet.

[QUOTE=acds;28253016]Not everyone has the time or will to sit around compiling the kernel every day.[/QUOTE] I compiled my first custom kernel after like using it for six years. And I think that people still not get it that it isn't really a replacement of Windows, combined with people that just don't want to learn something new (those a really good at complaining about everything while not even trying to solve it them selfs.).