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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Are there any studies done on how much linux can save governments money if they do a whole migration? (lemmy.ca)

submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 28 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I believe the question is missing somehow the main points... even if the switch cost the double or triple there are several strategic advantages that should take into account:

use Linux allow to growth the number of high specialized professional workers, investing on local resources;
invest in a local network of specialized companies, instead of financing the silicon valley with ours public money;
be less dependent by abroad technologies, get a major control of the system used;

These are few that come to my mind...

What would be really interesting to know is the percentage of the investment that stay in the region/country following a linux-based/opensource IT infrastructure for public bodies vs the current closed M$|OSX paradigm.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I agree. A lot of profits wouldn't be cash saved, for one taxes that you aren't losing to multinational corporations headquartered in Ireland or Cyprus.

Cybersecurity costs would also likely go down due to most malware being exploited isn't targeting desktop Linux.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

About the malware thing. Won't the Linux use increasing in organizations give incentive for attackers to make malwares targeting linux? It's not like we're malware free, it's just that average user is informed enough and there is low use of linux making it not worth as much to target desktop users.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Sure. For a while tho, it would be easier to avoid sweeping ransomware incidents.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Cybersecurity costs would also likely go down due to most malware being exploited isn't targeting desktop Linux.

Which is going to change once any sort of widespread adoption happens.

But at least in my circles, malware really isn't that big of a deal in security. Phishing is where the danger is these days, where the costs occur.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

You know how you make the expertise in a large organisation?

You call for volunteers to run a pilot, move one team or a product to open source alternatives, learn what skills are needed in your tech people, what transition training is needed for staff

Have the pilot group select the desktop environment, change it if the choice generates too many tickets

Take that and roll it out more broadly, possibly aligned with new desktop hardware rollouts

Add to the good - you get to know that the US government couldn't lean on a single American company for access to your organisation's secrets