South Korea switching their 3.3 million PCs to Linux

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South Korea switching their 3.3 million PCs to Linux

https://www.fosslinux.com/29117/south-korea-switching-their-3-3-million-pcs-to-linux.htm

The reasoning behind the switch is two-fold.  South Korea was looking to reduce its reliance on Microsoft and Windows and cut down on software licensing costs.  

South Korean government has announced that it will switch the computers used in its central, local, and public institutions to Linux-based operating systems starting this year-end.

The announcement comes just one month after the end of “free” support for Microsoft Windows 7, the most prevalent operating system used by the South Korean government.

The reasoning behind the switch is two-fold.  South Korea was looking to reduce its reliance on Microsoft and Windows and cut down on software licensing costs.

“We will resolve our dependency on a single company while reducing the budget by introducing an open-source operating system.”

…said Choi Jang-hyuk, South Korea’s head of Ministry of Strategy and Finance,

Although most Linux distros are free, South Korean officials estimate that migrating their current fleet of approximately 3.3 million PCs from Windows 7 to Linux will cost about 780 billion won (approximately $655 million).  The price tag will cover the implementation, transition, and purchase of new PCs.

The ministry first plans to test the waters with a pilot test to explore and expose any potential compatibility and security issues.

Since many of South Korea’s government websites, network devices, and software are designed for compatibility with Windows-based operating systems, this is a wise move by the government.

Should the South Korean’s pilot Linux prove successful, with no major issues encountered, expect a broader roll-out to follow?  If successful, South Korea’s foray into the Linux world could incite and seduce other governments to follow suit.