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France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

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Re: France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

#71

Post by embedding-shape »

edg5000 wrote: post #43
carlosjobim wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like last time, I ask again: Which are the European made computers?

Interestingly, there are zero non-US powerful laptops. The closest option is the Moore Threads MTT AI Book (12-core 2.65Ghz, 32GB DDR5, 1TB SSD, 14 inch). It cannot reach a modern Ryzen in performance though. It's fascinating that only the US can make good computers. I'm not from/in the US so I'm not saying that from a patriotic point of view. How hard can it be to pop a good ARM chip in a laptop and compete with HP,…

> It's fascinating that only the US can make good computers.

Seemingly, the US might be able to design good computers, but it cannot make them themselves. This should make it easier for others to do the same, design the computer in country X but actually make it somewhere else, just like the US. Yet we're not seeing this at all.

Re: France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

#72

Post by rvnx »

kergonath wrote: post #63
carlosjobim wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like last time, I ask again: Which are the European made computers?

It’s all about risk management. No solution is ever perfect, and that works for the US as well. Also, some partners are more reliable than others. If China becomes as volatile as the US, it would change the risk assessment and stimulate other parts of the industry.

I'm more concerned about the fact that only ASML can make machines producing advanced chips (EUV).

This is a way way more concerning topic. The irony is that China might be the one fixing that dependency + bring prices down.

One bomb on the Netherlands and it is over for nearly all the worldwide supply-chain, 10 or 15 years of regression.

Even worse, they can remotely kill the machines for political reasons.

Re: France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

#74

Post by 21asdffdsa12 »

There should be a chapter in economic books on how entrenched monopoly companies become on the inside, like small states where little companies (called departments) play freemarket for promotion points, the outside forces completely suspended while the endoplasmic reticulum of the monopoly company lasts.

Re: France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

#75

Post by hootz »

embedding-shape wrote: post #60
polski-g wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It makes sense that everyone uses Windows for gaming, because you can't run games in your browser. It makes zero sense for businesses to use Windows if they're only doing PowerPoint and video conferences.

It's almost like Microsoft might be offering something on top of businesses using Windows, that isn't as commonly available for other platforms. Or businesses are just clueless face-less entities who have no idea what they're doing. Probably the truth is a little bit of both.

Microsoft offers ease of integration, in exchange for your company to be locked in forever in their domain.

Re: France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

#76

Post by harlequinetcie »

I find fascinating how so many people are moving away from Microsoft decades after they should have because of simply the inertia that large organizations have on adoption.

Above all, I'm also surprised on how those same organization are using Anthropic or OpenAI or other close source solutions for their agent harnesses instead of going for Open Source.

Malte just yesterday showed how powerful innovation with small teams can be achieved particularly in EU.

I hope they start looking for those alternatives too for their agentic systems, beyond using pi-mono.

Re: France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

#77

Post by WhyNotHugo »

faccacta wrote: post #56

It seems like what Europe really needs to do this is a viable mobile OS. It's been true for a while that Linux + LibreOffice is plenty to handle most government workers' needs on the desktop, but that's only good for when they are at their desks. Are there any viable alternatives to iOS and Android that are totally free of "dépendances extra-européennes"? What's the plan?

Linux on Mobile has been progressing steadily in recent years, and is in a state suitable for very early adopters and tech enthusiasts. Definitely not for the general population IMHO.

See: https://postmarketos.org/

FWIW, it's not just the EU that needs this urgently: most of humanity sorely needs a trustworthy mobile OS that's not designed against their interests.

Re: France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

#78

Post by carlosjobim »

schnitzelstoat wrote: post #59
carlosjobim wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You forget about MacOS. And Apple are making some very aggressive moves as of lately to capture users.

MacOS is the same sort of walled garden as Windows though. It has plenty of dark patterns in stuff like iCloud too, I imagine with some more years of enshittification it will be in a similar state to Windows today.

And corporate customers like the French government will want their users to be within strictly controlled environments - walled gardens. That's why they've used Microsoft for so long. MacOS isn't as good for this scenario from what I understand, but is Linux?

Re: France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

#79

Post by embedding-shape »

UK-Al05 wrote: post #23

These are almost always negation strategies rather than serious initiatives.

Sometimes yeah, but clearly not in this case, if you took the time to actually read the article.

You don't ask entire ministries and public operators to formulate a migration plan from Windows to Linux with a relatively short deadline just for negotiation purposes or just for the fun of it, you do that once you're committed to actually migrating.

This is not just a pilot project or some local administration doing an experiment, it's new country-wide policy enforced from the top, hardly a "negotiation strategy".

Re: France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

#80

Post by hootz »

mrjay42 wrote: post #70
Latitude7973 wrote: post #3

France has been making good moves to achieve software independence from the US. It would be an even better move to allow those in Europe or indeed the rest of the world to also benefit.

There's been some 'back and forth' or "progress and regress' about this. Adoption of Free Software: 2012 Prime Minister circular — the most important formal turning point: Orientations pour l'usage des logiciels libres dans l'administration, signed on 19 September 2012. It explicitly gave guidance to public administrations on free software use. 2016 Digital Republic Law — reinforced the direction by encouraging publi…

This permanent struggle is so tiresome. Makes me feel powerless and depressed.
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