Just recently, we reported that the Indian State of Kerala expects to save about $430 million by adopting an Ubuntu Linux-based operating system in its schools.
In related news, The Korea Herald has reported that the government of South Korea is also working on its plans to switch to Linux from Windows.
Until now, Windows 7 was being used on government machines but the government wants to be future-proofed. That’s because Microsoft will pull the plug on the free technical support for the popular OS in January 2020.
For reference, Windows 7 was released back in 2009 and its mainstream support ended in 2015.
According to the Ministry of Interior and Safety, the switch won’t be made right away. First, the Linux-based OS will be tested for thorough compatibility with the existing software that’s meant for Windows. After successful testing, it will be implemented across the entire system.
Why Linux, and not Windows 10?
Now, a thought that strikes up in mind is why didn’t they choose Windows 10? Obviously, the biggest reason is money. By opting for a Linux-based OS, the Interior Ministry is making big savings. The whole process of switching to Linux and purchasing new PCs would cost them around 780 billion won ($655 million).
Another reason is the fact that Linux poses far lesser security risks than Windows. That’s one of the reasons why Linux already finds heavy usage in many enterprise networks across the globe.
Also, by bringing an open source OS into the picture, the Ministry wants to stop their reliance on a single operating system which was the case with Windows.
We have seen many organizations switching from Windows 10 to Linux for cost-cutting. But speaking of software compatibility, sometimes it can turn the table around.
Back in 2017, the government of Munich switched from a Linux-based OS to Windows 10. It has used Linux since 2003 and cited the reason that Windows is a better option in terms of software compatibility in their case.