The Austrian Armed Forces are making a significant shift in their digital landscape by abandoning Microsoft Office in favor of the open-source office software LibreOffice.

The decision, which affects around 16,000 workstations, is driven by the desire for technical independence and secure data processing within their own infrastructure. Planning for the move began in 2020 when it became clear that Microsoft Office was heading towards the cloud.

LibreOffice has been gaining popularity among businesses and government organizations looking to maintain on-premises deployments. The trend of seeking digital sovereignty among non-US organizations is also contributing to the growing interest in open-source productivity suites.

LibreOffice Gains Traction

As the most popular open-source office suite, LibreOffice has been at the forefront of this trend. Its adoption by the Austrian Armed Forces is a testament to its capabilities and flexibility. The organization’s decision to contribute to the LibreOffice project by funding and developing new features is also noteworthy.

Their contributions have resulted in significant improvements, including better list formats, metadata deletion, and advanced presentation features. These enhancements are not only beneficial to the Austrian Armed Forces but also available to the entire LibreOffice community.

The move away from Microsoft Office is part of a broader trend towards open-source solutions. Nextcloud, a German-based company, has recently announced its own open-source service as a digitally sovereign competitor to US software-as-a-service products like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.

Austrian Armed Forces’ Commitment to LibreOffice

The Austrian Armed Forces are not only adopting LibreOffice but also actively contributing to its development. Their contributions have been substantial, equivalent to over five years of development time. This commitment is a significant investment in the open-source community and will likely benefit the organization in the long run.

While some users are allowed to use Microsoft Office 2024 LTSC or Access solutions for specific needs, LibreOffice has emerged as the standard for most departments. The organization’s decision to switch to an open-source office suite is a significant step towards digital sovereignty and self-sufficiency.

A Shift Towards Digital Sovereignty

The trend of adopting open-source solutions is not limited to the Austrian Armed Forces. Many organizations are seeking digital sovereignty, which involves maintaining control over their data and software infrastructure. The move away from US-based software-as-a-service products like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace is a significant step towards achieving this goal.

As more organizations adopt open-source solutions, it will be interesting to see how this trend continues to shape the digital landscape. The Austrian Armed Forces’ decision to switch to LibreOffice is a significant milestone in this journey towards digital sovereignty.

Inspired by

• https://www.computerworld.com/article/4065856/austrian-armed-forces-switch-from-microsoft-office-to-libre-office.html

Sources

• heise.de