Following a successful pilot project, the northern German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein has decided to move from Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office to Linux and LibreOffice (and other free and open source software) on the 30,000 PCs used in the local government. As reported on the homepage of the Minister-President: Independent, sustainable, secure: Schleswig-Holstein will […]
I don’t have the direct experience you do, but when you say “training and support” I would venture that includes “the vibe” of the thing.
People who have used Windows & Office forever will find using a new platform irritating just because everything is just a little different.
Couple that with the fact that non-tech people often perceive opensource as the free+shitty version, and it’s surely a recipe for an “ideology” whereby employees feel that they’re being abused - forced to use a shitty platform so the city can save a few dollars.
There’s also a halo effect, whereby any issue gets blamed on free+shitty platform instead of simply tech being tech.
I just don’t think that training and support can really solve that. You really need employees to believe in the benefits if opensource and I’m not sure that’s achievable.
I don’t have the direct experience you do, but when you say “training and support” I would venture that includes “the vibe” of the thing.
People who have used Windows & Office forever will find using a new platform irritating just because everything is just a little different.
Couple that with the fact that non-tech people often perceive opensource as the free+shitty version, and it’s surely a recipe for an “ideology” whereby employees feel that they’re being abused - forced to use a shitty platform so the city can save a few dollars.
There’s also a halo effect, whereby any issue gets blamed on free+shitty platform instead of simply tech being tech.
I just don’t think that training and support can really solve that. You really need employees to believe in the benefits if opensource and I’m not sure that’s achievable.