Lyon Says NO to Microsoft!
In the heart of France, the third largest city, Lyon, known as an economic powerhouse, has decided to ditch the Microsoft Office suite and switch to Linux, OnlyOffice, Nextcloud, and PostgreSQL. Yes, you read that right! A city once tied to American software is now embracing open source and digital independence.
Why?
European governments, including Lyon, are increasingly suspicious of American companies, especially under President Donald Trump. The fear of spying and political pressure on their data pushes them to seek alternatives. Although Microsoft’s chief legal counsel Brad Smith promised to protect EU users, it wasn’t enough to convince the skeptics.
Digital sovereignty in action
This move is not just technical but political. Europe wants to harness the full power of open source and ensure technological autonomy. Lyon plans to develop a local digital ecosystem, with regional data centers and secure, interoperable tools for video conferencing and document collaboration.
Environmental and economic benefits
Migrating to Linux and OnlyOffice will extend the lifespan of computers, reducing electronic waste and the city’s ecological footprint. Also, 50% of public contracts have been awarded to local companies, supporting the regional economy.
But wait, what is OnlyOffice?
It’s not LibreOffice, though it sounds similar. OnlyOffice is a product of Ascensio Systems, a Latvian company, a standalone and independent office software suite.
What does this mean?
Is this the beginning of the end of Microsoft’s dominance in Europe? Or just another step in the long digital war? One thing is certain – Lyon has shown that there is another way. And you, would you ditch your favorite Office suite for a Linux adventure? Or are you already on the “Open source or nothing” team? Drop a comment, let’s see which side you’re on in this software battle!
