The Netherlands is building its own Linux-based OS to break free from Microsoft

The Netherlands has set out to build its own operating system based on Linux. The stated aim is to cut the dependence of government bodies on Microsoft software.

The move fits a broader pattern: over the past few years a number of European public-sector organizations have been looking for alternatives to proprietary platforms, viewing open software as a way to reclaim control over their own digital infrastructure. Leaning on a single large foreign vendor is increasingly seen not merely as a cost question but as one of technological sovereignty.

Linux is a natural foundation for such a project: its open source lets the system be tailored to specific needs, while the absence of a licensing lock-in to one vendor removes part of the risk.

Further details of the project — timelines, budget, the agencies involved — are not disclosed in the available material.

Source: Lobsters