The article Open Source: BUND hinders digital independence – instead of promoting them, Beatrice Bode first appeared on Basic Thinking. You always stay up to date with our newsletter.
Public administration in Germany depends heavily on commercial software from the USA. This causes high costs and leads to digital dependency. There are already open source solutions from your own house. But the federal government puts stones in the way of digital independence.
Like the private sector, the federal government is dependent on software. The main provider: Microsoft. Around 96 percent All direct federal authorities use the Microsoft Office Suite, the Windows and associated server operating system.
The federal government is therefore dependent on a US group. The use of the Microsoft software also causes enormous costs. In 2024, expenses amounted to around 205 million euros. For comparison: ten years earlier it was only 44 million euros. How much the federal government actually spends on software is unclear – for reasons of national security.
Open Source: What does the federal government have against digital independence?
There is already a solution: the Center for Digital Sovereignty of Public Administration, in short Zendis. It was founded to promote the use and further development of open source solutions.
This is intended to strengthen the digital sovereignty of public administration in Germany. But of all people the federal government hinders the implementation. For example, the center was awarded 34 million euros from the 2023 budget. So far, however, the funds have not been paid out.
Over two years ago, federal states such as Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia and Berlin also expressed interest to join Zendis GmbH. The federal government hesitated again. As from a government answer to a Small request from the left It is still being examined whether such a step violates the ban on the mixing administration of the federal and state governments.
Open source solutions already exist
The Federal Government is aware that orders for Zendis could be missing without the accession of the federal states in the future. It is clear that the entrepreneurial success of the Center for Digital Sovereignty depends on how many orders it can win.
The reservation of the federal government therefore has a contradictory effect. Because the willingness to use open source services seems to be high. Zendis boss Jutta Horstmann explained in one interviewthat the OPENDEK office software recorded 1,500 project inquiries from the federal, state and municipalities just a few months after the publication.
How Network policy reports, there is also interest in the digital workplace for authorities abroad: countries such as France, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic are already cooperating with Zendis or showing interest in the use of OPENDEK. The same applies to universities and schools.
The OpenCode platform has also developed greatly and is already used by the public administration to exchange and develop open code.
No alternative for digital sovereignty
Jutta Horstmann emphasizes how important digital independence is. The dependence on US corporations makes the state vulnerable. Under the current geopolitical conditions, digital sovereignty is without an alternative. It must be understood as a state task and prioritized accordingly high on the political agenda. Because Open Source is a powerful tool:
Open code, open standards and interfaces make the administration regardless of manufacturers, enable influence on functionalities and operating logic as well as the option to change providers and to commission experts to close security gaps. In short: the public administration wins control over your IT and remains able to act in all areas of society.
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The article Open Source: BUND hinders digital independence – instead of promoting them, Beatrice Bode first appeared on Basic Thinking. Follow us too Google News and Flipboard.
As a tech industry expert, I believe that open source software plays a crucial role in promoting digital independence and innovation. By allowing anyone to view, modify, and distribute the source code, open source fosters collaboration and creativity in the tech community.
However, I do recognize that there are challenges in realizing the full potential of open source, particularly when it comes to bundling software. Bundling, where companies package open source software with proprietary tools or services, can hinder digital independence by creating dependencies and lock-in for users.
Instead of promoting true openness and freedom, bundling can limit choice and control for users, ultimately benefiting the companies behind the bundled software. It is important for the tech industry to be mindful of these issues and work towards promoting truly open and independent solutions that empower users and foster innovation.
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