What it took was a farewell to Windows

In Schleswig-Holstein, Windows is being replaced by open source solutions. (Image: Microsoft, Linux)

Due to the end of support for Windows 10, the question of possible Microsoft alternatives has recently been discussed more intensively.

The state of Schleswig-Holstein has already started the switch and is reporting the first figures.

15 million euros per year for Windows licenses

At the end of 2024, the country in the far north of Germany launched the “Open Innovation and Open Source Strategy” initiative. The aim is to meet the requirement to work digitally independently and confidently.

A cornerstone of this strategy is moving away from Windows and using open source solutions. In the course of 2025, LibreOffice was introduced as the new office standard as well as Open-Xchange and Thunderbird as a replacement for Microsoft Exchange and Outlook.

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The changeover wasn’t completely problem-free, but Digitization Minister Dirk Schrödter was now able to draw an initial, positive conclusion.

Almost 80 percent of employees are already working with open source solutions, and adaptation paths for the coming months have been drawn up for the remaining 20 percent. This step not only ensures more independence, but also makes economic sense.

By eliminating licensing costs, the country saves more than 15 million euros annually. In 2026, nine million euros are expected for one-off investments in migration and further development of the solutions, but a lot of money will be saved in the long term.

Some jobs, such as tax administration, are currently still partially dependent on Microsoft applications such as Office, Excel or Word. But here too, according to Schröder, there are already migration plans that should lead to further savings.

The aim of the initiative continues to be a »sustainable, secure and independent IT infrastructure«, which strengthens the digital sovereignty of the public sector.

However, the Kieler Nachrichten also voices criticism from opposition ranks. There would still be problems with the new programs.

Although the figures presented read impressively, the reality would be different in many places. Not all employees can work with the programs in the same way as before. But this is also priced in.