FOSSPicks
FOSSPicks
This month we explore the top FOSS, including an offline website browser, a human-sounding set of AI skills, and a recently open sourced IDE.
Switzerland Declares Microsoft Neutrality
The Swiss Federal Administration has revealed that it's spending around CHF9 million (about 11 million dollars) on a "sovereign workplace" based on openDesk, an open source collaboration platform designed to reduce reliance on proprietary software. The first phase will involve around 3,000 staff by the end of 2027. This isn't, however, Switzerland dramatically purging Microsoft 365 from every government computer. For now, openDesk will run alongside it, to give staff involved in critical processes an alternative.
The Swiss Armed Forces are moving somewhat faster. Swiss Cyber Command (Kommando Cyber) and its Cyber and Electromagnetic Actions sub-unit plan to move relevant personnel to openDesk by October 2026. The main issue here likely isn't that Word is no longer fit for purpose. Rather, Microsoft is subject to US law, including the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act, which the Swiss military could consider problematic for sensitive contexts.
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