Linux Lands Big Bank Account

An anonymous reader writes "The European arm of Banco do Brasil, the largest bank in South America, is switching from Windows to Linux to cut costs and centralise support. The long-term strategy is to phase out Windows completely. Linux is also being used to replace Windows on desktops. Vnunet has the whole story."

Comments

Re:Inter Bank communications!

[fanatic]

Unfortunately, MS Office is like a virus: You might do the right thing(tm) but chances are your neighbor won't...

Simple solution:

Dear Sir or Madam:

You have sent a file to me in a format I can't read. Since the extension is (xls|doc|whatever), I assume this is a Microsoft office file. You can save this file in a format that is more useable to me and others by opening the file, using the File->SaveAs menus and selecting (text|RichTextFormat|HTML|whatever) and saving. Please send me the file that results.

While I regret any incovenience this may cause, it is necessary for our ongoing technology upgrade, part of which is to lessen our dependence on proprietery file formats which change at the whim of a single company, and require the use of expensive, insecure software.

Thank you very much.

Not at all!

[adilsonoliveira]

Here in Brazil, there are several brazilian and multi-national banks going to linux all they way. The Banestado (a state bank) changed all the ATMs from DOS to Linux. HSBC is using it on several layers of the organization. There's more comming but AFIAK it's not public information yet. Besides, I'm quite convinced there's a few others who already switched but don't tell anyone as a way to keep their internal process secret or just because they think some clients might feel unconfortable to have their accounts managed by a "hacker's OS". Well, whatever ;) Adilson.

No, not amazing

[nurb432]

Most banks actually use big hardware for the REAL data processsing, everything is done via an terminal emulator or complex screen capture programs to make it 'pretty'..

Windows currently is needed for compatiblity with stuff like 'word', 'exchange', and piddly loan processing programs, etc.

So somoene hacks in and grabs a email.. big deal. the statemnts/and $ are safe.

Not without precedent

[donglekey]

Canada Trust, one of the biggest banks in west Canada (I am not sure about their reach) use linux heavily. I went there to open an account, and while I was answering questions, what was on their desktop? KDE everywhere. People at desks and people working behind the counter were all using Linux and KDE on PCs. I would also suspect that if Linux is used on every desktop that it, or at very least some other Unix is used for all the servers.