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French Parliament To Go Open Source
dhoyte writes, "Newsfactor.com reports that next June the French parliament will be switching from Microsoft to open source products such as Linux for desktops and servers and OpenOffice for day-to-day documents. They see it as a cost-cutting measure." The French have not settled on a Linux distribution yet. The article quotes an analyst voicing a note of caution: "'The evidence on the cost savings attributable to a switch to Linux has been mixed,' according to Chris Swenson, director of software industry analysis at research group NPD. 'There has been some evidence that companies have to spend a good deal on training and support after you deploy...'"
The path of least resistance is to switch pure functionality servers first. Things that provide services like DNS, DHCP, and NTP. The Linux machines can also hold the file shares even if Windows is still serving the directory. Anyhoo, you start simple and work up slowly on those.
On the desktops, deploy FOSS apps one at a time as dependencies allow. Even Office is tough if a lot of bespoke apps laying around use it as a development environment. Sneak up on that as long as you can too. Once the users are broken in on FOSS app replacements, begin switching the OS for those users you've managed to get using purely FOSS apps. Move up through the users from there. The last and most difficult cases can be handled with virtual machines and terminal servers.
If things are done this way rather than in one fell swoop then you avoid a user rebellions with great missing chunks of missing functionality amidst the kludges. You can also try things out first with the users who have a bit of clue and build up experience within the organization. Most of the negative Linux organization switch stories I've heard involved either the Fell Swoop approach or not having sufficient Linux/BSD/UNIX admin talent on hand.
Distrowatch says this about Mandriva: "Cons: Some releases are buggy". Sadly this has been exactly my experience with them. Granted, I may have run into some obscure bugs by my own bad luck, but having Distrowatch say what I quoted seems to support that it wasn't just that (and I kicked myself for not listening to Distrowatch).
This was around a year and a half ago, so perhaps things have changed.
The French have a reputation for industrial protectionism.
Many French companies were nationalised & the government effectively kept the businesses afloat with taxpayers money.
Here's one I know about for a fact (I used to work there) I believe the EU actually got on the case about the government propping up the company in the late 90's but seeing as how the French & Germans run Europe nothing much happened. d-:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_Bull
You may also notice that French companies tend to source components from other French companies (eg. new Renault, Citroen & Peugeot cars most likely all use Michelin tyres) whether this is due to tax breaks or cheaper costs I don't know.
If you want lots of packages, and you like Mandriva, you might want to try using the PLF sources, via EasyURPMI. They provide tons of packages, and I very rarely find a piece of software for Linux that isn't available via this channel. Makes installing software a breeze.
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.