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Minnesota Moving To Microsoft's Cloud

Posted by Soulskill on from the take-the-twins-with-you dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The State of Minnesota is apparently the first state to move into the cloud, agreeing on a deal to have their messaging and collaboration services delivered through Microsoft's Business Online Productivity Suite. The thing the article doesn't tell you in detail is that the agreement precludes the use of open source software, which could have saved the taxpayers millions of dollars. And once such a large organization goes Microsoft, it's difficult to go back. Isn't it interesting that these developments occur right before elections, as senior officials are trying to keep their jobs with a new incoming administration? What do you think, Slashdotters? Is this a good move for Minnesota? Or a conservative move that bucks the trend of saving money and encouraging open government and transparency by aligning philosophy and practice with at least the option of utilizing open source software?"

7 of 345 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Worthless summary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    How could switching to an entirely incompatible platform have saved taxpayers millions?

    I'm sure you're just trolling and I'm going to look silly for biting, but OBVIOUSLY it saves money because none of the staff would know how to use Linux so they'd all leave to get other jobs and you'd save millions by not replacing them.

  2. Re:Foo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The cost of retraining government staff on inferior software?

    Aren't they doing that with Vista/Win7/Ribbons anyway?

  3. Re:What do you think, Slashdotters? by Hope+Thelps · · Score: 3, Funny

    You have extraordinary powers. Can you tell me lottery numbers?

    Easily. The numbers are:

          01
          05
          06
          24
          27

    Now all you have to do for a guaranteed win is to pick the right lottery and the right draw date.

    --
    To summarise the summary of the summary: people are a problem. ~ h2g2
  4. Re:Minnesota Values... by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's not "wasteful spending" when the money is going to one of you close corporate buddies.

  5. Re:Initial cost is a small piece of the cost by HisMother · · Score: 4, Funny
    > What FOSS advocates never seem to get is there is a reason why companies like MSFT get these contracts,

    Hookers and blow, is what I've heard.

    --
    Cantankerous old coot since 1957.
  6. Re:Ugh, I unfortunately am a Minnesotan. by gagol · · Score: 2, Funny

    Take a trip to Montreal, QC, Canada... you will find your roads to be pristine and mint conditions...

    --
    Tomorrow is another day...
  7. Re:MOST ASININE HEADLINE EVER by Nyder · · Score: 3, Funny

    Minnesota cannot 'move'.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_drift

    --
    Be seeing you...