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Vladimir Putin Is Replacing Microsoft Programs With Domestic Software (bloomberg.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: Moscow city will replace Microsoft Corp. programs with domestic software on thousands of computers in answer to President Vladimir Putin's call for Russia's authorities to reduce dependence on foreign technology amid tensions with the U.S. and Europe. The city will initially replace Microsoft's Exchange Server and Outlook on 6,000 computers with an e-mail system installed by state-run carrier Rostelecom PJSC, Artem Yermolaev, head of information technology for Moscow, told reporters Tuesday. Moscow may expand deployment of the new software, developed by Russia's New Cloud Technologies, to as many as 600,000 computers and servers, and may also consider replacing Windows and Office, Yermolaev said. Putin is urging state entities and local companies to go domestic amid concerns over security and reliability after U.S. firms shut down paid services in Crimea following Russia's 2014 annexation. The plan poses a challenge to the likes of Microsoft, SAP SE and Oracle Corp. in the country's $3 billion software market. Adding to pressure, Putin's internet czar German Klimenko wants to raise taxes on U.S. technology companies to help Russian competitors such as Yandex NV and Mail.ru Group Ltd.
All countries should do this. Use open standards to exchange information with other countries/businesses and develop their own software. Having local operating systems/programs helps expand local computing knowledge and lessens the likelihood of data theft via back doors etc.
As an added benefit people would be forced to start exchanging data in open formats or their partners/customers simply won't be able to read the data.
I's a healthy idea.
And that a good part of the software sold by western companies is written by russian programmers. Seriously I am ashamed to be part of the tech community, because of the incredible stupidity and ignorance so-called "intelligent people" on forums like this show everytime in relation to Russia. And it is no surprise a lot of them live in "brainwashed" America.
Really? Go criticize EU governments by starting a political party. Gee, no problems doing that. Now try the same in Putin's Russia. The ghost of Stalin is alive in Putin.