Thread

US sanctions force The Netherlands off Microsoft and toward alternative NixOS

388 points · 396 comments · mywacaday

silverFork · 1790683767 · focus · HN ↗
It is more like self imposed sanction against US made products. There are now tons of open source operating systems and applications that can replace Microsoft products, which are basically some old programs. The replacements cost vastly less for use and support.
1. pipes · 1790685182 · focus · HN ↗
  Citation needed on the costs vastly less to support and use.
  1. bluGill · 1790685527 · focus · HN ↗
    Very much. There are a lot of hidden costs in computers. What does IT cost you? If everybody already knows the other program how much productivity is lost before they figure out the slight changes with the new (they will learn but experts will need time to become experts).
    edwinjm · 1790686533 · focus · HN ↗
    That’s not a citation. Of course you want to have actual research to substantiate these statements.
    bluGill · 1790688486 · focus · HN ↗
    Sorry, I'm saying the things I want a citation to look at. A lot of citations are too superficial.
    silverFork · 1790688629 · focus · HN ↗
    What is citation; somebody else reporting it?
    Here; they replacing windows.. the packages they have listed are open source aka typically free to use <a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/04/german-state-gov-ditching-windows-for-linux-30k-workers-migrating/" rel="nofollow">https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/04/germa...
    bluGill · 1790690238 · focus · HN ↗
    That is exactly my point: what is the cost to those "free" to use things? There are a lot of costs that have nothing to do with the price to get them.
    silverFork · 1790693520 · focus · HN ↗
    The other costs are the same or maybe less because they will in local currencies. The other costs are virus detection and updates. The updates are usually related to viruses or new interfaces that Microsoft is modifying for its own sake which is typically cloud related. There is competition in cloud delivery you know. Microsoft is not the cheapest solution.
    jackb4040 · 1790690368 · focus · HN ↗
    > If everybody already knows the other program
    Thankfully what you're describing is a switching cost, not a permanently higher operating cost. Once the monopoly is broken and the state is using open source tools, there's every reason to believe it will be cheaper - no expensive proprietary certifications etc.
    It would be unbelievable that the US would rather continue facilitating a genocide than retain Microsoft's global enterprise software monopoly, had they not already destroyed the UN, the ICC, and the global economy for that goal.
    All they had to do was make keep the other costs lower than the switching costs, and they could've continued setting terms forever.

Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.