Strike Against Free Software: Microsoft Enters Catalonian Schools
Steve Ballmer's deal with the Catalonian government is seen as a leverage against their existing Open Source strategy.
It was a pretty personal deal between Steve Ballmer and president of the Generalitat de Catalunya José Montilla. According to an announcement out of Barcelona, Microsoft is to provide the Catalonian schools with touchscreen PCs and projects, making it easier for their students and teachers to cozy up to their proprietary software. The first transaction was to present the city of Lleida a new computer center, although no further details were given.
Not particularly proxy to this decision were the Open Source developers specifically tasked by the government to rid the schools of proprietary software licenses. As Francesc Busquets, software developer at the Generalitat de Catalunya, can attest, "We weren't consulted and or involved in the decision. As far as we know, there hasn't been a change in strategy from bringing GNU/Linux to Catalonia's schools."
Minister of education Ernest Maragall had announced in April 2008 that hundreds of schools would be switched to GNU/Linux. The main reason, he said at the time, was the illegal use of proprietary software.
Microsoft's offer involves the creation of virtual communities under its Live@edu suite of applications and that will be provided personalized e-mail accounts. Meanwhile Microsoft claims that the resulting content isn't coupled with any particular platform. But the bundling with Microsoft's services organized around their updates, together with their proven bad Linux touchscreen support, pretty much ensures Windows as the platform of choice.
Comments
comments powered by DisqusSubscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.
-
Linux Kernel 6.14 Released
The latest Linux kernel has arrived with extra Rust support and more.
-
EndeavorOS Mercury Neo Available
A new release from the EndeavorOS team ships with Plasma 6.3 and other goodies.
worldwide issue really
Seeing the advantages of open source, many specialists have kept up with the news and have learned how to implement and support it when the time comes. It is a matter of waiting for tech administration to retire or move on.
To read this news of a place where Microsoft is getting its foot back in the door is not a good sign to the rest of us. Especially when the economy is in a position to push many to other options.
Not surprising at all
That's 60 useless (and properly paid) Windows licenses!
a different view ..
Annoying...
Unsustainable strategy
Correction
* "Open Source developers"
* "announced in April 2008 "
They take you to the general press notes section of the Generalitat de Catalunya instead to the article itself.
As a Catalan Citizen, I'm very very disappointed...
Additionally some politics on going in this decision.
I wonder whether somebody got instructed not to allow e-polemics related to that decision.
The news said it was a great progress towards "catalanisation" of the educational software, when open source is for a long time well provided with suitable translations to the local language !
In any case I disliked not to be able to give my own opnion on the open arena after such a commercial agreement. It reminds me this intervention to stop the spread of the open source intitiatives in Nigeria or another African country in the recent past (sorry I do not remember more details).
correction
correction