The Vienna city government's open source desktop project will switch from GNU/Linux distribution Debian to the closely related Kubuntu at the end of the year. Kubuntu's pre-configured software packages will be easier to work with, expects Vienna IT architect Peter Pfläging.
Vienna has used the Debian GNU/Linux distribution for the last three years. It made its own desktop version, Wienux, installed on a thousand of the 20.000 desktops in use by the city government.
The Vienna government workers can decide freely whether they want to use Windows or Wienux. For Office productivity, the Wienux PCs run Open Office, the Windows PCs use Microsoft Office.
Preparing for the next version, Wienux 3, the Austrian developers decided last week to switch to Kubuntu. This GNU/Linux distribution is based on Debian software, but prepares its packages for use on desktop PCs. Pfläging: "We expect to spend less time tailoring these."
Next week, Vienna also expects to announce a new project leader for Wienux.
The Windows and GNU/Linux desktops are roughly comparable in terms of costs and maintenance, says Pfläging. A Windows PC is about 95 euro more expensive per year.
"We never wanted to compare the two like that. It is true that the Linux users make less calls to the IT help desk. On the other hand, all of them are experienced computer users and they want to work with Linux." He finds Microsoft Windows slightly more expensive to maintain. "That is because we run far more applications on it."
A major difference, says Pfläging, is that GNU/Linux is easier to work with for a young ambitious programmer. "Everything about the system is documented." He describes how the IT people building both Windows and GNU/Linux master images that are used to install the operating systems and applications on PC, can look into all parts of the GNU/Linux system, and find all the information they want. Wanting to do the same with Microsoft Windows, they would have to call the company's help desk and certain information will never be available. "That is why I call Linux a clear box system and Windows a black box."
Kindergarten
Earlier reports on problems with Wienux in use at several day care centres in the city are mistaken, says the IT architect. "We have installed all of the required games on the kindergarten PCs, they should work without problems. I have also not heard of any issue with the use of USB sticks." Interoperability of the Open Source operating system with others, should also not be problematic. "I am using Wienux myself, next to Windows and Mac OS X. I do not have any problems exchanging data."
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