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ZDNET key takeaways
- France’s authorities is switching from Home windows to a Linux desktop.
- The desktop shall be in response to the police Linux distro, GendBuntu.
- The distro comprises France’s personal suite of open-source desktop techniques.
For many years, I have been announcing Linux is a better desktop than Windows. In recent times, extra people have been switching to Linux. There are lots of reasons to swap Windows for Linux, together with Microsoft leaving Windows 10 users in the lurch, the larger viability of gaming on Linux, easier-to-use Linux desktop distros, broader {hardware} reinforce, and emerging considerations about safety, privateness, and knowledge keep an eye on.
In recent times, on the other hand, there is a new reason why: many countries outside the US don’t trust American software companies, particularly Microsoft.
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So it’s, particularly within the Eu Union (EU), that governments have been dumping Microsoft software in favor of open-source programs. Nobody, on the other hand, has made a big transfer to the Linux desktop — till now.
On April 8, 2026, France’s Interministerial Directorate for Virtual Affairs (DINUM) officially introduced the end of Windows on French government workstations and its replacement with Linux. This alteration isn’t a coverage observation, and it isn’t a analysis venture. Each and every ministry has been ordered to map its extra-Eu generation dependencies and put up a migration plan to Linux and sovereign tooling through the autumn of 2026.
Why? As David Amiel, France’s minister of public motion and accounts, mentioned in a strongly worded observation: “The State can now not merely recognize its dependence; it should break away. We must become less reliant on American tools and regain control of our digital destiny.“
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Amiel persevered: “Virtual sovereignty isn’t non-compulsory.” In the meantime, Anne Le Hénanff, France’s minister delegate for synthetic intelligence and virtual generation, added: “Virtual Sovereignty is a strategic necessity … and France is main the way in which through accelerating the shift in opposition to sovereign, interoperable, and sustainable answers.” That shift way Linux at the desktop.
A couple of weeks in the past at KubeCon Europe in Amsterdam, I talked with Thierry Carrez, a French citizen and common supervisor of Linux Foundation Europe, who is additionally a Linux desktop consumer. He predicted then that “A Linux desktop long run for public administrations would possibly nonetheless come, however most effective on the finish of that dialog,” as soon as resilient, sovereign again‑finish services and products are in position. France has opted to do all that paintings, most sensible to backside, through subsequent yr.
France was once already transferring its complete end-user tool stack from Microsoft and different US corporations’ services. For instance, in January 2026, France ordered its 2.5 million civil servants to ditch Microsoft Teams and Zoom and shift to the French-built Visio platform through 2027.
Now the desktop is a part of the plan. Since France shall be changing 2.5 million Home windows desktops with Linux, you could assume that goal sounds impossibly bold. You would be flawed, even though.
You spot, France has already rolled out probably the most a hit authorities Linux desktop ever. Beginning in 2008, France’s Gendarmerie, its national police force, started replacing Windows XP with its own Ubuntu Linux distribution, GendBuntu. After nearly two decades of deployment, GendBuntu is as of late operating on over 100,000 PCs.
In brief, France already has a veteran device operating on Linux desktops. Along with its different benefits, France claims that operating GendBuntu saves two million Euros in step with yr in comparison to the usage of Home windows 11. An entire switchover may just save the rustic smartly over €40m.
I am advised that DINUM is anticipated to modify all the authorities to the already-proven GendBuntu. DINUM has already explicitly cited GendBuntu’s governance type in its February 2026 mandate, which calls for all ministries to get rid of extra-Eu virtual dependencies through 2027. The Gendarmerie’s 20-year observe report, in particular its skill to stay vital regulation enforcement methods on-line all through rolling upgrades throughout 100,000-plus machines, is the blueprint for France’s nationwide Linux transition.
The distro main points
So, what’s going to France’s “new” Linux desktop appear to be? For starters, let’s give this GendBuntu the operating identify of FranceOS for the needs of this newsletter.
GendBuntu has all the time been in response to the newest Ubuntu Lengthy Time period Reinforce (LTS) variations. The version operating in as of late’s workplaces is in response to Ubuntu 24.04. Alternatively, since Ubuntu 26.04 will be out shortly and GendBuntu releases normally apply 8 months after the newest Ubuntu distro, I be expecting France’s first government-wide Linux desktop to be in response to Ubuntu 26.04.
That suggests FranceOS will run at the soon-to-be-released 7.0 Linux kernel. This kernel is anticipated to not be all that other from the already shipping 6.19 Linux kernel.
The underpinning components of the desktop itself, on the other hand, shall be relatively other. With this unlock, Canonical, Ubuntu’s patent corporate, is switching mainstream reinforce for its fundamental graphics system from X11 to Wayland. Imagine it or no longer, Ubutunu’s shift from X to Wayland has been coming since 2010. Some folks hate Wayland, however Canonical’s no longer budging this time. Someday, Wayland shall be Ubuntu’s default windowing device.
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That mentioned, if there is a program in France’s tool stack that completely calls for X, I am certain Canonical can also be persuaded to stay reinforce in Ubuntu. However from what I do know of FranceOS’s desktop, I doubt there shall be any want for X.
On the subsequent graphics step up, Ubuntu and FranceOS shall be the usage of GNOME 50. This newest model of GNOME boasts a blank glance and higher GPU reinforce.
For its desktop workplace suite, FranceOS’s techniques will use LibreOffice 26.2.2. FranceOS’s default internet browser shall be Firefox Prolonged Reinforce Unlock (ESR) 140. For e mail, the supplied shopper is Thunderbird ESR 140. In any case, graphics modifying will include GIMP 3.0.6.
Along with those same old tool mainstays of Linux desktop distributions, FranceOS will even come with the cloud-based La Suite Numérique (in English, The Virtual Suite). This suite is a cohesive stack of open-source collaboration equipment already serving 600,000 French civil servants.
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In contrast to piecemeal open-source deployments, Los angeles Suite is a tightly built-in workspace constructed on Eu-hosted infrastructure, unified unmarried sign-on, and interoperable knowledge codecs. Los angeles Suite comprises seven core packages. Each and every one is constructed on established open-source tasks however hardened, localized, and interconnected for government-scale cloud deployment. The seven techniques within the suite are designed to wreck Europe’s dependency on US cloud suppliers. Those techniques are:
1. Tchap — Protected quick messaging
- In accordance with the Matrix protocol, with a Synapse server and Part shopper.
- Key options: Finish-to-end encryption, federation with different Matrix servers, document sharing, and threaded conversations
Tchap changed WhatsApp and Telegram for respectable communications. France has banned all use of non-France-based IM services and products.
2. Visio — Video conferencing
- Base: LiveKit (WebRTC SFU).
- Capability: 500 individuals in step with room; 10,000-viewer webinar mode.
- Key options: Actual-time transcription, computerized note-taking, breakout rooms, display screen sharing, and recording to sovereign garage.
In spite of the identify, Franc’s Visio has no connection to Microsoft Visio, the diagramming and flowchart software. Visio’s deployment throughout all state services and products has been mandated through 2027. The software is explicitly supposed to switch Groups and Zoom.
3. Doctors — Collaborative record modifying
- Base: BlockNote (prose-mirror-based wealthy textual content editor).
- Key options: Actual-time co-editing, model historical past, feedback, Markdown export, and ODF compatibility.
Doctors is the suite’s resolution to Google Doctors and Microsoft Phrase On-line, with deep integration into Tchap for sharing and Visio for assembly notes.
4. Grist — Collaborative spreadsheets and no-code apps
- Base: Grist (Python/SQLite).
- Key options: Relational databases in spreadsheet shape, Python formulation, role-based get admission to keep an eye on, and API-driven automations.
Grist changed pricey proprietary no-code platforms. The applying is claimed to save lots of the federal government six-figure repairs expenses whilst giving brokers database-grade knowledge modeling.
5. Fichiers — Protected document garage and sharing
- Base: Nextcloud.
- Key options: 10GB in step with consumer quota, exterior sharing with expiration dates, ransomware detection, and integration with Doctors for in-browser modifying.
Hosted on Outscale’s SecNumCloud-certified infrastructure, Fichiers guarantees no record leaves EU jurisdiction.
6. Messagerie — Sovereign e mail, contacts, and calendar
Messagerie replaces Gmail and Outlook.com for in-government correspondence, with Tchap presence indicating colleague availability.
7. France Transfert — Huge document switch
- Base: Customized (DINUM-developed).
- Capability: As much as 10GB in step with switch.
- Key options: Password coverage, expiration dates, audit logs, and GDPR-compliant deletion.
France Transfert competes without delay with WeTransfer and Dropbox Switch, however helps to keep delicate authorities recordsdata inside nationwide borders.
Towards a unified enjoy
All seven equipment percentage: ProConnect unmarried sign-on (France’s OpenID Attach identification supplier); Gaufre (“waffle”) menu for one-click switching between apps; not unusual design device, thus making sure a constant consumer enjoy; SecNumCloud website hosting on Outscale servers (Dassault Systèmes subsidiary); and interoperability with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace for exterior collaboration.
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The suite could also be a part of a broader Eu collaboration. DINUM is operating with the Netherlands’ CommonGround initiative and Germany’s Sovereign Cloud Stack to create interoperable public-sector tooling throughout EU borders.
FranceOS can also be the beginning of the top of Home windows as the one viable selection for presidency and industry desktops. 2026 may not be the long-anticipated “Year of the Linux Desktop,” however with this transfer, 2027 might be. Keep tuned, other people, the Linux desktop goes bigtime.
