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Story: London council ditches Linux plans

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But it is either corrupt or stupid for a borough like Newham to use Microsoft when there are better and cheaper/free alternatives. You have clearly not used modern versions of Linux on the desktop, or seen how good Open Office is.
Linux at home is a different matter as it is still rather more difficult than Windows to set up, or install new programs. Also, there is not yet the breadth of software available on Linux.
These arguments don't apply in a large work environment, where admin is done by trained professionals, and all that most users require is access to email, wp, spreadsheets, etc, plus whatever application they might use to collect the rates and run the council housing.
Newham should be collaborating with other boroughs to rewrite all its specialist local authority software on open-source databases like Postgres. It's not too difficult, and will save millions, as well as providing far greater flexibility.
The problem with so many of these statutory bodies is that without shareholders it's too tempting for them to take the easy way out and go with the stus quo.

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