David M Williams
Wednesday, 11 March 2009 19:30
Opinion and Analysis
Page 2 of 3
Conventional wisdom dictates that user training should accompany new software deployments. However, the Gendarmerie figured that people knew “how to operate a web browser” and opted not to provide training for any of the new apps.
Happily, they were proven right with the vast range of users effortlessly picking up the new office suite, web browser and mail program.
However, another major event happened in 2006: this was the year Microsoft announced Windows Vista was coming (which was made available in its final form in late 2006 and for retail in early 2007.)
It became evident to the Gendarmerie that not only apps could and should be migrated but the whole operating system too.
The timing was right: by this point the technical team had gained considerable expertise in working with open source software through the previous rollouts, they had deployed Debian Linux onto their servers, and desktop Linux had reached a high note.
Thus, when it came time to choose between Vista and Linux the Gendarmerie were quick to make up their mind. “Keeping the capacity to choose is very important,” said Colonel Nicolas Géraud, deputy director of the IT department.
The Gendarmerie thus began developing a plan to migrate their workstation to Ubuntu Linux. Parent body, the Department of Defense, watched with interest and placed a moratorium on the implementation of Vista within their network.
The Ubuntu plan was revealed to the public in January 2008 causing interest among the Linux community and fear and panic in the Microsoft camp.
Yet, nothing diverted the police from their chosen path and in 2008 5,000 new workstations were deployed. Every single one shipped with a consistent Ubuntu image.
