The city of Munich is making strides towards adopting open-source software again, following the controversial termination of the LiMux project. In response to a City Council decision made four years ago, the IT department is now actively implementing a five-point open-source plan put forward by the city's Green-Red coalition in 2020. This shift aims to reclaim digital sovereignty and foster innovation.

A New Phase with Open Source

SPD council member Lars Mentrup shared that this substitute program is progressing as planned. One of the upcoming milestones is the launch of the 'Sabbatical Program', designed to invite skilled developers globally to advance their open-source projects in collaboration with Munich's city administration. The intention is to create solutions benefiting not just Munich but also other global municipalities.

This initiative will be highlighted at the upcoming Forum Munich Digital in November, with applications already open. The program offers well-compensated sabbaticals that encourage developers to take leave from their current employment. The Open Source Program Office (OSPO) in Munich, established earlier this year, will manage this project without any binding instructions. Short-term contracts of up to six months, both for municipal employees and external programmers, are possible using the allocated budget of 200,000 Euros annually, accommodating around two short-term positions.

Broader Impact and Cooperation

There is a conscious effort to employ this innovative approach to integrate the strengths of the open-source community with the specific requirements of public administrations. Other major cities like Berlin and Hamburg are seen as potential allies in this field. Despite some challenges, the initiative aligns with the principle of 'Public Money, Public Code, ensuring taxpayer-funded software is freely available and reusable, with Munich's projects now on GitHub.

Learning from Others

National experts are watching how other regions in Germany are adopting open-source solutions. For instance, the federal government is experimenting with the Windows alternative OpenDesk, and Schleswig-Holstein is transitioning to open-source software, even on their desktops. These examples serve as inspiration as they demonstrate successful applications of open-source principles.

Munich's forward-moving strategy reflects the changing perceptions towards open-source technology adoption, ensuring that reliance on major software vendors like Microsoft and SAP is minimized.

More information about these ongoing projects can be found at Heise Online.