14:46Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
Netherlands Chooses NixOS Instead of Windows for Government Computers
The Dutch government is expanding the “DAWO” program to reduce its dependence on “Microsoft” products and other foreign technologies. The “Digitaal Autonome Werkomgeving Overheid” project aims to create an independent digital work environment for government agencies. The plan covers not only the operating system but also office software, cloud systems and other essential services. The main choice is the open-source “NixOS” operating system.
The decision was prompted by the impact of US sanctions on the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Following the sanctions, the court’s chief prosecutor lost access to “Microsoft” services, including email. The government considers the possibility that critical systems could become unavailable because of a foreign government’s decision to be a risk. Work on “DAWO” accelerated after an initial trial conducted in April 2026. The project is overseen by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. 3 service organizations—“SSC-ICT,” “DICTU” and “DUO-ICT”—have been selected to carry out the technical migration. Currently, 8 municipalities have joined the trials, while preparations are continuing at some agencies. Deploying the system across all government agencies will take several years. This will require going through various procurement stages.
“NixOS” stores software packages in separate directories. These files cannot be modified later and are protected by a digital signature. This makes it easy to replicate the same system configuration across many computers. Up to 90% of the configuration can be transferred to another installation. “NixOS” also runs on some older computers that cannot run “Windows 11.” The system was created by Dutch developer Eelco Dolstra, and the “NixOS Foundation” is based in the Netherlands.
The first migrations and a stable version of the platform are expected to be ready by the end of 2027. The biggest change will involve “Windows,” which currently runs on approximately 63% of desktop computers worldwide. Before “NixOS” was selected, “openSUSE” and “Fedora” were also tested. Separate options are being evaluated for office software and cloud services. The Dutch government wants to prioritize software developed in Europe. As part of this effort, it is considering cooperation with France’s “La Suite” and Germany’s “openDesk” services. The German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Estonia and the French city of Lyon are also working on similar migrations. Denmark and France are also reassessing their government systems to reduce dependence on US software.
The decision was prompted by the impact of US sanctions on the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Following the sanctions, the court’s chief prosecutor lost access to “Microsoft” services, including email. The government considers the possibility that critical systems could become unavailable because of a foreign government’s decision to be a risk. Work on “DAWO” accelerated after an initial trial conducted in April 2026. The project is overseen by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. 3 service organizations—“SSC-ICT,” “DICTU” and “DUO-ICT”—have been selected to carry out the technical migration. Currently, 8 municipalities have joined the trials, while preparations are continuing at some agencies. Deploying the system across all government agencies will take several years. This will require going through various procurement stages. “NixOS” stores software packages in separate directories. These files cannot be modified later and are protected by a digital signature. This makes it easy to replicate the same system configuration across many computers. Up to 90% of the configuration can be transferred to another installation. “NixOS” also runs on some older computers that cannot run “Windows 11.” The system was created by Dutch developer Eelco Dolstra, and the “NixOS Foundation” is based in the Netherlands. The first migrations and a stable version of the platform are expected to be ready by the end of 2027. The biggest change will involve “Windows,” which currently runs on approximately 63% of desktop computers worldwide. Before “NixOS” was selected, “openSUSE” and “Fedora” were also tested. Separate options are being evaluated for office software and cloud services. The Dutch government wants to prioritize software developed in Europe. As part of this effort, it is considering cooperation with France’s “La Suite” and Germany’s “openDesk” services. The German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Estonia and the French city of Lyon are also working on similar migrations. Denmark and France are also reassessing their government systems to reduce dependence on US software.