The Netherlands has started testing a new Linux-based environment on government computers as part of a broader effort to reduce its reliance on technology controlled by companies outside the European Union. The project goes beyond simply replacing Windows, as the country also wants alternatives for productivity software, cloud storage, backups, collaboration tools, and IT management.

The initiative is known as Digitaal Autonome Werkomgeving Overheid (DAWO), which roughly translates to Digital Autonomous Government Work Environment. According to a report from Dutch technology publication Tweakers, DAWO has already been deployed on a small scale within some government organizations, where officials can test how well the environment works for everyday tasks.

At the center of the project is NixOS, a Linux distribution built around the Nix package manager. The government isn’t simply installing Linux and calling the job finished, though. Developers are working on a complete workplace environment that can cover many of the functions currently handled through Windows, Microsoft productivity software, and other externally controlled services.

It’s just the early stages of a switchover

The move is part of a larger push for digital sovereignty, where governments have more direct control over the software and infrastructure they depend on. The concern is that relying heavily on technology operated by companies based outside the EU could create problems if access to those services is restricted due to sanctions or other geopolitical developments.

Those concerns became more significant in the Netherlands following sanctions involving the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. According to Tweakers, the situation highlighted how access to important digital services could potentially be affected by decisions made outside the Netherlands and the EU.

DAWO is intended to reduce that dependence. In addition to an operating system, the project covers office and collaboration software, online storage, backup services, and the tools IT departments need to manage computers. Developers are also focusing on usability, as any system intended for wider government adoption needs to work for regular employees rather than only people already familiar with Linux.

However, the Netherlands isn’t suddenly removing Windows from every government PC. The project remains in its early stages, with the Linux-based environment currently being tested on a relatively small scale. Moving entire government departments away from established software platforms would be a much larger process, particularly when existing applications, documents, workflows, and security requirements need to remain compatible.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.