France is ditching Windows for digital sovereignty - and its new Linux stack is taking shape - ZDNET

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Officially, we don't know what France's forthcoming Linux desktop will look like, but this is what my sources and experience tell me to expect. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Correction on April 16, 2026: An earlier version of this article stated that France was planning to replace 2.5 million Windows desktops with Linux. In fact, the Interministerial Directorate for Digital Affairs is initially migrating only its own internal workstations (about 350) and will coordinate a broader effort. Individual ministries have been instructed to develop their own migration plans by fall 2026. The article has been updated to reflect this clarification. For decades, I’ve been saying Linux is a better desktop than Windows. Lately, more people have been switching to Linux. There are many reasons to swap Windows for Linux, including Microsoft leaving Windows 10 users in the lurch, the increased viability of gaming on Linux, easier-to-use Linux desktop distros, broader hardware support, and rising concerns about security, privacy, and data control. Lately, h