The Israeli government finds an amount for renewing a contract for various Microsoft desktop software unreasonably high. That is why Israel is going to say goodbye to the software by Bill Gates’ corporation.
The government of Israel announced it will not renew a contract for various Microsoft computer software at the end of the year after Vole changed the licence terms and doubled the price.
According to the Finance Ministry, the country pays more than $27 million a year for the procurement of Office desktop software, Windows and server software for dozens of the governmental offices. On Wednesday, the ministry noted that the change, which includes moving data to the cloud, does not meet the government’s needs. Israel plans to freeze the existing licence structure owned by government ministries, which may be used without further payment.
“This will also encourage government ministries to re-examine their needs of using Microsoft technology or switch to other technology alternatives”,
the Finance Ministry said in a statement given to The Register.
While Microsoft is keen to move its users to subscription models, a government of Israel is looking at its current perpetual licences and opted to stick with what it has, as it is fully entitled to do.
More ominously for the Windows giant, the GPA, along with Government ICT, “is working to locate and promote alternative technologies.” Israel on the other hand, when presented with a pure subscription model and forced to commit to a larger outlay per year, has taken a step back. It reckons it does not require the latest and greatest from Redmond.
