Denmark quietly cancels its test of a free alternative to Microsoft Office

Denmark's Ministry of Digitalisation has quietly shut down a pilot of an alternative to Microsoft Office. Danish outlet Computerworld Denmark reported that the ministry never announced the decision. The ministry apparently stays with Microsoft for now.

What we know

The pilot tested an open source alternative to Office. Open source means the software's code is public, so anyone can inspect it and, in many cases, use it without paying license fees. Computerworld's report says the project was ended without a public statement. A Danish columnist for the outlet called it a shock that the ministry buried the project and kept Microsoft. The story drew 114 points and 63 comments on Hacker News.

What is not known

The report is mostly behind a paywall, so the reasons for the decision are unclear from the available text. The material does not name the alternative that was tested. It also does not say how long the pilot ran, what it cost or how many staff took part.

Why it matters

Many organizations want to cut software costs or rely less on one vendor. This story shows that even a government ministry running its own test can end up staying with Microsoft. A business weighing a similar move should expect real work, such as testing with actual staff before committing.