Launching openDesk 1.0 at the Smart Country Convention
After previously speaking about our involvement in the openDesk project here, we were very excited to attend the Smart Country Convention in Berlin last week as part of the openDesk platform, where one of the standout moments of the event was the launch of openDesk 1.0 – an initiative that aims to transform public administration through open-source solutions and shared resources.
We are thrilled to be part of the openDesk initiative, providing Germany’s public sector with a secure and open-source alternative for office productivity. Collabora Online enables users to easily migrate and collaborate around their existing documents, recovering their digital sovereignty. It’s exciting working together with so many other outstanding products to build a coherent solution for public administration.
Working together with Collabora Online and nine other digital service providers, openDesk aims to become the go-to office solution for public administration in Germany and beyond. With everything a modern office could need, including document editing, project management, calendar, email, chat, video conferencing, wikis and more, the pioneering project organised by the German government in collaboration with Zendis is designed to promote security and digital sovereignty, whilst fostering efficiency, and collaboration.
Why openDesk matters?
The launch of openDesk 1.0 is not just a milestone for Germany – it sets a precedent for all nations and organisations striving for digital transformation in their services. By leveraging open-source solutions, openDesk is paving the way for a more secure, sovereign, interconnected and responsive government, that prioritizes the needs of its citizens, and cannot be held hostage by proprietary solutions.
It is also an excellent showcase for the power of open-source solutions – with ten individual but open companies bringing their solutions together as one incredibly powerful and flexible product.
Looking ahead
Speaking with delegates at the conference from local and national government, as well as of course continued discussions with private organisations, it was obvious to see the demand for digital sovereignty, genuinely GDPR-compliant solutions, and responsive software providers is huge. As we look to the future, we are excited about the potential impact of openDesk on public administration. The combination of innovative technologies and collaborative practices promises to lead to more effective governance and enhanced citizen experiences.
We encourage all stakeholders in public administration to find out more about how open-source solutions such as openDesk can benefit them, and how they could be involved in this exciting initiative. Together, we can build a secure, sovereign government.
