France Ditches Windows for Linux, US Towns Vote on Data Centers, and Microsoft Eyes an AI "E7" Tier

This episode covers France's April 8, 2026 order to end Windows on government workstations and migrate every ministry to a Linux-based sovereign stack, requiring full dependency mapping and migration plans by Autumn 2026 across desktops, collaboration, security, AI, databases, virtualization, and networks, centered on the Ubuntu-based "Les Suite Numérique," with prior GenBuntu police deployments cited for savings. It also examines growing US resistance to data centers after Port Washington, Wisconsin voters required future tax incentives to be approved by referendum, amid concerns over limited jobs and heavy power and water demand, with multiple states and federal proposals seeking pauses while other states keep incentives. Finally, it discusses reports that Microsoft may add a premium AI-focused enterprise tier ("E7") affecting AI-agent cost assumptions, and details mounting pressure on Sam Altman and OpenAI, including a Mac desktop app security issue, harsh media criticism, and attacks targeting Altman's home.

Hashtag Trending would like to thank Meter for their support in bringing you this podcast. Meter delivers a complete networking stack, wired, wireless and cellular in one integrated solution that's built for performance and scale. You can find them at Meter.com/htt

00:00 Headlines Preview 00:22 Welcome And Sponsor 00:46 France Ditches Windows 01:40 Sovereign Linux Stack 02:37 Europe Moves Off Teams 03:35 Data Centers Face Pushback 04:51 Energy Limits And Politics 06:53 Microsoft E7 AI Pricing 09:13 Altman Under Fire 11:53 Closing And Thanks