Today Tallinn is to launch a Linux pilot project at three schools and two preschools to examine whether all of the city's schools can eventually move to the free and open-source operating system and related office software.

The question the trial has to answer is whether all 6,000 computers in schools in the capital can make the changeover, Eesti Päevaleht writes.

It was reported in November that Estonia faced a sudden increase of prices for Microsoft licenses after years of special treatment. The city's education department did end up reaching one more extension of the favorable terms with the software giant in late December, but because Estonia is in a higher per capita income bracket now, it is only a matter of time before prices increase.

The schools trying out Linux are Mahtra Gymnasium, Mustamäe Gymnasium, Merivälja basic school, Mustamäe I preschool and elementary school, and Mesimummu preschool.