There is no US software on my computer!Can we really survive without Google and Microsoft?

For several months now, tensions between Europe and the United States have been at an all-time high.As the geopolitical situation is explosive, the question of complex, digital resilience arises.Because currently, in our daily digital use, we mainly rely on US-based devices.

With all the dangers it can entail.In addition to the potential prices for access to certain services, the risk of cutting access to certain American infrastructures, especially cloud platforms, is great.And this can have many consequences, sometimes dramatic.

But for every operating system, software, tool or online service we connect, there is a reliable European alternative.Of course, it comes at the cost of certain sacrifices or new habits that need to be adopted.

To prove it to you, we decided to dive into the current alternatives for Windows 11, macOS, Google Chrome and other Gmail.And surprisingly, replacing them is not prohibitive, but it will require some effort.

The only alternative to Linux, Windows and macOS

When it comes to operating systems, there are generally two schools of thought: those using Windows 10 or Windows 11 on a PC, and those using macOS on a Mac.

It is not surprising that one has to resort to Linux to find an alternative operating system made in Europe.However, keep in mind that Linux distributions being what they are, many contributors involved in their development may not always be based on the European continent.

Nevertheless, several Linux distributions have appeared in Europe.The most famous (and sometimes most used) are Linux Mint (Ireland/France), Zorin OS (Ireland), Manjaro (France, Germany, Austria), OpenSUSE (Germany), EndeavorOS (Netherlands), or even Lubuntu (France).

How to choose the right Linux distribution?

Choosing a Linux distribution is not always easy, depending on the individual needs.To make the best possible choice, you can start by relying on the Distrohooser platform, a German online service that, after a short questionnaire about your needs, will suggest the Linux distributions that best suit your situation.

And if you have doubts about the origin of a Linux distribution and want to make sure that it was really developed in a European country, you can easily check it on DistroWatch.

Another question that may arise when you leave an operating system like Windows or macOS is whether you can change it?Don't worry: yes.Of course, as with any new software, it will take a few days to adjust at first to find your feet and adopt new habits.But switching to a Linux distribution shouldn't scare you.Installing the operating system is now as simple as the applications.it can be installed directly from the "App Store" on certain distributions.This is for example in Linux Mint and Zorin OS.

Find European versions of American solutions

In addition to the operating system, all the applications and online services you use every day now need to be replaced.It's entirely possible to find European alternatives, but again you'll need to research and test to find the one that best meets your needs.

We must therefore find alternatives to Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, Gmail and Outlook, Google and Bing or even WhatsApp and Signal.And the good news is that it is absolutely possible but often with some concessions.

1. Web Browsing

Goodbye Google Chrome, Safari and Microsoft Edge.These three web browsers, widely used on desktop computers, all originated in the continental United States.Fortunately, there are European alternatives that have nothing to envy about these three browsers.Unfortunately, these alternatives are mostly based on Chromium, an open source web browser developed by Google.

The first, undoubtedly the best known, is Vivaldi.Specializing in providing great flexibility in terms of customization, this web browser was created in Norway by the former co-founder of Opera.

Like Chrome, Edge and Safari, Vivaldi offers to create an account (free) to allow you to sync data between different devices.In addition to the many customization options it offers, Vivaldi also focuses on protecting your privacy.The browser therefore includes a module to block ads and other tracking tools.It will also allow you to do without installing third-party email clients, as it also integrates Vivaldi Mail (however, you will need to activate it manually).

Since Vivaldi is based on Chromium, it shouldn't disrupt your browsing habits too much.Especially since you can easily install Chrome extensions there (be careful when choosing European extensions).

Another alternative, Mullvad.The search engine web browser of the same name, which has its roots in Germany.Like Vivaldi, Mullvad immediately offers blocking trackers and natively integrates a content blocker.The browser, developed in collaboration with the Tor project, promises more privacy-friendly browsing.

2. Search engine

To search for content on the Internet, you probably use Google or Bing by default.Out of habit, of course, but also, I must say (in the case of Google more precisely), because of its effectiveness.

But even here there are reliable European alternatives for finding content on the Internet.Qwant, for example, is a French search engine."A search engine where you are the user, not the product," is how it bills itself and promises not to sell your personal data or store your search data.Qwant, above all, can boast of being located in France.

Even if Qwant could one day offer a fully autonomous European search index, it still depends on Bing, Microsoft's search engine, to enrich its results.

In the same niche, Ecosia, which also relies on some results provided by Bing, is a German "tree planting" search engine.The search engine is truly a unique feature.Ecosia shows that it donates all its profits to climate action, which mainly consists of planting trees.

Like Qwant, Ecosia promises privacy, all while carbon neutral.Ecosia explains that it produces more clean energy than it needs to provide its services.

3. Of e-postprovider

If you want to send an email, chances are you have and use a Gmail or Outlook account. And that's not surprising.But there are still European alternatives for your email.

The first, Mailo, is even French.The good news is that you can try it for free by showing a few banner ads.The Mailo Free offer includes 1 GB of email storage, 500 MB of document and photo storage, and allows you to manage up to 5 aliases.You can even add a calendar, address book and more. You can access all the services associated with Mail, such as

And if the proposal mes are enough to change your needs to upgrade to premium offers.ES charges 1 Euro per month with 20 GB of space for your own documents and photos.The only drawback is that MAILO prohibits free accounts. (And MAILO e-mail address) to register for third-party services.Please note that you can easily see messages from iOS or Android, what are services offering their own mobile applications.

Alternatively, you can create a GMX e-mail address. This German e-mail service, more generous than Mailo, offers free e-mail creation. an e-mail address with 65 GB of memory and the ability to send attachments of up to 50 MB. The platform also integrates a file sharing service (2 GB of storage space), an address book, a calendar (for recording appointments and meetings), as well as an online office suite (2 GB of storage space).

Again, by creating a GMX email address, you can easily view your messages from Android or iOS, with a mobile app for each platform.

4. instant message

You may have been in dialogue with your lovers with using the email applies like whatsapp or meassenger, two applications, two applications in meters.However, there are other things of Europe and one in French is the same as a good and safe.

This application is Olvid, an encrypted instant messaging service that offers a free offer and uses a very different model than what is usually done in the encrypted messaging world.

And for good reason, you don't need a phone number or email address to sign up for Olvid.You create your account with your identity, but neither this nor the contacts in your regular address book are brought to a centralized directory as in the normal situation.Instead, the app uses a QR Code system that you have to share or your contacts have to share with you to allow you to add each other to the app's contact list before starting and chatting.

With this system, Olvid can guarantee the identity of each individual.Not that Olvid is considered one of the most secure messaging services in the world.

5. Password manager

If you use Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Apple Safari, you're probably using those web browsers' native password managers.Having said that, they are very practical as you only need to click the mouse during navigation.However, your passwords should not be trusted to the web browser.

In fact, it makes more sense to use a tool completely dedicated to this purpose.And there are European alternatives that do not envy the GAFAM solutions.

The first solution to consider is the German one, KeePass.It's free and open source, to get the most out of it you usually need to go through a Linux terminal to install it (sudo apt install Keepass2).You can also turn to alternatives such as "Download Secrets" from the app store integrated into some Linux distributions, and those that use the KeePass format, which you need to transfer to easily install from the app store integrated into your Linux distribution.

Read more: An overview of the open source password manager KeePass

If you want a tool that's easy to set up and offers seamless syncing between your various devices, you might want to consider using Dashlane.This French solution costs a little more than 2 euros per month for a single user.A big plus, Dashlane offers browser extensions and has an Android and iOS app.

Another possible solution, Passbolt.This Luxembourgish password manager is open source and offers a free offering when self-hosted (on a Raspberry Pi, for example).You can then find your passwords using an extension for your browser and even on your smartphone via a dedicated Android or iOS mobile app.

6. Office outfit

For many people, giving up their old habits of using the Microsoft Office package can be painful.However, in practice, it is very possible to replace Microsoft Word, Excel or even PowerPoint with European software.

The most promising office suite without a doubt remains the OnlyOffice Desktop Editor.Available on all desktop OSes including Linux, this office suite from Latvia has no reason to be shy of Microsoft office suite or Google Workspace.With an interface close to that of Microsoft, this office software suite offers access to word processing software, spreadsheets, PowerPoint-like presentation applications, and a PDF editor.

Another possible solution, LibreOffice.The open source office suite of German origin no longer has to prove itself, despite a perhaps slightly less modern interface.However, the LibreOffice office suite is much more complete than OnlyOffice.

Because LibreOffice offers a word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation tools, a drawing tool, a database manager, a math formula editor, and a charting module as well.Most importantly, it has the advantage that it is usually pre-installed by default on many Linux distributions.

7. Damage: a special case

To listen to music, many rely on Apple Music or YouTube Music, two American platforms.Well-known European alternatives and of course they exist.We are thinking in particular of Spotify (Sweden), Deezer (France) or even Qobuz (France).

Unfortunately, the complexity of the infrastructure of these platforms prevents them from using only European tools.Let's take the example of Deezer.For its main infrastructure, the platform relies on two data centers in Paris.For its cloud infrastructure, Deezer uses resources distributed across several locations within the European Union.When it comes to data storage, the platform uses Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services.The way it works is the same as for Spotify and Qobuz.

Based on this observation, European music streaming services may no longer operate if access to US sources in the EU is cut off.The only acceptable solution in this situation is to go back to purchasing music (physically or online) for offline play.

What about Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+?Canal+ offers a VOD service, but in the case of Deezer, Spotify and Coboz, the platform relies on the infrastructure provided by GAFAM.So you have no real choice but to fall back on good old physical media or linear television.

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