ReactOS

[Josh]

I have been following this OS for quite some time and it has really come a long way, granted it is still far off from being ready for daily use. Here is the description from the ReactOS homepage ( http://www.reactos.org )

The ReactOS®  project is dedicated to making Free Software available to everyone by providing a ground-up implementation of a Microsoft Windows® XP compatible operating system. ReactOS aims to achieve complete binary compatibility with both applications and device drivers meant for NT and XP operating systems, by using a similar architecture and providing a complete and equivalent public interface.

Although Free Software advocates agree that free software operating systems improve the state of the art by fostering competition, ReactOS has practical benefit for others, too; ReactOS is the most complete working model of a Windows® like operating system available. Consequently, working programmers will learn a great deal by studying ReactOS source code and even participating in ReactOS development.

ReactOS components are growing more and more compatibile with equivalent, closed source alternatives, but ReactOS doesn't simply stop at an arbitrary line in the sand. ReactOS has and will continue to incorporate new versions of the Win32 API and so will track and sometimes even define the state of the art in operating system technology. Rather than using current technology as a limit on our activities, we are constantly incorporating features from newer versions as well.

In short, ReactOS is aiming to run your applications and use your hardware! Finally, a FOSS operating system for everyone

Check it out, what do you think?

[KenR]

Well, I never like to admit my ignorance, but I have never even heard of it. Won't Microsoft go after them for ..... something?

Ken

[Carol Haynes]

Interesting idea. Not sure about MS's reaction though.

Having said that Wine for Linux has existed for a long time and really aims to do similar things.

(actually I have just downloaded the VMWare ready to go machine and it is Wine !)

[Josh]

ReactOS is under GPL, so I wouldnt think they can do anything unless they find something in the code that violates their copyrights.

[Carol Haynes]

Actually ReactOS doesn't do a lot except look a bit like Windows 98. Whenever you try and actually do something it doesn't work!

Pretty much like Windows 98 then

[Josh]

Or more so windows ME. They are doing more work on the core of the OS first it seems, driver functionality, graphics, sound, etc.

[Carol Haynes]

Windows ME - Monstrous Experience - actually I think ReactOS is probably more functional than Win ME - at least I din't manage to crash it more than once.

Seriously, I think it will be quite some time before ReactOS is at a point where it begins to be useful and if they make the look and feel as close to Windows as they appear to be I think MS will hound them. At the mo they seem to be going for as near identical as they can get - Lindows got shot down just for having a name that vaguely resembled Windows. To have a complete clone is likely to cause a full blown response if it ever gets to be any sort of threat.

[Rover]

Pretty cool stuff.  TinyKRNL look neat too. 

I hope they actually get things running and useful before XP is a dinasour.

[Josh]

Well, with the number of devs on the project, I am not surprised at how this project is going. As long as they maintain windows compatibility, they will have a good crowd when it launches for 1.0.

[Gothi[c]]

The problem with ReactOS/wine/... is that they will always run sooo far behind. Every time Microsoft releases a new API they are going to have to implement it, without reverse engineering the Microsoft code. And they haven't even completed the API's from a decade ago. Good luck

[db90h]

Yea, I agree... they'll never be able to catch up with Microsoft.. though they've had an opportunity with this lag between XP and Vista.

While I doubt it'll ever be something that's useful to the majority, I do find it an interesting project and I'm sure that they've had a good time and a lot has been learned about Windows internals that wasn't previously known. Therefore, I totally support their effort.. no matter how futile it may be .

[Gothi[c]]

Yea, I agree... they'll never be able to catch up with Microsoft.. though they've had an opportunity with this lag between XP and Vista.

While I doubt it'll ever be something that's useful to the majority, I do find it an interesting project and I'm sure that they've had a good time and a lot has been learned about Windows internals that wasn't previously known. Therefore, I totally support their effort.. no matter how futile it may be .

-db90h (June 20, 2006, 12:05 AM)

Deffinitly! Me too. I always think alternative operating systems are very interesting.

[Rover]

Deffinitly! Me too. I always think alternative operating systems are very interesting.

-Gothi[c] (June 20, 2006, 12:16 AM)

Me too.... er three?    OS's are Cool. 

[Jimdoria]

They have been working on this for a long time. I think the Windows ME connections is that 2000 is about when they started the project.

It's interesting to hear that they have a GUI now. Last time I checked in on them they were still working on driver and console mode (command line) app compatibility.

Now MS coders will have to add a "BreakReactOS" flag to their code. (Right alongside the "BreakWINE" and "BreakNetscape" flags!)