Non-Linux opensource OS's worth trying

[jimi_hendrix]

putting bSD aside for now whats out there?

[kamitsukai]

How about OpenSolaris (http://www.opensolaris.com/)?

[albinootje]

How about OpenSolaris (http://www.opensolaris.com/)?

+1
I don't like using OpenSolaris so often myself because of all the different command line commands and paths, but ZFS and TimeSlider, amongst others, are very interesting, i'd like to test it again.

See also :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nexenta_OS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MilaX

And imho SyllableOS is worth trying (In VirtualBox) for fun, and for comparing the speed of it to other OS-es.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syllable_(operating_system)

[Mason Whitaker]

I dunno, Darwin wouldn't be so bad if they would just clean it up a little...

( yes, I know its BSD based )

[forrestcupp]

ReactOS (http://www.reactos.org/en/index.html) is open source.

[Mason Whitaker]

ReactOS (http://www.reactos.org/en/index.html) is open source.

He said worth trying buddy :P

[jimi_hendrix]

actually they dont need to be opensource...just free :) whats wrong with reactOS

[Mason Whitaker]

actually they dont need to be opensource...just free :) whats wrong with reactOS

Poorly maintained, trys to make a windows alternative but still using .exe's, programs that come with it don't always work, ect

[jimi_hendrix]

ahh...how about eye OS?

[stanz]

I first partitioned my HD and grabbed what was free, and wanted to try out.
When I done my dinking & brakin' ~ I wiped & put on another!
Thats how I came to know Ubuntu...
and why its still on my HDD!

[spoons]

Poorly maintained, trys to make a windows alternative but still using .exe's, programs that come with it don't always work, ect

Poorly maintained = Not sure how it's poorly maintained?

Still using exe's = Well obviously or no Windows stuff would work on it, would it? :rolleyes:

Programs don't always work = It's not finished.

Please do not bash the operating system because it is NT-based.

[Mason Whitaker]

Poorly maintained = Not sure how it's poorly maintained?

Still using exe's = Well obviously or no Windows stuff would work on it, would it? :rolleyes:

Programs don't always work = It's not finished.

Please do not bash the operating system because it is NT-based.

1. Um, there are a number of bugs that have been there for years but have yet to be fixed yet.
2. Very little windows stuff works on it anyways :|
3. Then why package programs with it when they don't work?
4. I didn't even know it was NT-based...

[Mr. Picklesworth]

Hey, don't diss ReactOS. It's a completely worthwhile project. When it reaches a stable release, I will be very excited to try replacing my one remaining Windows partition with that.

And of course not everything that comes with it works; it is a Windows implementation, remember :P

OpenSolaris is definitely worth a try.

[jimi_hendrix]

well any new suggestions?

[tadcan]

Does the OS need to be at least a 1.0 release

If not try http://www.haiku-os.org/

or minix, from the origin of Linux http://www.minix3.org/

[jimi_hendrix]

wow...does minix run X because its butt-ugly

[linuxluver]

Blurrgh, Minix does look ugly! Looks like Windows 1x!

[cardinals_fan]

ahh...how about eye OS?
EyeOS is a very cool project trying to create a complete graphical system using PHP and Javascript, meant to be viewed in a web browser. It does not include a kernel and must be run on top of another OS.
wow...does minix run X because its butt-ugly
MINIX can run X, but I don't recommend it. The whole point of MINIX is to use something very different and very minimal, and you won't have much luck trying to get your preferred graphical apps running. For the moment, MINIX is mostly useful as a tool for experimentation and research.

Aside from OpenSolaris, I would recommend both Haiku and Syllable. Haiku (http://www.haiku-os.org/) is an attempt to recreate and improve on BeOS. Syllable (http://web.syllable.org/pages/index.html) is an updated fork of AtheOS. Syllable Desktop is the real deal, while Syllable Server is a Linux distro aiming for the same goals. Please note that neither are finished products, and they are best tested in a virtual machine.

I know you said to put BSD aside, but if you haven't tried NetBSD (http://www.netbsd.org/) and DragonFlyBSD (http://www.dragonflybsd.org/index.shtml), I strongly recommend them both.

[Frak]

1. Um, there are a number of bugs that have been there for years but have yet to be fixed yet.
2. Very little windows stuff works on it anyways :|
3. Then why package programs with it when they don't work?
4. I didn't even know it was NT-based...

1. With only a hand-full of developers, it's hard to get to all the bug reports.
2. Again, not finished. It's Alpha. Well, I don't even consider it Alpha. An OS is a very hard thing to reverse-engineer.
3. Works on some systems, not on others. If it doesn't work, report a bug.
4. It's not. It's BSD based.

[pirate_tux]

actually they dont need to be opensource...just free :) whats wrong with reactOS

All free operating systems are opensource.

As a matter of fact all free software is opensource.

[cardinals_fan]

All free operating systems are opensource.

As a matter of fact all free software is opensource.
That would depend on your definition of free ;)

[glotz]

Please do not bash the operating system because it is NT-based.Great signature potential! :lol:

[jimi_hendrix]

Great signature potential! :lol:

dibs!

[spoons]

1. Um, there are a number of bugs that have been there for years but have yet to be fixed yet.
2. Very little windows stuff works on it anyways :|
3. Then why package programs with it when they don't work?
4. I didn't even know it was NT-based...

1. Those are bugs which need underlying things working before they are fixed, most likely.
2. Yes, because the underlying bits haven't been finished.
3. On some computers they do, but the drivers need underlying things done. (earlier versions of ReactOS used hacks, the hacks are removed now in favor of properly-coded solutions)
4. Well, it's written from scratch, I meant it's of the NT type family, as Linux is of the Unix family. :P

[jimi_hendrix]

well any other suggestions?

[Frak]

4. Well, it's written from scratch, I meant it's of the NT type family, as Linux is of the Unix family. :P

Again, it's heavily based on the BSD Kernel (which, of now, looks nothing like the kernel they started with). Linux is of the Minix family.

[jrusso2]

None makes as good a desktop as Linux because its hardware and software support is much better then the others.

Next would be FreeBSD or PC BSD.

[jrusso2]

Again, it's heavily based on the BSD Kernel (which, of now, looks nothing like the kernel they started with). Linux is of the Minix family.

Linux is not even close to Minix. Linux uses a monolithic Kernel while Minix uses a microkernel.

[Frak]

Linux is not even close to Minix. Linux uses a monolithic Kernel while Minix uses a microkernel.
Now it is, but it originally started as a Minix clone. It is now closer to BSD only because BSD has slowly come closer to Linux (non-intentionally). Minix has changed so drastically, almost nothing is like it.

[cardinals_fan]

well any other suggestions?
You don't like Syllable?

[jimi_hendrix]

hasnt downloaded yet :)

[joshmuffin]

Haha, 60% or more are BSD based (that I know of) If you want a good free OS, why exclude Linux? or BSD? unless of course you just want to try something new. Which is more often then not quite enjoyable.

There's stuff like opendos < I think that's what its called its, as the name implies, open source and much like Dos, I'm pretty sure it's not BSD or Linux.

[cardinals_fan]

There's stuff like opendos < I think that's what its called its, as the name implies, open source and much like Dos, I'm pretty sure it's not BSD or Linux.
FreeDOS

[forrestcupp]

trys to make a windows alternative but still using .exe'sI think enough people have stressed that ReactOS is still in alpha stages. But this one comment is kind of funny. Of course it still uses .exe's. It's not meant to be a different alternative. It's meant to be a free OS that will end up being completely compatible with the Windows XP/2003 line. Running exe's is the whole point.

Again, it's heavily based on the BSD Kernel (which, of now, looks nothing like the kernel they started with). Linux is of the Minix family.I'm pretty sure this isn't true. The ReactOS kernel has been developed from the ground up. It wasn't based on BSD. Here is an excerpt from their web site:

In fact, ReactOS has been written from scratch since 1996, a rock solid NT re-implementation, and therefore a reliable and robust operating system for tasks ranging from embedded micro computer to personal computer, workstations to server cluster, mainframes and super computers.

[albinootje]

actually they dont need to be opensource...just free :)

OK, for a free of charge closed-source OS worth trying, try the following :

Qnx 1 floppy network demo (find it, it's worth the experience!)
===================
http://toastytech.com/guis/qnxdemo.html

BeOS Max
========
(BeOS personal edition with extra drivers, just try and see how fast it boots and see how much potential BeOS had)

http://www.bebits.com/app/3148

Depending on your hardware YMMV.. and I'm not sure how well these run in VirtualBox, qemu or VMware.

[zmjjmz]

Syllable worked perfectly on a 400MHz Celeron with 160MB RAM, using an ATi Rage something (I got higher screen resolutions than I could of imagined in Linux).
I got rid of it because I wanted to use INX, but that's not the point.

[albinootje]

Haha, 60% or more are BSD based (that I know of) If you want a good free OS, why exclude Linux? or BSD?

I wonder whether the 60 % (or more) is true.
Perhaps you're including the hundreds of different Linux distributions in the percentages ? ;-)

Take a look at all the small "new" OS projects at http://freshmeat.net and you will find that quite a lot of people have been writing their OS from scratch (from time to time in assembly).

For example :

http://sourceforge.net/projects/v2os/ (IIRC v2os had an entry on FreshMeat before)
http://freshmeat.net/projects/visopsys/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/aros/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/jtmos/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/geekos/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/rome/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/orangelin/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/mikeos/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/2/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/ecos/

[Joeb454]

Moved to Other OS Talk :)

[maybeway36]

FreeDOS

FreeDOS is my preferred OS for playing ML Yaht. (http://textmodegames.com/download/mlyaht.html) :)

[Sorivenul]

Follow the already provided link to AROS. Great project. I also suggest MenuetOS/KolibriOS, if you're just looking to play around. Also, though BSD-based, PureDarwin (http://www.puredarwin.org/) may be of interest. If you're simply looking for "free", Plan 9 (http://plan9.bell-labs.com/plan9/), which has a Linux relative Glendix on the way.

Good luck!

[darrelljon]

Already mentioned but KolibriOS (http://www.kolibrios.org/).

[zmjjmz]

I wonder whether the 60 % (or more) is true.
Perhaps you're including the hundreds of different Linux distributions in the percentages ? ;-)

Take a look at all the small "new" OS projects at http://freshmeat.net and you will find that quite a lot of people have been writing their OS from scratch (from time to time in assembly).

For example :

http://sourceforge.net/projects/v2os/ (IIRC v2os had an entry on FreshMeat before)
http://freshmeat.net/projects/visopsys/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/aros/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/jtmos/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/geekos/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/rome/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/orangelin/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/mikeos/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/2/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/ecos/
Of those that are probably worth trying in a VM:
Visopsys
AROS
ROME
MikeOS
2
eCos, if you need an embedded platform and want to try it out, but to the average hobbyist it's quite useless.

[MarblePanther]

I. Cannot. Wait.

Haiku:

http://www.osnews.com/story/20951/BeOS_Lives_Haiku_Impresses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSMT8cM20m0

[MarblePanther]

Here is the latest .img running under VirtualBox

102915

[cardinals_fan]

I too look forward to Haiku.

[fistfullofroses]

To get the full potential out of your hardware stick with BSD, Linux, Darwin, or Solaris. Seriously here, there are many operating systems from which to choose, and many have promising technologies and/or ideas driving them, but they simply are not ready for the mainstream. OS/2 was amazing but lacked wide-spread support. As such eCS also lacks the benefits of drivers for even older hardware. Most Unices are geared toward specific hardware. Most other systems are niche systems (Menuet, Solar OS, Visopsys, Haiku, Syllable, etc...). Even SkyOS has the drawback of hardware support. BSD and Linux have the most support when you get away from Windows, and even Windows doesn't contain as many drivers as Linux (note the use of driver CDs that accompany almost every motherboard you buy).

[gjoellee]

-BSD
-(Open)Solaris
-JavaOS (discontinued and not worth trying, but may be cool)

[SunSpyda]

or minix, from the origin of Linux http://www.minix3.org/

I thought Linux was a stand alone project to make a free Unix like OS . I didn't think it was based off any existing code from Minix or anything of the like....

Redhat Linux is a commercial Linux that I used for a while. It is a full OS out of the box designed for corporate environments. It works very well, but I found it a little too bloated. That's the only decent non-free Linux I can think of. I have also heard good things of Suse Linux Enterprise.

[Frak]

I thought Linux was a stand alone project to make a free Unix like OS . I didn't think it was based off any existing code from Minix or anything of the like....

Andrew S. Tanenbaum, the developer of Minix, had a big hand in the creation of the Linux kernel. Linux was actually created from Linus Torvalds adding features to Minix, and then eventually taking all of his code that he wrote for Minix, and rebranded it to become Linux.

EDIT - For clarity
Linus wrote code for Minix, and then took his own written code, finalized it, and it became Linux. It originally used the Minix Filesystem and Minix userspace.

[SunSpyda]

Andrew S. Tanenbaum, the developer of Minix, had a big hand in the creation of the Linux kernel. Linux was actually created from Linus Torvalds adding features to Minix, and then eventually taking all of his code that he wrote for Minix, and rebranded it to become Linux.

EDIT - For clarity
Linus wrote code for Minix, and then took his own written code, finalized it, and it became Linux. It originally used the Minix Filesystem and Minix userspace.

I see.... Tanenbaum and Tolvald have a slight disagreement with muK vs monolithic kernels though don't they? Was that the reason why the they 'Split'?

[id1337x]

Try Now:
KollobriOS - boots instantly and fits on a 1.44 mb floppy disc.
Jnode - Purely Java operating system.

----------------------
Most new operating systems are pretty boring so I decided to just mention the ones I have seen that introduce new ideas into the seen rather then just being a clone of something else. I also would lik to point to something in development:

PhantomOS - if there is a black out you can resume for where you where right after the power is restored. No other OS does this.

[kellemes]

I see.... Tanenbaum and Tolvald have a slight disagreement with muK vs monolithic kernels though don't they? Was that the reason why the they 'Split'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanenbaum-Torvalds_debate

[Sorivenul]

Jnode - Purely Java operating system.
JNode has made a lot of progress in recent times. I, for one, am hoping that it gains a little support, since JavaOS has been considered defunct of "legacy" since 2006. An interesting project for sure.

[MarblePanther]

I thought Linux was a stand alone project to make a free Unix like OS . I didn't think it was based off any existing code from Minix or anything of the like....

Redhat Linux is a commercial Linux that I used for a while. It is a full OS out of the box designed for corporate environments. It works very well, but I found it a little too bloated. That's the only decent non-free Linux I can think of. I have also heard good things of Suse Linux Enterprise.

Here is the original Linux kernel if anyone's interested:

http://wiki.oldos.org/Downloads/OpenSource

[Sorivenul]

Here is the original Linux kernel if anyone's interested:

http://wiki.oldos.org/Downloads/OpenSource
This is also available directly from the Kernel archives here:
ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/Historic/

[MarblePanther]

This is also available directly from the Kernel archives here:
ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/Historic/

Much better link than mine, since the one at oldos is .rar-ed