Anyone tried ReactOS? [Archive]

RadixLecti

January 14th, 2006, 05:48 PM

http://www.reactos.org/xhtml/en/index.html

According to their homepage, they're developing an open source os fully capable of running any and all windows programs. For me, the only reason I've kept windows is the gaming. With this (currently in alpha), windows might well be put to pasture for good.

Iandefor

January 14th, 2006, 05:51 PM

I've heard of that, but I haven't tried it. I dislike the fact that so much effort is being put forth into providing an open-source version of Windows. If you want OSS but can't live without [Windows App], my suggestion would be to use WINE.

BWF89

January 14th, 2006, 05:59 PM

If you want OSS but can't live without [Windows App], my suggestion would be to use WINE.
The people at ReactOS are working with the people at WINE and vice versa (I think, correct me if I'm wrong).

xequence

January 14th, 2006, 06:00 PM

Its a wonderful project.

Especially because the ISO is 30MB :P

But I tried the livecd and it didntwork. Messed up video.

curuxz

January 14th, 2006, 06:18 PM

Intresting project tho personaly I would rather they spend the time implementing better emulation in all distros instead of making a 98 clone.

imagine

January 14th, 2006, 06:24 PM

I admire people who try to recreate APIs for which there is no available specification. But on the other hand I consider ReactOS both dangerous and silly. Dangerous because of software patents in the USA and silly because this is somehow a hopeless project.
They started off with the idea to create a free clone of Windows 95. That was 10 years ago, and you see how far they came until today. And it's not like meanwhile no one at Micros~1 was working at the API too, changing and expanding it...
In the end you have to ask which projects succeeded more in creating free alternatives to Windows: Projects which try to provide binary compatibility, eg Wine or ReactOS, or projects which try to create something new, different, incompatible to substitute Windows and its API, eg Linux.

Arktis

January 14th, 2006, 06:33 PM

Intresting project tho personaly I would rather they spend the time implementing better emulation in all distros instead of making a 98 clone.
Actually, it's meant to be an XP alternative.
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.One minor minor quibble I have though; XP uses an NT kernel. But I'm just nitpicky about silly things like that.

And I don't think it's a waste of time. But that's just me. It's going to benefit Linux users quite a bit. After all, it's likely going to improve WINE and Cedega, and give something to those who just want an open source windows clone instead of the rest of us having to listen to them whine all the time about how Linux sucks because they can't figure out how to do X. Instead they'll be complaining on the reactOS forums! <--- Okay, this is probably a bit harsh. I'm a jerk, I know.

Anyhow, I'll probably use it if it's good for gaming.

curuxz

January 14th, 2006, 06:40 PM

I'm a jerk, I know.

Realy....I had'nt noticed ;)

Lord Illidan

January 14th, 2006, 06:44 PM

I don't like the way it looks. Too Windows-ish. *from the screenshots, haven't downloaded it*

However. me thinks it will never get off the ground. Open Source apps are improving every day, thus the need for wine is growing less and less. Crossover office is extremely good, MS Office 2003 works fine on my pc, so I don't need another Linux distro to use windows apps. And as for games... we can always dual boot!

That said... I give the guys my encouragement..

Malphas

January 14th, 2006, 07:29 PM

It's a good and worthwhile project, providing they can pull-it off (which I doubt they can actually). GNU was basically the same idea only based on UNIX rather than Windows.

Mr_Grieves

January 14th, 2006, 08:34 PM

It's a good and worthwhile project, providing they can pull-it off (which I doubt they can actually). GNU was basically the same idea only based on UNIX rather than Windows.
Yea.. but It seems that this will be more difficult than going from UNIX to Linux. Just finding out all the API dependencies.. it's spinning.. just thinking of it.. so much undocumented "features".. ugh. It's for a good cause, but.. I think it might be more worth while to get some kind of standard platform for developers of software that everyone can come together in.

I have some kind of unreal dream where you can have 100% portability over all OSs.. just like I keep thinking world peace is actually archivable.. if everyone just try thier best.

Iandefor

January 14th, 2006, 09:28 PM

It's a good and worthwhile project, providing they can pull-it off (which I doubt they can actually). GNU was basically the same idea only based on UNIX rather than Windows. GNU actually had access to the kernel standards for POSIX operating systems. Try getting the functions for the NT kernel from Microsoft.

poofyhairguy

January 16th, 2006, 05:18 AM

I think it might be more worth while to get some kind of standard platform for developers of software that everyone can come together in.

Java.

xequence

January 16th, 2006, 08:23 AM

Java.

Is slow.

-Rick-

January 16th, 2006, 09:57 AM

Is slow.
And supports only 4 OS'es officially(Win, Lin, Solaris, Mac).
Python looks like a better start.

DouglasAWh

November 4th, 2007, 10:12 PM

And supports only 4 OS'es officially(Win, Lin, Solaris, Mac).
Python looks like a better start.

Is this still true? I think Java is on a lot of cell phones. In fact, I'm pretty certain my Blackberry OS is entirely in Java!

a12ctic

November 4th, 2007, 11:06 PM

Python is still a superior platform.

Dr. C

November 4th, 2007, 11:18 PM

I have tried version 0.3.1 in VMware. It is still in alpha so it has a way to go.

It is a very worthwhile project especially when one consides the vast array of software both Free Libre Open Source and propriety, and dirvers that will be left orphaned when Microsoft stops selling Windows XP. Also ReactOS helps the WINE project and vice versa.

ReactOS is to Windows as GNU / Linux is to Unix, and where is Unix now? When ReactOS reaches a stable beta it will pose a very serious threat to Microsoft, since it is both FLOSS and at the same time looks and feels like Windows.

LaRoza

November 4th, 2007, 11:19 PM

As to the original question, I have used ReactOS, albeit in a VM.

It is suprising, but unstable. It can not, at this moment, be used as a primary OS.

LaRoza

November 4th, 2007, 11:23 PM

Python is still a superior platform.

Python is in some ways better than Java at certain things. It comes on a Mac by default, it comes on most *nixes, and comes on Windows if the OEM was HP or Compaq. It has Windows specific libraries, and even a MS implementation, IronPython. It also has many Linux and Unix specific libraries.

Java was meant to run in a single machine, the JVM. Although I strongly prefer Python, Java was not built with the same purpose in mind. If it weren't for the Web, Java would only be used in appliances and such.

Dr. C

November 4th, 2007, 11:23 PM

As to the original question, I have used ReactOS, albeit in a VM.

It is suprising, but unstable. It can not, at this moment, be used as a primary OS.

Out of curiosity which version did you try?

LaRoza

November 4th, 2007, 11:24 PM

Out of curiosity which version did you try?

ReactOS 0.3.3, live and install.

Dr. C

November 4th, 2007, 11:29 PM

ReactOS 0.3.3, live and install.

Thanks. I am going to give this one some time. I am waiting for the 0.4 release to seem how much it has improved.

LaRoza

November 4th, 2007, 11:37 PM

Thanks. I am going to give this one some time. I am waiting for the 0.4 release to seem how much it has improved.

It seems to be released slowly. I got it months ago and 0.3.4 is coming in a few months.

-grubby

November 4th, 2007, 11:38 PM

I guess I'll try it in virtualbox.....

LaRoza

November 4th, 2007, 11:41 PM

I guess I'll try it in virtualbox.....

That is how I tried it.

-grubby

November 4th, 2007, 11:56 PM

I guess I'll try it in virtualbox.....

It seems pretty good...lets try running a Windows program.....

LaRoza

November 5th, 2007, 12:00 AM

It seems pretty good...lets try running a Windows program.....

Ah, I didn't actually do that. I used it by itself. I do not know how it handles in that situation.

-grubby

November 5th, 2007, 12:11 AM

Ah, I didn't actually do that. I used it by itself. I do not know how it handles in that situation.

I tried running Firefox. It froze after about 30 seconds

LaRoza

November 5th, 2007, 12:14 AM

I tried running Firefox. It froze after about 30 seconds

Firefox or ReactOS? Perhaps trying a smaller Windows program will work better.

ReactOS isn't very stable, but that is not suprising, considering the goals and circumstances. FreeDOS is better actually.

-grubby

November 5th, 2007, 12:34 AM

Firefox in reactos...oh, I can't try another app because I deleted the ReactOS virtual hard drive:)

chrisch

November 8th, 2007, 09:31 AM

I gave it a shot, very Alpha though. Keep in mind people, those who want to run ReactOS aren't people who are Linux users. This is for Windows users who don't want to buy Windows any more. Myself as a Linux user, am not going to ditch Ubuntu for a free Windows. I am going to be curiously watching this project, Look out Bill!

K.Mandla

November 8th, 2007, 09:41 AM

Moved to Other OS Talk. ;)

Harpalus

November 8th, 2007, 05:44 PM

I don't like the way it looks. Too Windows-ish. *from the screenshots, haven't downloaded it*

@.o? You're complaining that the Windows clone looks too much like Windows?

My BASH shell looks too....SH...ish. I don't think I'll use it..

I happen to love the way it looks. Of course, that's just nostalgia from my Windows days -- but something of the interface reminds me of a greatly improved Windows 2000. What Windows XP should have been. Perhaps I can make XFCE look like this, with the icons and everything...at any rate, I'll be keeping a close eye on the project..

K.Mandla

November 8th, 2007, 06:55 PM

I tried it about a month ago, but it wouldn't run for me. It would install, but never got past a boot screen. It's possible my hardware was too esoteric, but I couldn't give it a thumbs up when I never really got a chance to mess with it. ... :(

LinuxGuy1234

November 9th, 2007, 06:19 PM

rliegh

November 10th, 2007, 03:58 AM

Very alpha. ReactOS in intended to be able to run all windows programs and utilise device drivers written for windows natively. That means that a whole host of hardware and PCs which aren't usable under *Nix (no drivers, etc) would be able to be run under a GPL'ed OS.

It's the device drivers that are key -you can't emulate those under WINE.

Chayak

November 17th, 2007, 04:19 AM

Firefox or ReactOS? Perhaps trying a smaller Windows program will work better.

ReactOS isn't very stable, but that is not suprising, considering the goals and circumstances. FreeDOS is better actually.

Wow, it seems to be doing a great job as an open source version of windows ME! :lolflag:

Sorry, forgive the humor but I couldn't resist after hearing it froze running firefox. Here's to hoping they get things working without getting sued by Microsoft.

Jay_Bee

November 17th, 2007, 03:04 PM

I haven't tried it but the screenshots (http://www.reactos.org/en/screenshots.html) are impressive! (winamp, openoffice, firefox, thunderbird, quake3, unreal turnament... )

FuturePilot

February 20th, 2008, 02:18 AM

I was board so I decided to try this in a VM. It's rather scary how close it is to XP :shock:
But it also seems very unstable. Look what happened when I tried to install 7zip
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/5057/bsodnotwhatyouthinkfh1.th.png (http://img177.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bsodnotwhatyouthinkfh1.png)
:lolflag:

gsmanners

February 20th, 2008, 02:25 AM

You can probably get it working with KVM or VMware, but then you won't have 3D support anymore. On my system (and I imagine on a lot of newer systems), the OS just won't begin to operate natively.

Till they can get a kernel at least as functional as XP, it's just not worth the effort.

Caligula

February 20th, 2008, 04:42 AM

darksidedude

February 20th, 2008, 09:47 AM

Caligula

February 20th, 2008, 06:08 PM

well maybe when reactos makes beta they can make the windows code actually work better than windows it self, maybe make the code less bloated and somehow maybe make viruses not work? maybe make all accounts non admin built in?

NOW you sound like a windows user:
"Why can't ReactOS be a bit more like linux? it'll be so much better! Otherwise it'll never dominate the desktop!"