The new ReactOS newsletter has been published. “Currently the main development branch “trunk” even though it has many new features and bug fixes since 0.3.0, it currently has several issues that prevent it from being relatively useful. Furthermore functionality that once worked no longer does, this is called a regression. Until trunk has been reasonably fixed 0.3.1 will not be released. Be assured that the developers are working hard on fixing the current issues and bringing forth a good public release as soon as humanly possible.”
The ReactOS project announces it’s first fundraising campaign to help support the future operation and expansion of its free, multilingual, open source implementation of a Windows XP/2003 compatible operating system.
The fundraising campaign runs from January 08, 2007 through February 08, 2007, and aims to raise 4000 EUR (or 5500 USD). ReactOS will accept donations in dozens of currencies from individuals and organizations around the globe. We are doing our best to accept money using the most useful and accessible services.
The ReactOS Foundation supports one of the largest collaboratively developed open source operating system.
More information:
http://www.reactos.org/en/fundraising_campaign.html
btw. the correct link of latest newsletter issue(english):
http://www.reactos.org/en/newsletter_15.html
Edited 2007-01-08 15:50
…the ReactOS “What is ReactOS” I am not 100% sure of the reason behind the project. I understand the usefulness of wine for linux users, but recreating the ubiquitous desktop seems sort of fruitless, as every PC out there comes with it “real thing” bundled into it. There are open source and freeware tools that can be used in lieu of MS tools for many things that run on Windows already.
I’m not saying I don’t LIKE the idea of the project… Just that it seems like it is being done just because it can be done, which is fine too.
The idea behind it is to make an open source Windows clone. There are people that like Windows but dont like Linux. Back in the day, Unix was great but expensive and restricted thus GNU/Linux was born. There is an open source BeOS clone. People have varied tastes and you have to respect that.
I’m not sure I get it either.
First off, it seems like the minute they release, they’ll be sued out of existence, and secondly, in all honesty, whose going to want to use something that is compatible with a 10+ year old OS?
whose going to want to use something that is compatible with a 10+ year old OS?
I would.
The last thing I *WANT* with my windows machine is to be forced to upgrade to Vista – I’d like to keep running windows 2000 or windows xp (i find both to be pretty much the same in actual usefulness) for a long time yet.
If an FOSS version of those were to an option – I’d switch to them
Edit: Nevermind that Microsoft themselves has been making every version of windows “compatible with a 10+ year old OS” and succeeding at it pretty effectively so far.
Edited 2007-01-08 16:18
I agree with the original poster.
There really isn’t much of a market for ReactOS. There are plenty of copies of NT 4 floating around out there, but you never hear anybody posting their great successes of getting NT 4 running on OS X, or anywhere else for that matter.
If that’s what you’re after, I can fulfill your dream today and send you one of my copies of NT 4 for free. Nobody wants that though.
Also, if you think Microsoft is going to stand by and allow a binary compatible, drop-in replacement OS to succeed (regardless if it merely copies one of their 10 year old technologies), you are sadly fooling yourself I’m afraid.
The original poster’s comment was valid. Shame on those myopic folk who rated it down.
If that’s what you’re after, I can fulfill your dream today and send you one of my copies of NT 4 for free. Nobody wants that though.
Of course they don’t want NT4 – microsoft doesn’t support it, and Windows 2000 and XP are basically just newer versions. Otherwise, it’s got the same basic shell, the same API, and the same basic kernel. The driver model has changed somewhat (especially for video drivers) – and that’s probably why many hardware manufacturers don’t provide drivers for it still (since it’s not even supported by the vendor that created it).
You have to understand that people are literally FORCED to upgrade windows – as Microsoft leaves them with very little choice.
On the other hand, I would happily still use NT4 also, if I had to
You have to understand that people are literally FORCED to upgrade windows – as Microsoft leaves them with very little choice.
Oh come on…Windows 98/ME was supported until what? 2004? Stop making biased claims…
Oh come on…Windows 98/ME was supported until what? 2004? Stop making biased claims…
Sorry, I was referring to usable OSes – those were barely feasible for actual business usage.
I’ll assume you’re being sarcastic anyway – since 6 years is barely a scratch when it comes to supporting an OS. I believe you, sir, are the biased one as it’s obvious you expect to pay to replace your OS every few years (and subsequently be forced to upgrade your hardware).
Edited 2007-01-09 01:23
I’m hardly biased…I use an OS when I need it’s features…I have an iBook, a Linux Server, a Linux Desktop and a Windows Laptop…and barely a scratch? Well seeing as the first popular Windows OS (3.1) wasn’t released til what? ’93? thats half of Windows’ lifeline…
I want to run certain Windows apps on my mac. If I can install ReactOS, I can run it virtually and then run my apps on top of it, all for free.
They can’t be sued out of existence, as long as they don’t use original Windows code. If eveything is reverse engineered, then there is no problem, just like Samba or Wine
Which of our “What is ReactOS” have you read? We have one short one in the FAQ page and another more detailed article labled with the same headline:
http://www.reactos.org/en/about_whatisreactos.html
http://www.reactos.org/en/about_userfaq.html
ReactOS is an advanced free open source operating system 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. ReactOS has and will continue to incorporating features from newer versions and sometimes even define the state of the art in operating system technology.
Linux has been the open source answer to closed source Unix (Xenix, IRIX & co.). ReactOS is the answer to WinNT/VMS series (which also covers WinXP/Vista, etc.).
It’s pretty simple, it’s always good to have alternatives. A lot of people are annoyed by operating systems which restrict their usage, come with inbuilt DRM, restrictive licenses, OSs that are resource hogs, etc.
ReactOS has been started in 1996, before all these topics were relevant. The ideas behind ReactOS are pretty similar like the Linux movement. The only major different is that ReactOS is a whole operating system were Linux is only the kernel (and kernel-libs).
And please don’t forget the big masses of WinNT series compatible drivers and Win32 software and there is only one OS out there beside Redmond based monopol which support that; ReactOS.
ReactOS is a good thing for other open source OS’s. There’s a tendency for open source advocates to copy Windows just so Windows users can switch to free software. But if that’s the job for reactos, then there is no need for other OS’s to lose their identity.
KDE is moving to Windows…but that could then lead to KDE on ReactOS. And then people might move to KDE on desktopbsd or linux. In other words, it’s a good bridge to another OS. It’s an incremental approach
I think the first people who might switch to reactos are the litestep fans. Also people would stop pirating Windows, especially in the 3rd world. They would just use this instead and still get support because it’s legit.
No I respect that. Honest. I am a BeOS fan/user myself. But what I am saying is that Windows comes on virtually every PC being bought today. It’s part of the purchase. I actually LIKE the idea of a Windows clone, I am just not sure how it will do in a sea of the original MS OS. BeOS went out of business too, so I am not sure that is a good comparison – but I get what you are saying.
[i]I actually LIKE the idea of a Windows clone, I am just not sure how it will do in a sea of the original MS OS.[i]
Have you ever thought of the possibility of using a Win32 OS and not be forced to accept MS’s EULA? No WGA, no Product Activation, no changing EULA terms with an update, no forced DRM, considerable less cost with a bare machine and still be legal, etc.
Even if there would be just a few thousand users, it would be a success. The key here is end user friendly licensing and a development team building in conjunction with its community.
Well I suppose this is where the MS Windows backwards compatibility is a good thing, for the ReactOS users.
ReactOS aims WinXP/WinVista compatibility.
ReactOS has and will continue to incorporating features from newer versions and sometimes even define the state of the art in operating system technology.
It’s an old myth spreading around that ReactOS aims for WinNT 4.
The answer is ReactOS aims for WinNT series. The project has been started in 1996 (WinNT 3.5 was available; later that year NT 4 got released). Some years later, the project aimed NT 5 aka Win2000.
The current aims are WinNT 5&6 (2000, XP, 2003 and Vista) .
I read the short one, methinks. I apologize for coming off in a bad way. I think it is a cool project – and WINE has been quite useful. And I reckon that as MS continues down its constricting licensing path, ReactOS will garner more and more users.
I am sure I will appreciate it more and more as I am being forced to install MS Windows XP on my Mac (or buy another PC) for work.
Some guys in here are talking about ReactOS without even know anything about it. “First off, it seems like the minute they release, they’ll be sued out of existence, and secondly, in all honesty, whose going to want to use something that is compatible with a 10+ year old OS?” How sue someone without a reason. ReactOS is made from scratch, so MS cannot do anything. I know of the evil word “Software patents”, but our lovely EU is kicking MS Ass in the right direction. Next: Why 10 Years old? ReactOS is aiming WinXP/Win2k3+ compatibility, not NT4. Pleaseguys, read the links frik85 pasted abovebefore talking incorrect stuff.
Edited 2007-01-08 16:40
Holy cow! You just reminded me that when I install XP on my Mac I can use Litestep again! Yay!
That was the one thing that made (for me anyway) using Windows more enjoyable.
despite being a Haiku/Beos fanboy, I must say that of all the ‘alternative’ OS’es in progress, Reactos is the one with the greatest chance of attracting a substantial userbase. mainly because unlike the others, Reactos will not be starved on driver and software support.
anyway, the newsletter is off to a good 2007 start. however, I’d personally enjoy some in-depth coverage on certain parts of the development. iirc, there was mention in the last issue of work on a win2003 inspired thread scheduler and experimental work on memory and cache manager which I think would make a good newsletter article. I always find this kind of stuff very interesting (yes, I don’t get out much
).
“mainly because unlike the others, Reactos will not be starved on driver and software support”
Excellent point which I didn’t even consider!
ReactOS means (in the future) free gaming, which is something that Linux terribly lacks and makes millions of young PC users to remain confined to Windows.
Again, ReactOS is cloning modern Windows versions, not NT 4. Furthermore, if you know of any other NT 4 clone, please, enumerate, because I would like to try it.
Edited 2007-01-08 19:50
It seam allot people do not known what is NT, NT is name of windows kernel, 4.0 is version number of the kernel. ReactOS are implemet everthing from 2003 and down we have done that for while. we even start implement the new api from vista. You need the NT api from frist version of NT then start move up. That exacly we are doing we implement frist NT4.0 api then we add new api from windows 2000 and xp and 2003 and vista. and we are working on all version same time. Most diffent betwin NT 4.0 and windows 2003 is allot new api nothing more and that. we already have allot 2003, 2000, xp, vista, nt4 api in reactos. Read more about our project. and read more about how windows work before comment stuff. not assume or gueseing stuff, and we already have nt4/2000 driver working in reactos from 3 party. we are working getting full drv comptaible with NT4.0 and higher. we already support NT4 directx driver for the graphice card in win32k, we support as well NT 2000/XP/2003 directx for the graphice card. But we need doing some bugfix before and getting real applactions working with directx graphic hal subsystem. the desgin of directx subsystem are very lite diffent betwin nt4 and 2000, and betwin nt 2000 and 2003 or xp it is in diffent in win32k or the driver. please read before write stupied comment.
Do u think MS rewrite everthing for each release no they do not, they are adding on allot new api and let the old one exists. for the old one are being use.
by ms them self for drv and apps