React OS: Free Windows!

thefinalstage · 25-04-2007 1:13pm #1

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

This is an open source project and is still in relatively early beta but is has great potential and as stated its free! They could always use more developers to help out so take a look and keep your eyes on it!

Peteee · 25-04-2007 4:21pm

How long till they get the pants sued off them by Microsoft?

Capt'n Midnight · 25-04-2007 8:08pm

http://www.reactos.org/en/about_roadmap.html
ReactOS Releases Roadmap

* Pre-Alpha
o 0.0.1 - 1996
o 0.0.2 - 2002
o 0.1 - 2003
o 0.2 - 2004
* Alpha
o 0.3 - 2006
o 0.4 - planned for 2007
* Beta
o 0.5 - planned for 2007/8

seamus · 25-04-2007 8:29pm

So what you're saying is that we're gonna be on Vista SP4 before we see a free OS to compete with XP?

maidhc · 25-04-2007 9:25pm

seamus wrote:

So what you're saying is that we're gonna be on Vista SP4 before we see a free OS to compete with XP?

I think MS would be seriously worried if there was a free OS compatible with and able to compete with NT4!

Capt'n Midnight · 25-04-2007 10:28pm

seamus wrote:

So what you're saying is that we're gonna be on Vista SP4 before we see a free OS to compete with XP?

lets not forget that we'll have to wait another few years to get all the features originally announced for the next version of windows after XP, Vista is really only a stopgap on the original roadmap.

Rambo · 26-04-2007 12:46am

thelastangryman wrote:

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

This is an open source project and is still in relatively early beta but is has great potential and as stated its free! They could always use more developers to help out so take a look and keep your eyes on it!

I allways said to people microsoft should have a free os
once you have network firefox web browser, open office ,usb support camera,printer ,direct x to play games most users will be happy.

And the option to upgrade your free edition to some thing like windows xp,vista

aidan_walsh · 26-04-2007 2:28am

Rambo wrote:

And the option to upgrade your free edition to some thing like windows xp,vista

You always have that option. Its in shops in a box.

Rambo · 26-04-2007 6:03pm

aidan_walsh wrote:

You always have that option. Its in shops in a box.

but not from a windows free os

mick.fr · 27-04-2007 1:40pm

That's a stupid project.
If you want a good free desktop OS you can go with PC-BSD for example, or some kind of Linux.
The point of making a Linux/Unix compatible with legacy Windows OS is pretty...pointless no ?

And getting good game on Linux is not easy, because of DirectX being the main framework for PC game editors on Windows machines...

Plus this kind of guys are always bitching at Windows OS but they are trying to do the same, same look and feel etc...
What is the point seriously ? If you want to develop a good new OS for desktop, why don't you do your own, your own design, lets make your OS unique, then we can reall appreciate the value of your product, instead of trying to copy Windows start menu etc...This is stupid.

seamus · 27-04-2007 1:52pm

mick.fr wrote:

That's a stupid project.

Well not really. If you think about it in real terms, Linux won't (at least not in the next ten years) replace Windows as a free desktop OS. The biggest OS market comes from business, not from home users. Home users are free to chop and change between Lunix and Windows and Mac all they want, but companies aren't. The cost of switching from a Windows to Linux desktop for a medium or large company would be phenomenal - extra training costs, losses in productivity, having to fight with unions. It would be a huge and costly project - you would spend months just locating the software you need to replace what you're currently using, and locating the training tools necessary.

However, if someone manages to develop a free OS that you can more-or-less slot in, instead of Windows, with little or no training costs and changes to software, then you're laughing. It would be about as costly as implementing a new windows theme across the company - a few people would complain, but once they're used to it, everything would continue as normal.

This does of course, depend on the company. Companies that specialise in I.T. would find switching to linux a lot easier than say an accountancy firm - the I.T. company's employees would largely be able to figure things out for themselves.

Blowfish · 27-04-2007 4:55pm

mick.fr wrote:

If you want a good free desktop OS you can go with PC-BSD for example, or some kind of Linux.

Agreed.

mick.fr wrote:

The point of making a Linux/Unix compatible with legacy Windows OS is pretty...pointless no ?

No, some software companies never release a version that is compatible with Linux. Most of these still support xp, and will for a good while.

mick.fr wrote:

And getting good game on Linux is not easy, because of DirectX being the main framework for PC game editors on Windows machines...

wine can already emulate up to DirectX 9, so its not that far behind. Besides the argument 'its hard so we shouldn't do it' is a bit silly no?

mick.fr wrote:

Plus this kind of guys are always bitching at Windows OS but they are trying to do the same, same look and feel etc...

Theres no substitute for familiarity, if people find they can have an OS that does everything windows can, looks, feels and reacts in a way they are used to and is free, do you not see why they might like it?

Besides which, you are looking at the situation in a horribly blinkered black and white way, assuming that all *nix users bitch about Windows and don't like it.

mick.fr wrote:

What is the point seriously?

Its free. Its open source. It will do everything windows does. Its far less restrictive license wise than windows. You don't see those things as advantageous no?

aidan_walsh · 27-04-2007 4:59pm

Anyhoo, its not *NIX. Its an original kernal.

Capt'n Midnight · 27-04-2007 10:22pm

seamus wrote:

However, if someone manages to develop a free OS that you can more-or-less slot in, instead of Windows, with little or no training costs and changes to software, then you're laughing. It would be about as costly as implementing a new windows theme across the company - a few people would complain, but once they're used to it, everything would continue as normal.

It would be open source so the TCP/IP stack might be better.

Combined with things like OpenOffice and backward compatibility you would have an interesting OS for older machines. It's not cost effective to put a new version of windows on an old machine - you can get an entry level barebones pc with OEM for less than the cost of a full retail license. It could also be a way of using legacy hardware / systems AND have access to the latest security updates.

Look at stuff like ATM's and some large corporations which didn't move from NT4 until long after microsoft ended support.

27-04-2007 10:31pm

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Look at stuff like ATM's and some large corporations which didn't move from NT4 until long after microsoft ended support.

I was on lunch last week and saw an Ulster Bank ATM in Centra on the Malahide Road and it was being remotely repaired, still running NT4 after all these years.

SeanW · 27-04-2007 11:37pm

It looks good - so far the main problem with things like Linux is the unfamiliarity of it to most people, plus the difficulties with needing special drivers and software. If an open source OS can act like Windows as OpenOffice does for MS Office, then M$ might have something to worry about.

I hope this project works!

Capt'n Midnight · 28-04-2007 12:59am

SeanW wrote:

It looks good - so far the main problem with things like Linux is the unfamiliarity of it to most people, plus the difficulties with needing special drivers and software.

You could say the same thing about VISTA

28-04-2007 1:34am

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

You could say the same thing about VISTA

Familiarity with Vista is a big thing for me. I'm not familiar with it, and if I were to put time and resources into getting used to another operating system I'd want it to be something else, Mac or Linux, haven't decided yet.

lodgepole · 28-04-2007 1:36am

Karsini wrote:

I was on lunch last week and saw an Ulster Bank ATM in Centra on the Malahide Road and it was being remotely repaired, still running NT4 after all these years.

There's a computer in Tesco in Dundrum (top right corner of the store) running NT3.x. I have no idea what it's used for but it gives me a hint of nostalgia everytime I do my shopping.

Blowfish · 28-04-2007 1:52am

Karsini wrote:

I was on lunch last week and saw an Ulster Bank ATM in Centra on the Malahide Road and it was being remotely repaired, still running NT4 after all these years.

I saw the one in the student centre in DCU being rebooted, turns out its running OS/2.

seamus · 28-04-2007 6:12pm

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

You could say the same thing about VISTA

Well, this is one thing. By far, the opportunity for any company to switch, comes when an OS undergoes a major version revision. Although I'd still be more familiar with some of the back-end administration stuff of Vista than Linux, getting used to the GUI and the rest will be on a par with getting used to a Linux install.

The big problem for companies is software. If a company has 1500 users using Outlook and Word, how do you switch them to an alternative on Linux? Is there even an alternative available on Linux for all the company's used software?

El_mariachi · 28-04-2007 9:10pm

why do you people contuine to argue that mircosoft is crap etc etc yet still use windows? if you hate it so much use linux and shut up about it all ready.... its so boring reading these threads that start about with an interesting idea that turns into the whole Ms are evil, crap, linux is so great,linux will make your breakfast etc....

Linux is great but its a pain to set up for the average PC user. most Average user dont know how to use it nor do they want to learn.
Company's pick windows because although Windows crashes alot but the average Pc user know how to do what they want to get done with it. Allowing them to do they're work without been trained on using linux or its limited applications.

Nearly every school now teaches ECDL in 4th year so most ppl know how to use mircosoft office Applications to a degree so it makes since for companies to stick with windows.

now back on topic

Its an interesting idea but i think say the most exciting games are on it .... these games are so old.....

qoute from the site"
This ReactOS Tour page will show you some most exciting games that works fine in ReactOS.

* Unreal Tournament
* Deus Ex
* Quake 1
* OpenTTD

" bit silly

Blowfish · 28-04-2007 9:33pm

El_mariachi wrote:

why do you people contuine to argue that mircosoft is crap etc etc yet still use windows? if you hate it so much use linux and shut up about it all ready.... its so boring reading these threads that start about with an interesting idea that turns into the whole Ms are evil, crap, linux is so great,linux will make your breakfast etc....

Ok seriously, please point out to me anywhere on this thread that people have said that ms are evil or that they hate windows and Linux is better. No really, please do.

Company's pick windows because although Windows crashes alot but the average Pc user know how to do what they want to get done with it. Allowing them to do they're work without been trained on using linux

And thats the whole point to this project. The aim is to provide the ability to do all of those things for free. If it is successful in doing so, why should companies stick to windows?

* Unreal Tournament
* Deus Ex
* Quake 1
* OpenTTD

Its on version 0.3, thats still alpha stage. Once it is fully developed the list will be far far longer.

Capt'n Midnight · 28-04-2007 10:58pm

El_mariachi wrote:

Nearly every school now teaches ECDL in 4th year so most ppl know how to use mircosoft office Applications to a degree so it makes since for companies to stick with windows.

TBH they should also use OpenOffice with this.

Stephen · 28-04-2007 11:04pm

Blowfish wrote:

Its on version 0.3, thats still alpha stage. Once it is fully developed the list will be far far longer.

That list will probably still be years out of date by the time they reach version 1.0. Look at all the new stuff they'll have to deal with - DirectX 10 etc.

ethernet · 29-04-2007 1:45pm

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

TBH they should also use OpenOffice with this.

I agree completely. I can see OO becoming more popular when people see the new ribbon in Office 2007 and feel uncomfortable using it from previous versions. Back to what they know and what looks familiar.

Blowfish · 29-04-2007 1:53pm

Stephen wrote:

That list will probably still be years out of date by the time they reach version 1.0. Look at all the new stuff they'll have to deal with - DirectX 10 etc.

That is true, however as seamus pointed out, for companies it would be fantastic, and since businesses have the largest chunk of the market, the idea of ReactOs definitely has potential.

thefinalstage · 01-05-2007 5:24pm

Stephen wrote:

That list will probably still be years out of date by the time they reach version 1.0. Look at all the new stuff they'll have to deal with - DirectX 10 etc.

On the current schedule....but you forget even if it is out of date this project will begin to fly when it is fully released because the open source community will really start to take note. :-).

React OS: Free Windows!

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