6 ms·

ReactOS – A free Windows-compatible Operating System

69 points by annilt 3y ago

cactusfrog 3y ago
The problem is that even windows isn’t a fully windows compatible operating system
mathfailure 3y ago
They stopped releasing, I think the project dies.
- ghusto 3y ago
  They have a release from a few hours ago?
  - debugnik 3y ago
    They specifically meant release, not commit. Latest release Dec 16, 2021.
    - ghusto 3y ago
      So these builds happen even if there's no change? https://reactos.org/getbuilds/ https://reactos.org/getbuilds/
      - jeditobe 3y ago
        There are A LOT OF changes!
        ghusto 3y ago
        I'm so confused! So there are changes, there are releases, there are builds, but "they stopped releasing" is still accurate?!
        jeditobe 3y ago
        They did NOT stop releasing. The are preraring the next release with version number 0.4.15. The changelog of this version will look really huge! There was a delay because of regressions to be fixed
  - orra 3y ago
    There are daily commits to the repo. But in terms of tags in git (or mailing list announcements), there hasn't been a release for a couple years (AFAICT).
- Tozen 3y ago
  They do have nightly builds, so they are continuing: https://reactos.org/getbuilds/ https://reactos.org/getbuilds/ https://iso.reactos.org/livecd/ https://iso.reactos.org/livecd/ Though I would agree with the sentiment that the project needs to speed it up to reach a point of greater usability or needs more help in doing so, to remain relevant and be seen as a viable alternative.
- Kwpolska 3y ago
  And no news on the main page since March 2022: https://reactos.org/ https://reactos.org/
- _joel 3y ago
  Eh? how can it be dead with daily commits? Just because there's not been a release in a while doesn't mean it's dead. They could probably be releasing more often but you can also build it yourself if required. https://github.com/reactos/reactos/commits/master https://github.com/reactos/reactos/commits/master
- sebazzz 3y ago
  It is a weird niche. If you want no Linux and no Windows but want to run Windows applications it is for you, or maybe if you need a legacy-compatible system without (hopefully) the same security issues? Otherwise it is either Windows, or Wine on some flavour of Linux.
slindsey 3y ago
"ReactOS™ is an Open Source effort to develop a quality operating system that is compatible with applications and drivers written for the Microsoft® Windows™ NT family of operating systems (NT4, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7). The ReactOS project, although currently focused on Windows Server 2003 compatibility, is always keeping an eye toward compatibility with Windows Vista and future Windows NT releases." I always felt that they should have focused on one, probably Windows XP, and tried for almost 100% compatibility, rather than moving the target toward later releases.
- zokier 3y ago
  > I always felt that they should have focused on one, probably Windows XP, and tried for almost 100% compatibility, rather than moving the target toward later releases. But isn't that what they are doing by focusing on 2003 (which is almost the same as XP)?
- jeroenhd 3y ago
  More and more software has quickly lost XP compatibility. I'm already finding myself struggling to download software I want to try on ReactOS itself because modern browsers are essentially unsupported. If it wants to remain relevant, it'll need SOME Windows 7 APIs at least. It doesn't need full compatibility like I think it should with older releases, but it needs to be compatible enough to run a few nice to haves as well.
  - jaclaz 3y ago
    Not necessarily useful/suitable for use in ReactOS, but there are a few modified "recent" browsers that do work (mostly) on XP. Mind you it's a mess of various browsers and versions and modified ones and patches to the modified ones, but if you are interested, here is a good entry point to the rabbit hole: https://msfn.org/board/forum/201-browsers-working-on-older-nt-family-oses/ https://msfn.org/board/forum/201-browsers-working-on-older-n...
QuiCasseRien 3y ago
More than 10 years, i'm waiting a installable ReactOS version, not virtualized. I don't thinks it will be one day...
- 8organicbits 3y ago
  I wonder if one of these would work for you. It's not the same as a normal installer, but you should be able to migrate out once you're installed. https://askubuntu.com/questions/32499/migrate-from-a-virtual-machine-vm-to-a-physical-system https://askubuntu.com/questions/32499/migrate-from-a-virtual...
- loa_in_ 3y ago
  It's mostly because bootstrapping code depends heavily on the target code, and while the target system code is changing often, committing to an installer architecture would be a serious hindrance to the architects' productivity on the core
- projektfu 3y ago
  I remember it being installable on Pentium-3 level hardware before. You may have arrived too late.
archfrog 3y ago
I was invited to join the ReactOS project about 10-12 years ago. I was part of it for, say, four days, then I left. I realized I could format my system drive with no warning or error. Then did a code review and realized that this project will never fly. I appreciate the motivation and goals, but I don't think you'll ever see a usable release of ReactOS. I am not against ReactOS, but the guys have way too few resources to ever be able to compete against Microsoft.
- stavros 3y ago
  Isn't it a bit ironic that you left the project because it had too few resources?
  - duxup 3y ago
    I suppose that’s the chicken and egg problem of wanting to participate in something that you think will / has a chance to go where you hope it will.
  - archfrog 3y ago
    In a way, yes. But I left because I could see no future for the project due to the fact that I could format my system partition without getting warning and other similar issues. I have to say that I wasn't a coder or anything, only invited to test. And I quickly felt that there was no way this thing could be made to fly. I admire the people behind ReactOS for their perseverance, I really wish I had just 1/10th of what they have.
- seba_dos1 3y ago
  > the guys have way too few resources to ever be able to compete against Microsoft Really? Are you absolutely sure, Sherlock? Did you know that the water is wet already or are you going to announce that in your next comment? ;) The project has many other reasons-to-be and it would probably be very hard to find anyone seriously believing that "competing against Microsoft" is one of them.
  - archfrog 3y ago
merricksb 3y ago
Discussed several times on HN, including 4 months ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34426198 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34426198 (204 points/4 months ago/129 comments)
KevinChen6 3y ago
It's good that this project is used to help learn and understand operating system principles, but never expect it to be used formally.
simonblack 3y ago
I've tried ReactOS quite a few times. But I still have to rely on running real Windows 7 as a VirtualBox guest to run my HP MFP Scanner Software about 10 times a year.
ThinkBeat 3y ago
I think this is a great project I have followed for a while. Havig multiple types of operating systems as open source I think is vital for further progress towards a next generation operating system. (Whatever that might be, I have lots of ideas)
ThinkBeat 3y ago
What works better to run everyday Windows apps? Wine/Crossover or ReactOS? I have really wished for Wine to support recent releases of Microsoft Office.

69 points by annilt 3y ago

cactusfrog 3y ago

The problem is that even windows isn’t a fully windows compatible operating system

mathfailure 3y ago

They stopped releasing, I think the project dies.

ghusto 3y ago
They have a release from a few hours ago?
- debugnik 3y ago
  They specifically meant release, not commit. Latest release Dec 16, 2021.
  - ghusto 3y ago
    So these builds happen even if there's no change? https://reactos.org/getbuilds/ https://reactos.org/getbuilds/
    - jeditobe 3y ago
      There are A LOT OF changes!
      - ghusto 3y ago
        I'm so confused! So there are changes, there are releases, there are builds, but "they stopped releasing" is still accurate?!
        jeditobe 3y ago
        They did NOT stop releasing. The are preraring the next release with version number 0.4.15. The changelog of this version will look really huge! There was a delay because of regressions to be fixed
- orra 3y ago
  There are daily commits to the repo. But in terms of tags in git (or mailing list announcements), there hasn't been a release for a couple years (AFAICT).
Tozen 3y ago
They do have nightly builds, so they are continuing: https://reactos.org/getbuilds/ https://reactos.org/getbuilds/ https://iso.reactos.org/livecd/ https://iso.reactos.org/livecd/ Though I would agree with the sentiment that the project needs to speed it up to reach a point of greater usability or needs more help in doing so, to remain relevant and be seen as a viable alternative.
Kwpolska 3y ago
And no news on the main page since March 2022: https://reactos.org/ https://reactos.org/
_joel 3y ago
Eh? how can it be dead with daily commits? Just because there's not been a release in a while doesn't mean it's dead. They could probably be releasing more often but you can also build it yourself if required. https://github.com/reactos/reactos/commits/master https://github.com/reactos/reactos/commits/master
sebazzz 3y ago
It is a weird niche. If you want no Linux and no Windows but want to run Windows applications it is for you, or maybe if you need a legacy-compatible system without (hopefully) the same security issues? Otherwise it is either Windows, or Wine on some flavour of Linux.

slindsey 3y ago

"ReactOS™ is an Open Source effort to develop a quality operating system that is compatible with applications and drivers written for the Microsoft® Windows™ NT family of operating systems (NT4, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7). The ReactOS project, although currently focused on Windows Server 2003 compatibility, is always keeping an eye toward compatibility with Windows Vista and future Windows NT releases." I always felt that they should have focused on one, probably Windows XP, and tried for almost 100% compatibility, rather than moving the target toward later releases.

zokier 3y ago
> I always felt that they should have focused on one, probably Windows XP, and tried for almost 100% compatibility, rather than moving the target toward later releases. But isn't that what they are doing by focusing on 2003 (which is almost the same as XP)?
jeroenhd 3y ago
More and more software has quickly lost XP compatibility. I'm already finding myself struggling to download software I want to try on ReactOS itself because modern browsers are essentially unsupported. If it wants to remain relevant, it'll need SOME Windows 7 APIs at least. It doesn't need full compatibility like I think it should with older releases, but it needs to be compatible enough to run a few nice to haves as well.
- jaclaz 3y ago
  Not necessarily useful/suitable for use in ReactOS, but there are a few modified "recent" browsers that do work (mostly) on XP. Mind you it's a mess of various browsers and versions and modified ones and patches to the modified ones, but if you are interested, here is a good entry point to the rabbit hole: https://msfn.org/board/forum/201-browsers-working-on-older-nt-family-oses/ https://msfn.org/board/forum/201-browsers-working-on-older-n...

QuiCasseRien 3y ago

More than 10 years, i'm waiting a installable ReactOS version, not virtualized. I don't thinks it will be one day...

8organicbits 3y ago
I wonder if one of these would work for you. It's not the same as a normal installer, but you should be able to migrate out once you're installed. https://askubuntu.com/questions/32499/migrate-from-a-virtual-machine-vm-to-a-physical-system https://askubuntu.com/questions/32499/migrate-from-a-virtual...
loa_in_ 3y ago
It's mostly because bootstrapping code depends heavily on the target code, and while the target system code is changing often, committing to an installer architecture would be a serious hindrance to the architects' productivity on the core
projektfu 3y ago
I remember it being installable on Pentium-3 level hardware before. You may have arrived too late.

archfrog 3y ago

I was invited to join the ReactOS project about 10-12 years ago. I was part of it for, say, four days, then I left. I realized I could format my system drive with no warning or error. Then did a code review and realized that this project will never fly. I appreciate the motivation and goals, but I don't think you'll ever see a usable release of ReactOS. I am not against ReactOS, but the guys have way too few resources to ever be able to compete against Microsoft.

stavros 3y ago
Isn't it a bit ironic that you left the project because it had too few resources?
- duxup 3y ago
  I suppose that’s the chicken and egg problem of wanting to participate in something that you think will / has a chance to go where you hope it will.
- archfrog 3y ago
  In a way, yes. But I left because I could see no future for the project due to the fact that I could format my system partition without getting warning and other similar issues. I have to say that I wasn't a coder or anything, only invited to test. And I quickly felt that there was no way this thing could be made to fly. I admire the people behind ReactOS for their perseverance, I really wish I had just 1/10th of what they have.
seba_dos1 3y ago
> the guys have way too few resources to ever be able to compete against Microsoft Really? Are you absolutely sure, Sherlock? Did you know that the water is wet already or are you going to announce that in your next comment? ;) The project has many other reasons-to-be and it would probably be very hard to find anyone seriously believing that "competing against Microsoft" is one of them.
- archfrog 3y ago

merricksb 3y ago

Discussed several times on HN, including 4 months ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34426198 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34426198 (204 points/4 months ago/129 comments)

KevinChen6 3y ago

It's good that this project is used to help learn and understand operating system principles, but never expect it to be used formally.

simonblack 3y ago

I've tried ReactOS quite a few times. But I still have to rely on running real Windows 7 as a VirtualBox guest to run my HP MFP Scanner Software about 10 times a year.

ThinkBeat 3y ago

I think this is a great project I have followed for a while. Havig multiple types of operating systems as open source I think is vital for further progress towards a next generation operating system. (Whatever that might be, I have lots of ideas)

ThinkBeat 3y ago

What works better to run everyday Windows apps? Wine/Crossover or ReactOS? I have really wished for Wine to support recent releases of Microsoft Office.