Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

ReactOS

reactos.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 57 posts

Re: ReactOS

#21

Post by TomOfTTB »

Kudos to the creators for keeping at it. But in the end I don't see if being of much consequence.

If it ever does get out of Alpha and is viable than Microsoft will likely stop at nothing to bury it with lawsuits. They'd have to because it would be a free version of their core product that, by definition, wouldn't be susceptible to all the viruses and malware that Windows is.

So the bottom line is it could have a lot of useful applications but you really couldn't have enough faith in its future to use it for those applications.

Re: ReactOS

#22

Post by coderdude »

tome wrote: post #20
richbradshaw wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the right word was compliment. Complement means goes well with, compliment means a good comment.

I suspect coderdude edited his post to change the spelling.

I did. I wasn't trying to be secretive about it either, considering I was quoted and I then thanked him for pointing it out. Have I confused anyone here?

Re: ReactOS

#23

Post by calcnerd256 »

TomOfTTB wrote: post #21

Kudos to the creators for keeping at it. But in the end I don't see if being of much consequence. If it ever does get out of Alpha and is viable than Microsoft will likely stop at nothing to bury it with lawsuits. They'd have to because it would be a free version of their core product that, by definition, wouldn't be susceptible to all the viruses and malware that Windows is. So the bottom line is it could have a lot…

Why wouldn't it be susceptible to malware? The fact that that question is even worth asking demonstrates that you've abused the phrase "by definition"

Re: ReactOS

#24

Post by csomar »

So what's the point of this Operating System? Kill Microsoft and the thousands of developers that are working their just because you don't like them or the name of the company?

Wouldn't this huge time and effort be spent on something we need but don't have? And yes, charge me for using it. I study medicine, but I won't work as a doctor for free.

Re: ReactOS

#25

Post by dRother »

csomar wrote: post #24

So what's the point of this Operating System? Kill Microsoft and the thousands of developers that are working their just because you don't like them or the name of the company? Wouldn't this huge time and effort be spent on something we need but don't have? And yes, charge me for using it. I study medicine, but I won't work as a doctor for free.

You might want to look into the concept 'open source' and study the phenomenon known as 'linux'. It sounds as if you've never heard of either one.

Re: ReactOS

#26

Post by dRother »

tptacek wrote: post #14
rbanffy wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't think there are any legal issues here Just imagine how many patents Microsoft will be compelled to use against this project if it ever becomes a perceived threat. I am sure all MS's EULAs prohibit you from running Microsoft software on anything other than Windows.

Add this to the list of things you're "sure" about, but shouldn't be. Nowhere in the EULA for Microsoft Office (their most profitable product) do I find text requiring you to run it on Microsoft Windows. I read it top-to-bottom, then searched for "Windows" (which never occurs) and then "operating system" (which occurs only to warn you that they use your operating system to get to the Internet).

I wonder if that has changed recently? I recall hearing about this issue in the past in regards to Office and Wine.

Re: ReactOS

#27

Post by rbanffy »

zokier wrote: post #13
rbanffy wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but there will still be programs that you need to run (for whatever reason) that require that platform. But why would that be better, or even preferable, over Wine on top of a Unix-like OS with current programs to run sde by side with your legacy app? It's they project, their motivation, but I can't share it or understand why not devote these resources to make Wine better (or a better Wine, BTW). It's pretty obviou…

I'm quite sure that there are some software that is impossible to run on Wine. Drivers and other stuff that touches the kernel comes to mind. And ReactOS does make Wine better as they share some code: "ReactOS works with the WINE project to share as much programming effort as possible. ReactOS depends on Wine mainly for user mode DLLs. Where appropriate, patches to Wine are also submitted by the development team, and…

You are right, of course.

I remember having read about the ReactOS/Wine cooperation, but I completely forgot about it while making my comment.

Still, it's not the kernel side of the driver that requires a bare OS, but the hardware side that requires the OS not to interfere. The foreign kernel can be emulated. A Windows-like OS can help you use hardware that has no drivers for other OSs but I never had this issue, nor know anyone who needs to run legacy hardware that can't also run a legacy OS.

Re: ReactOS

#28

Post by rbanffy »

iamapipebomb wrote: post #15
rbanffy wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but there will still be programs that you need to run (for whatever reason) that require that platform. But why would that be better, or even preferable, over Wine on top of a Unix-like OS with current programs to run sde by side with your legacy app? It's they project, their motivation, but I can't share it or understand why not devote these resources to make Wine better (or a better Wine, BTW). It's pretty obviou…

Devotion of resource arguments are detrimental to the spirit of liberty in OSS. I think of these works more like exploration than some effort ultimately asymptotic to a goal. Exploration is hardly ever an unrewarding pursuit. And it has beneficial externalities. In this case more than most even! From http://www.winehq.org/site/acknowledgement : "Wine is at the heart of ReactOS' Win32 support. Initial work improved Wi…

I understand your point, still, exploring the Windows-like OS space is not what I would consider fun. I even happen to use some of the beneficial externalities of their exploration and I am glad they explore it and devote their resources to the side-effects I enjoy.

And those are their resources. I respect their decision, even if I cannot agree with their taste for OSs ;-)

Re: ReactOS

#29

Post by rbanffy »

JulianMorrison wrote: post #16
rbanffy wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but there will still be programs that you need to run (for whatever reason) that require that platform. But why would that be better, or even preferable, over Wine on top of a Unix-like OS with current programs to run sde by side with your legacy app? It's they project, their motivation, but I can't share it or understand why not devote these resources to make Wine better (or a better Wine, BTW). It's pretty obviou…

It's simpler, if all you're running is windows programs? The third world has been a windows fiefdom for ages, and they have to rely on legacy hardware where any spurious processes running mean slowdown.

Speak for your part of the third world. ;-)

If you rely on legacy hardware, it's a given you will prefer to rely on legacy software too for the whole stack.

It's not like someone will run air-traffic or medical equipment on an OS different from the one the machine was certified for.

Re: ReactOS

#30

Post by Daniel_Newby »

TomOfTTB wrote: post #21

Kudos to the creators for keeping at it. But in the end I don't see if being of much consequence. If it ever does get out of Alpha and is viable than Microsoft will likely stop at nothing to bury it with lawsuits. They'd have to because it would be a free version of their core product that, by definition, wouldn't be susceptible to all the viruses and malware that Windows is. So the bottom line is it could have a lot…

Why would Microsoft care? Their revenue core is the shell, app frameworks, apps, not the kernel and a few system utilities. If by some miracle ReactOS manages to get major public uptake on the strength of kernel superiority, Microsoft can simply share in the fun.
Post reply on HN