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ReactOS releases 0.4.8 with experimental Vista/7/10 software compatibility

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Re: ReactOS releases 0.4.8 with experimental Vista/7/10 software compatibility

#311

Post by lunchables »

robertAngst wrote: post #110
mgummelt wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would one use ReactOS over Wine? I read this page: https://www.reactos.org/wiki/WINE , but it didn't really provide an answer. I understand that ReactOS doesn't require Linux as a dependency, but is that a significant win?

I like what Linux is trying to do, but I havent been satisfied with desktop usage. Ubuntu server with LAMP is the greatest thing of all time, but desktop Linux has disappointed me over the nuances like mouse acceleration settings, netflix not working natively, etc...

For what it's worth, today, Netflix works perfectly, at least in (recent versions of) Firefox. The first time you play a video it asks to enable DRM, you click "Accept" and the video plays.

I'm not sure what issues you've had with your mouse in the past, but in the vast majority of cases it works out of the box. I can say that desktop Linux has come a VERY long way in the last 3-5 years.

Re: ReactOS releases 0.4.8 with experimental Vista/7/10 software compatibility

#312

Post by qubex »

xab9 wrote: post #207
TeMPOraL wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Users won't want to work with a Windows from a decade ago. Not only that but it'll have bugs and no support. Depending on the age group, I guess. I know plenty of people who would say that Windows had its peak usability around Windows 2000/2003 and only got heavier and more confusing later on. If I know that ReactOS had a good chance of running most regular Windows applications, I'd install it on my mother's laptop…

Exactly. In windows 2000 the UI was pretty much unified, a button looked like a button, window borders were consistent, the start menu had a simple tree structure, icons were ugly but they were iconic (they at least tried to represent something, noone thought that one day a grey letter will be an icon, or a user will look lie a circle and a line). No touch nonsense, everything worked with a mouse or a keyboard (mnemo…

I switched to Mac in 2002. Windows 2000/XP ’Classic’ is how windows should look to me. Whenever I come across the more recent releases I find myself totally handicapped.

Re: ReactOS releases 0.4.8 with experimental Vista/7/10 software compatibility

#313

Post by andreiw »

voltagex_ wrote: post #188
andreiw wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ugh. This website saved my ass trying to make HID devices work on top of the completely non-conforming Linaro DwUsbHostDxe driver (look at https://github.com/andreiw/RaspberryPiPkg/commits/master/Dri... for a laugh). I did end up having to hit the USB spec in the end, but it's a legit resource to get a birds-eye view of the whole USB1 and USB2 thing. It doesn't make USB simpler, but sure makes it more approachable.

Offtopic: What's the end goal of all this UEFI work you're doing for the Pi?

Actually, good question to flip back to you.

As a random person stumbling upon this, what value would you assign to it? What could you imagine the end goal to be?

Re: ReactOS releases 0.4.8 with experimental Vista/7/10 software compatibility

#315

Post by chaboud »

bitL wrote: post #151
chaboud wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny.... I also just dug an Eee 901 out of a box (it used to run Windows Home Server). Honestly, just grab a Raspberry Pi for your retro gaming console. It almost certainly does the job better, and the power usage difference will pay for itself soon enough.

RPi is way slower than Eee 901... You'd get many more demanding games working smoothly on Eee than on any RPi. I have RPi as well and was considering making a RetroPie console, but performance was not there. You can even buy faster handheld consoles from China for $25 these days...

I'd suggest a Raspberry Pi 3B+ (can you even buy an original Pi?), with more than 3x the single-threaded performance of an original Pi. I'd wager comparable single-threaded raw performance to the N270, a 10 year old chip at this point.

GPU performance, I'd put my money on the Pi 3B+ over the Eee. Heck, I may even get mine running again to run some benchmarks... or Google for the inevitable raft of folks who already have.

I would need to see data supporting the assertion that it is "way slower than Eee 901". Off the top of my head, I'd expect it to trade blows with the N270. I'd also be surprised if the support for the Eee 901 was anywhere near as strong as the Pi from the retro gaming community, but, honestly, I haven't put together a retro-gaming rig since, maybe, 2001. Maybe it's time to put together two...

Re: ReactOS releases 0.4.8 with experimental Vista/7/10 software compatibility

#316

Post by wiseleo »

newsbinator wrote: post #95
xenophonf wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not a Windows licensing expert, but this is basically how it works: 1. You can't use the OEM license with retail installation media. 2. You don't get OEM installation media because the license is tied to the hardware. 3. The OEM recovery media can't be restored to different hardware. 4. The OEM license key can't be used to install a retail Windows install on a different computer.

It's a strange situation when a Windows licensing expert is actually a thing.

If you think that's bad, you can get Microsoft Certified Professional certified on licensing. On at least 3 separate exams. I am certified on licensing.

Re: ReactOS releases 0.4.8 with experimental Vista/7/10 software compatibility

#317

Post by tracker1 »

michrassena wrote: post #301
cm2187 wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They fixed some UX problems but left others. Two control panels, massive grey buttons that feel odd when used with a mouse, dysfunctional and random start menu, full screen modal notifications (windows server 2016), etc

The two control panels thing is maddening. It's just embarrassing they've let this mess escape beta. It should be one or the other, not an unevenly applied mixture. The lack of cohesiveness makes the whole system look amateurish.

The control panels have been in a constant state of flux since Vista... frankly it wasn't the biggest annoyance until after windows 7 (which at least had semi-clean breaks)... Win8/10 are horrible. I don't have a windows machine currently, running a hackintosh for my home desktop. I may give ReactOS a try in a VM to see how much I can get working.

Does the DOS stuff work? (NTVDM)

Re: ReactOS releases 0.4.8 with experimental Vista/7/10 software compatibility

#318

Post by tracker1 »

alxlaz wrote: post #294
freeone3000 wrote: post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a compromise. Settings is deep-searchable and unified between platforms. Control Panel is still there for backwards compatability (including with MS's own stuff)

That's bloody terrible, whenever I need something I have no idea where I'll find it.

I usually click the start button on my keyboard and type what I'm looking for... most of the time, it's the first option that comes up. It mostly works for apps too, excluding some annoying MS app placement issues. I've moved on... Windows 10 was the last straw. Not the telemetry, but the stupid integrated ads, especially the ones over the chrome icon in the launch bar.
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