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ReactOS

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Re: ReactOS

#101

Post by trynewideas »

offtop5 wrote: post #88
Koshkin wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The goal of ReactOS is the binary compatibility not just with application programs but also with Windows device drivers.

Forgive my ignorance, what's the advantage here. It's perfectly fine if this is effectively ' we did it to prove we could ' thing. I've heard of React OS before and it's been in development for such a long time.

https://reactos.org/wiki/ReactOS_FAQ#Why_use_ReactOS.3F

> There is currently no other operating system that implements the kernel architecture design of MS Windows NT™ so if you are unhappy with the direction or goal of Windows there is little real alternative. ReactOS was started as a “clone” of Windows NT to alleviate this situation. To demonstrate the concept of o/s cloning, GNU/Linux is the best for comparison here: Linux was started as a “clone” of Minix and Unix, eventually going on to be a Unix replacement.

...

> Linux+Wine is never going to be a complete replacement for a full Windows system. It's not only because of Linux (despite some user-friendly Linux distributions out there) and not only because many users might find a transition to Linux/BSD difficult but it is largely due to design and implementation decisions of Linux and Wine architectures which prevent 100% compatibility.

You aren't the audience, in other words.

Re: ReactOS

#102

Post by kossTKR »

pyentropy wrote: post #16
nobody9999 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I set up a VM every year or so to see how things are going. It's still alpha, so it's pretty rough, and a lot of things don't work so well. That said, it's a wonderful project and I will continue to follow it and hope it continues to progress.

For readers unfamiliar with the project: it's been in alpha for 24 years, although it now targets Server 2003/XP instead of Win95 which it originally did in 1996.

  it's been in alpha for 24 years
Reading stuff like this is good perspective on projects that make me want to pull my hair out after slow progress for a few weeks.

Patience is good. Persistence is good. Something that is rare in today landscape.

Re: ReactOS

#103

Post by ketralnis »

Jaruzel wrote: post #19

I'm saddened a little bit to see stuff like theming has been built. I was hoping that ReactOS would stick with the Windows 2000 look and feel. I also think that with the limited resources they have, the project team would be better focusing on improving compatibility, over shiny desktop effects. That said... I firmly believe there is a place for ReactOS. Eventually, XP will fail to run on new hardware, and when that…

> I was hoping

It's a volunteer project. Be the compatibility initiative you want to see in the world.

Re: ReactOS

#105

Post by skissane »

bencollier49 wrote: post #100
colinfinck wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. The project has no legal entity in the US.

What about people using it in the US?

I think ReactOS is mainly being used by hobbyists, and I doubt Microsoft would want to sue hobbyists. Little commercial or financial gain, lots of bad press.

The situation is a little bit comparable to Hercules, the IBM mainframe emulator (although not quite the same – Hercules is of course a hardware emulator, ReactOS is an operating system clone). You can use Hercules to run z/OS, but not legally, IBM only licenses z/OS to run on IBM's own hardware, or authorised proprietary emulators that cost $$$$. Thankfully though, IBM doesn't appear interested in suing hobbyists – IBM treats the hobbyist community as if they don't exist. But, try building a business on Hercules, as the company TurboHercules SAS did, and IBM's lawyers will start sending nasty letters to you.

Re: ReactOS

#107

Post by gogopuppygogo »

Jaruzel wrote: post #19

I'm saddened a little bit to see stuff like theming has been built. I was hoping that ReactOS would stick with the Windows 2000 look and feel. I also think that with the limited resources they have, the project team would be better focusing on improving compatibility, over shiny desktop effects. That said... I firmly believe there is a place for ReactOS. Eventually, XP will fail to run on new hardware, and when that…

Software is more akin to building roads.

Data is more akin to the knowledge in books.

As long as we can read 100 year old data sets we will be fine.

Truly important software will adopt new technologies while old technologies will fade away.

There aren’t many 100 year old roads that exist without being regularly rebuilt. Surely none with any regular usage.

Re: ReactOS

#108

Post by kmeisthax »

projektfu wrote: post #77
kmeisthax wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't know. There are several substantiative questions of law and both parties' inability to give the court a clear picture of what an API is may result in the case not actually being decided. There's two questions up in the air with the case: 1. Whether or not you can claim copyright over the name of a function plus the combination of it's input types (an "API"). 2. Whether or not copying APIs can constitute fair…

Intel asserted this right against Zilog (names, etc.) with Zilog settling by changing the names of all Z80 instructions and registers. Binary compatible but source requires translation.

Huh. The 8086 did the exact opposite: your ASM source was A-OK but they changed all the opcodes around so you had to reassemble your program. It's why CP/M was completely incompatible with the 8086 and (arguably) why Microsoft was able to edge out Digital Research on IBM PCs.

Re: ReactOS

#109

Post by visiblink »

signaru wrote: post #36

I've read/heard others express their concern about how the XP code leak might be a problem for ReactOS. I hope they are taking appropriate measures.

This is a good point. They had issues years ago that they had to deal with.

Re: ReactOS

#110

Post by lern_too_spel »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #20
2bitencryption wrote: post #9

I just realized - what does the Google vs Oracle ruling mean for ReactOS, and also Wine?

The lack of commercial purpose of ReactOS (and Wine) and it's primary goal of interoperability, plus the fact that it doesn't really damage the value of the original Windows platform, means it's probably a very easy case of fair use. Android isn't fair use, is a massive commercial endeavour, and has obliterated the value of mobile Java, while breaking interoperability with Java. Oracle winning the case will not be ki…

Being able to run the Windows platform for free obviously damages the value of the Windows platform for Microsoft.
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