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NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

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Re: NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

#21

Post by derefr »

wfjackson wrote: post #15
lsiebert wrote: post #13

The real benefit of ReactOS is things like security and support for legacy proprietary medical applications for hardware interfaces into medical devices that on only run on old Windows machines, that can't be updated anymore.

I wouldn't want to risk legacy proprietary medical applications for hardware interfaces into medical devices to be running on an API re-implementation layer that could easily be missing functionality, quirks and bug-for-bug compatibility.

Why? "Legacy" implies "not a moving target." If you know the software you need to run, you can QA your API compatibility layer until it works with exactly that software.

CrossOver Office (the commercial version of Wine) is basically authored by picking particular versions of particular software that they want to get working, and then treating them as unit tests to write code against. When the program works, the library works. No more or less is needed.

Re: NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

#22

Post by giancarlostoro »

fsiefken wrote: post #17

Nice, speed, memory and performance wise is ReactOS more efficient then XP or nlited XP on virtualbox or qemu? For example, if efficient you could run it on a cheap android tablet onder bochs, qemu or dosbox and use it as a workstation if lxde/xfce linux would not be good enough.

Runs smooth, but I had problems getting VirtualBox to connect to the internet, so I couldn't do any serious testing. Installation took less than a minute (not kidding).

Re: NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

#23

Post by drzaiusapelord »

shawnz wrote: post #8
RexRollman wrote: post #2

I love the idea of ReactOS but it is moving so slowly that I don't see how they can ever be a relevant alternative to Windows. Is my impression wrong?

I don't think the goal is to be an alternative to Windows. There are many situations where you might want to run Windows apps but don't need everything Windows has to offer. Like others have mentioned, supporting legacy apps is one example of this. There is also research value in having a Windows-compatible OS which is open source.

Which is why we have WINE. There's no reason for ReactOS to exist, especially considering the speed at which it develops.

Re: NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

#24

Post by drzaiusapelord »

vezzy-fnord wrote: post #19

I think a lot of people ignore the fact that the ReactOS and Wine projects have a symbiotic relationship. Work on ReactOS will lead to improvements on Wine, and vice versa. So it's still a useful project for the common user, even if the final product of a fully functional Windows NT clone is still far from being realized. But actually - there's another, even more interesting use for ReactOS that I'm surprised has yet…

From what I've seen the past few years, ReactOS just picks up what WINE does. I don't think they're contributing much. Its pretty much a pet vanity project and has been for a decade.

Re: NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

#25

Post by pyre »

derefr wrote: post #21
wfjackson wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't want to risk legacy proprietary medical applications for hardware interfaces into medical devices to be running on an API re-implementation layer that could easily be missing functionality, quirks and bug-for-bug compatibility.

Why? "Legacy" implies "not a moving target." If you know the software you need to run, you can QA your API compatibility layer until it works with exactly that software. CrossOver Office (the commercial version of Wine) is basically authored by picking particular versions of particular software that they want to get working, and then treating them as unit tests to write code against. When the program works, the libra…

I think that the point is that using this method with MS Office is one thing. Using it with medical software is a whole other ballpark. Using the medical software as a black box and 'getting it to run' on ReactOS might not be up to the level of rigor we would expect for a device that someone's life may depend on...

Re: NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

#26

Post by cbd1984 »

pyre wrote: post #25
derefr wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? "Legacy" implies "not a moving target." If you know the software you need to run, you can QA your API compatibility layer until it works with exactly that software. CrossOver Office (the commercial version of Wine) is basically authored by picking particular versions of particular software that they want to get working, and then treating them as unit tests to write code against. When the program works, the libra…

I think that the point is that using this method with MS Office is one thing. Using it with medical software is a whole other ballpark. Using the medical software as a black box and 'getting it to run' on ReactOS might not be up to the level of rigor we would expect for a device that someone's life may depend on...

Depends on what your alternatives are. If the medical software isn't going to be rewritten, and the only alternative is an MS OS with a serious bug that's not going to be patched, you start looking around.

Re: NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

#27

Post by Hemospectrum »

drzaiusapelord wrote: post #23
shawnz wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the goal is to be an alternative to Windows. There are many situations where you might want to run Windows apps but don't need everything Windows has to offer. Like others have mentioned, supporting legacy apps is one example of this. There is also research value in having a Windows-compatible OS which is open source.

Which is why we have WINE. There's no reason for ReactOS to exist, especially considering the speed at which it develops.

WINE and ReactOS have been known to share code, in both directions. It's not a zero-sum game.

Re: NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

#28

Post by stcredzero »

pyre wrote: post #25
derefr wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? "Legacy" implies "not a moving target." If you know the software you need to run, you can QA your API compatibility layer until it works with exactly that software. CrossOver Office (the commercial version of Wine) is basically authored by picking particular versions of particular software that they want to get working, and then treating them as unit tests to write code against. When the program works, the libra…

I think that the point is that using this method with MS Office is one thing. Using it with medical software is a whole other ballpark. Using the medical software as a black box and 'getting it to run' on ReactOS might not be up to the level of rigor we would expect for a device that someone's life may depend on...

I think that the point is that using this method with MS Office is one thing. Using it with medical software is a whole other ballpark.

According to what an ex-coworker told me, you only wish all medical software using Windows as an OS was remotely well maintained, tested, and vetted as MS Office.

Re: NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

#29

Post by bobajeff »

vezzy-fnord wrote: post #19

I think a lot of people ignore the fact that the ReactOS and Wine projects have a symbiotic relationship. Work on ReactOS will lead to improvements on Wine, and vice versa. So it's still a useful project for the common user, even if the final product of a fully functional Windows NT clone is still far from being realized. But actually - there's another, even more interesting use for ReactOS that I'm surprised has yet…

I've been given the impression that NT's superior kernel architecture is why they are doing this. But they also want other people to care so they also try to get Windows apps working on it too.

Re: NTFS now supported in ReactOS LiveCD

#30

Post by hrjet »

gbl08ma wrote: post #10
RexRollman wrote: post #2

I love the idea of ReactOS but it is moving so slowly that I don't see how they can ever be a relevant alternative to Windows. Is my impression wrong?

That was my impression in 2011 already. Back then I wrote a blog post (in my then-much-worse English) with, admittedly, a bit of Microsoft hatred[1]. However, most of the points I mention are still valid, I think. Of course there have been new releases since 2011, but nothing exactly groundbreaking, at least in the eye of a casual follower like me. Relatively recently, they have run a IndieGoGo campaign and have made…

Apart from being able to run legacy software, wouldn't it being open-source be of value? I know several people who use Windows because they need the Windows-only software (new or old). With ReactOS they would be able to use those applications with an open-source OS. (Though the pros and cons of open-source can be a separate, credible discussion).
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