| ReactOS
Posted: 7/19/2009 12:23:24 PM | I was looking for random crap on youtube when I came across this thing called ReactOS.
http://www.reactos.org/en/index.html
Has anyone heard of this or try it out yet? I was thinking of popping it into a VM here to test it out, from the looks of it, it would be an awesome alternative to Windows (possibly), but I don't know if it would be immune like Linux/Unix in respect to malware. | |
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| ReactOS
Posted: 7/19/2009 12:51:44 PM | I used it a while ago, but I thought it was still in its infancy and had too many issues. I had very little sucess getting basic software to run. Maybe I was expecting too much? I had more luck in Linux Mint using Wine.
Its a nice idea though.... | |
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| ReactOS
Posted: 7/19/2009 1:42:29 PM |
I used it a while ago, but I thought it was still in its infancy and had too many issues. I had very little sucess getting basic software to run. Maybe I was expecting too much? I had more luck in Linux Mint using Wine.
Its a nice idea though....
I just put it on a VM here, I'm thinking that if it ever gets off the ground, Microsoft will be filing huge lawsuits because it mimics their operating system too much, and didn't Microsoft get a patent on the 'start' button awhile back? | |
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- don
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Joined: 4/23/2009
Msg: 4 | |
| ReactOS
Posted: 7/19/2009 2:49:18 PM | Yeah, tried it and It is amazing that they haven't been sued. It's Just like Win 2000 but very small, free, and not windows.(I found it a while ago with stumbleupon)
Also, Check out these alternative OSes if you are interested in something different.
http://royal.pingdom.com/2008/09/26/10-amazingly-alternative-operating-systems-and-what-they-could-mean-for-the-future/
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 amazingly alternative operating systems and what they could mean for the future
Posted in Main on September 26th, 2008 by Pingdom
This post is about the desktop operating systems that fly under the radar of most people. We are definitely not talking about Windows, Mac OS X or Linux, or even BSD or Solaris. There are much less mainstream options out there for the OS-curious.
These alternative operating systems are usually developed either by enthusiasts or small companies (or both), and there are more of them than you might expect. There are even more than we have included in this article, though we think this is a good selection of the more interesting ones and we have focused specifically on desktop operating systems.
As you will see, many of them are very different from what you may be used to. We will discuss the potential of this in the conclusion of this article.
Enough introduction, let’s get started! Here is a look at 10 alternative operating systems, starting with a familiar old name…
AmigaOS 4.1
This month (September 2008) AmigaOS 4.1 was released. Although AmigaOS is a veteran in the field (many have fond memories of the original Amiga computer), its current version is a fully modern OS.
AmigaOS only runs on specific PowerPC-based hardware platforms. The company ACube is currently marketing and distributing AmigaOS and is going to bundle the OS with their motherboards.
Source model: Closed source
License: Proprietary
Platform: PowerPC
State: Final
Read a review of AmigaOS 4.1 at Arstechnica.
Haiku
Haiku is an open source project aimed at recreating and continuing the development of the BeOS operating system (which Palm Inc. bought and then discontinued). Haiku was initially known as OpenBeOS but changed its name in 2004.
Haiku is compatible with software written for BeOS.
Source model: Free and open source
License: MIT License
Platform: x86 and PowerPC
State: Pre-Alpha
Read more at the Haiku website.
ReactOS
ReactOS is an operating system designed to be compatible with Microsoft Windows software. The project started in 1998 and today it can run many Windows programs well. The ReactOS kernel has been written from scratch but the OS makes use of Wine to be able to run Windows applications.
Source model: Free and open source
License: Various free software licenses
Platform: x86 (more under development)
State: Alpha
Read more at the ReactOS website.
Syllable Desktop
Syllable is a free and open source operating system that was forked in 2002 from AtheOS, an AmigaOS clone. It’s intended as a lightweight and fast OS suitable for home and small office users.
Source model: Free and open source
License: GNU General Public License
Platform: x86
State: Alpha
Read more at the Syllable website.
SkyOS
SkyOS is a closed source project written by Robert Szeleney and volunteers. It originally started as an experiment in OS design. It’s intended to be an easy-to-use desktop OS for average computer users. Well-known applications such as Firefox have been ported to run on SkyOS.
Source model: Closed source
License: Proprietary
Platform: x86
State: Beta
Read more at the SkyOS website.
MorphOS
MorphOS is a lightweight, media-centric OS build to run on PowerPC processors. It is inspired by AmigaOS and also includes emulation to be able to run Amiga applications.
Source model: Closed source
License: Mixed proprietary and open source
Platform: Pegasos, some Amiga models, EFIKA
Read more at the MorphOS website.
AROS Research Operating System
AROS is a lightweight open source OS designed to be compatible with AmigaOS 3.1 but also improve on it. The project was started in 1995 and can today be run on both PowerPC and IBM PC compatible hardware. It also includes an emulator that makes it possible to run old Amiga applications.
Source model: Open source
License: AROS Public License
Platform: x86 and PowerPC
Read more at the AROS website.
MenuetOS
MenuetOS, also known as MeOS, is an operating system written entirely in assembly language which makes it very small and fast. Even though it includes a graphical desktop, networking and many other features it still fits on a single 1.44 MB floppy disk (for our younger readers, that was the USB stick of the 80s and early 90s ;) ).
Source model: Open source (32-bit version), freeware (64-bit version)
License: Menuet License
Platform: x86
State: Beta
Read more at the MenuetOS website.
DexOS
DexOS is an open source operating system designed to work like the minimalistic ones on gaming consoles, but for PCs. Its user interface is inspired by video game consoles and the system itself is very small (supposedly this one also fits on a floppy disk, like MenuetOS) and the OS can be booted from several different devices. Its creators have tried to make it as fast as possible.
Source model: Free and open source
Platform: x86
Read more at the DexOS website.
Visopsys
Visopsys is a one-man hobby project by programmer Andy McLaughlin. The development began in 1997 and the OS is both open source and free. Visopsys stands for VISual Operating SYStem.
Source model: Open source
License: GPL
Platform: x86
State: Final
Read more at the Visopsys website.
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| ReactOS
Posted: 7/19/2009 6:27:50 PM | | I tried it but it's not ready yet. If they make it it might give MS a run for its money. | |
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| ReactOS
Posted: 7/20/2009 10:14:32 AM | I couldn't get the thing to function properly in qEMU. I even downloaded the pre-made image file and i'd get massive display corruption. As soon as I figure out how to make my USB devices boot halfway properly...i'll set a grub entry to chain the loader on USB and give it a try. my bios detects and "sets-up" a USB HDD or card reader...but it lacks the function to boot off it...but grub will be able to find it and boot it that way. grub is nice.
BTW, I went to check out skyOS the other month and they've ceased development of it....apparently it's development has been halted since the developer can't keep up with all the new required hardware...and considering making it based off either a Linux or NetBSD kernel or make it free....which is likely going to happen even if he went with a Linux or NetBSD kernel because I'm pretty sure the rules regarding use of open-source software in a "commercial" enviroment is pretty strict. | |
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- don
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Joined: 4/23/2009
Msg: 7 | |
| ReactOS
Posted: 7/20/2009 10:33:07 AM |
I couldn't get the thing to function properly in qEMU.
Yeah, the quem didn't work for me either, but could have been my fault. I ended up with the live cd.
& I think a lot of them are having issues with development, seems like they've just been chillin' at the same stages since the 1st time I checked them out. | |
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| ReactOS
Posted: 7/20/2009 4:42:11 PM | If what yer looking for is a stripped down OS take a look into
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
allows you to customize a stripped down XP just add what ever you need. | |
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| ReactOS
Posted: 7/20/2009 5:52:02 PM | | I don't think as much of us are looking for a stripped down OS as much as we are something besides windows....there's more to using an alternative OS than "stripped down" performance. | |
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| ReactOS
Posted: 7/21/2009 8:16:03 AM | Anyone hear about another OS compatible with Windows called TMAX Window 9?
I only found this site but it's in Korean :(
http://www.tmaxwindow.co.kr/Products/TmaxWindow/Overview
Not sure if it's real or not but looks interesting.. | |
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- don
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Joined: 4/23/2009
Msg: 11 | |
| ReactOS
Posted: 7/21/2009 10:52:12 AM |
I only found this site but it's in Korean :(
Google or Bing may be able to translate it for you....seriously.
but might not help when you are browsing the menu on your installation, I once downloaded a French ISO of the Trinity Rescue CD and booted it up only to find I needed a translator just to get it going...lol, Now I just stick to the ones in English & avoid foreign OSes altogether.
(maybe you would have done better with it better being Canadian)
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| ReactOS
Posted: 7/21/2009 12:16:24 PM | http://www.cdrinfo.com/sections/news/Details.aspx?NewsId=25657
http://www.sevenforums.com/chillout-room/16230-tmax-window-9-pre-alpha.html
i enjoyed those two findings on the subject quite interesting....
this is something i'll have to jump in to the underbelly of the internet and see if i can test-drive. | |
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| ReactOS
Posted: 7/21/2009 3:12:19 PM | WOw lots of videos on youtube about Tmax Windows9 . It actually looks pretty cool and I read it's fater than windows. Now if I can only get my hands ona copy hmmmmm
Not only is it 100% compatible with windows programs but it can run UNIX ones too. A trial version will be available in October for free and then for a much smaller price than MS as it goes to market. | |
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granz
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Joined: 6/22/2009
Msg: 14 | |
| ReactOS
Posted: 7/24/2009 6:20:35 PM | ReactOS has a long way to go before it can be used for everyday computing. I think the entire philosophy behind its development is rather pointless, though. It's essentially a Windows NT clone, which necessitates the use of anti-virus and firewall software to counteract intrinsic security flaws in the system. (I mean, Windows malware is basically going to work on ReactOS just as well)
You're better off using a *nix system, and running your Windows applications with a compatibility layer such as WINE. | |
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| ReactOS
Posted: 7/25/2009 7:54:24 AM | I've always had a better solution....run "Windows" in a VM. Wine compabitlity is nice...but, at least with the programs I've tried, fail to run.
About the only Windows computing I do anymore is this: http://dewdude.com/win31.png
Of course I chuckled when I did this: http://dewdude.com/thatsnotgood.png
I stopped screwing with it because VirtualBox doesn't run real-mode 16-bit very well (lots of emulation)...that and I couldn't figure out how to get long file name support (which is why the second picture's network mount is all garbage)
But I did prove a WFW 3.11 machine with the TCP/IP 32b stack will SEE a modern machine over a network....even a box running Samba...and that it doesn't have any idea hard drives are larger than 2GB....oh 1994 how I miss you.
Of coruse, Windows malware doesn't know how to react on Windows 3.1 and generally crashes or fails to execute. | |
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| ReactOS
Posted: 9/9/2009 9:36:11 AM | From the web site:
Please bear in mind that ReactOS 0.3.10 is still in alpha stage, meaning it is not feature-complete and is not recommended for everyday use.
So...yeah.
I disagree with running windows in a VM being a better solution, at least for my needs. Neither Daz3d or Poser really work that well in it. "YMMV", as we geeks say. Those are the last two apps that make me go back to windows, when I do, in fact.
Wine has gotten really good, at this point (if you're using Ubuntu you want to use winehq.com's own repositories instead of what's in ubuntu), and ReactOS draws a lot from that.
But I agree with an earlier poster, as neat as ReactOS is -software patents make it a bit of a waste of time to invest in. Why work on a project that's destined to be shut down? | |
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