ReactOS

[Carl in Michigan]

Has anyone played around with the ReactOS operating system?

With Windows heading in the direction of becoming a subscription service, I'm looking around for alternatives.

I have another desktop installed with Zorin and I like it, but an open source Windows clone would be great.

I expect to move away from Microsoft as much as possible sooner or later, but a Windows clone would be useful.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I have no understanding of using one OS only to emulate another?
Looking at their site.... that seems to be everything they are pushing.

 

[Ringel05]

I have no understanding of using one OS only to emulate another?
Looking at their site.... that seems to be everything they are pushing.

Yes, they're trying to do a pre-Win8 Windows clone that works with all Windows based apps which would be a major draw for quite a few people if they ever get it to work properly. I tried the live CD, it would hang halfway through loading.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I have no understanding of using one OS only to emulate another?
Looking at their site.... that seems to be everything they are pushing.

Yes, they're trying to do a pre-Win8 Windows clone that works with all Windows based apps which would be a major draw for quite a few people if they ever get it to work properly. I tried the live CD, it would hang halfway through loading.

It's been several years since I had the will and energy to try emulating Windows over Linux.
There are so many variables across programs I cannot see how anyone will truly make it happen... not that it can't be done, but the cost of 10,000's of hours to do it.
The "Windows Debacle" needs fixed. Microsoft is abandoning the Windows OS in favor of a subscription based cloud OS... and that will not work for businesses.
It's going to be an interesting next 5 years.

 

[Ringel05]

I have no understanding of using one OS only to emulate another?
Looking at their site.... that seems to be everything they are pushing.

Yes, they're trying to do a pre-Win8 Windows clone that works with all Windows based apps which would be a major draw for quite a few people if they ever get it to work properly. I tried the live CD, it would hang halfway through loading.

It's been several years since I had the will and energy to try emulating Windows over Linux.
There are so many variables across programs I cannot see how anyone will truly make it happen... not that it can't be done, but the cost of 10,000's of hours to do it.
The "Windows Debacle" needs fixed. Microsoft is abandoning the Windows OS in favor of a subscription based cloud OS... and that will not work for businesses.
It's going to be an interesting next 5 years.

They've been working on it since 1996.

ReactOS Core - ReactOS Wiki

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I have no understanding of using one OS only to emulate another?
Looking at their site.... that seems to be everything they are pushing.

Yes, they're trying to do a pre-Win8 Windows clone that works with all Windows based apps which would be a major draw for quite a few people if they ever get it to work properly. I tried the live CD, it would hang halfway through loading.

It's been several years since I had the will and energy to try emulating Windows over Linux.
There are so many variables across programs I cannot see how anyone will truly make it happen... not that it can't be done, but the cost of 10,000's of hours to do it.
The "Windows Debacle" needs fixed. Microsoft is abandoning the Windows OS in favor of a subscription based cloud OS... and that will not work for businesses.
It's going to be an interesting next 5 years.

They've been working on it since 1996.

ReactOS Core - ReactOS Wiki

Exactly.... just waaaayyy too many variables to overcome.
It's not the answer.
They have cheap-cheap laptops I wrote a thread about the other day... someone said it is an Android based OS so supposedly all of the Android apps will work on it...only it has no HD.
Take that, but put that on a standard laptop with sufficient storage and that might be the answer to replace Windows for the masses.

 

[Ringel05]

I have no understanding of using one OS only to emulate another?
Looking at their site.... that seems to be everything they are pushing.

Yes, they're trying to do a pre-Win8 Windows clone that works with all Windows based apps which would be a major draw for quite a few people if they ever get it to work properly. I tried the live CD, it would hang halfway through loading.

It's been several years since I had the will and energy to try emulating Windows over Linux.
There are so many variables across programs I cannot see how anyone will truly make it happen... not that it can't be done, but the cost of 10,000's of hours to do it.
The "Windows Debacle" needs fixed. Microsoft is abandoning the Windows OS in favor of a subscription based cloud OS... and that will not work for businesses.
It's going to be an interesting next 5 years.

They've been working on it since 1996.

ReactOS Core - ReactOS Wiki

Exactly.... just waaaayyy too many variables to overcome.
It's not the answer.
They have cheap-cheap laptops I wrote a thread about the other day... someone said it is an Android based OS so supposedly all of the Android apps will work on it...only it has no HD.
Take that, but put that on a standard laptop with sufficient storage and that might be the answer to replace Windows for the masses.

How to Run Android on Your Computer

 

[Carl in Michigan]

I have no understanding of using one OS only to emulate another?
Looking at their site.... that seems to be everything they are pushing.

Yes, they're trying to do a pre-Win8 Windows clone that works with all Windows based apps which would be a major draw for quite a few people if they ever get it to work properly. I tried the live CD, it would hang halfway through loading.

Yeah, I was wondering how well it worked with various applications and drivers. Would love to see this succeed.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

It's been several years since I had the will and energy to try emulating Windows over Linux.
There are so many variables across programs I cannot see how anyone will truly make it happen... not that it can't be done, but the cost of 10,000's of hours to do it.
The "Windows Debacle" needs fixed. Microsoft is abandoning the Windows OS in favor of a subscription based cloud OS... and that will not work for businesses.
It's going to be an interesting next 5 years

That's why I'm hoping this works out. I only want a Windows clone because so much is geared toward Windows. If they go sibscrsubscr for the masses (they will), then I will leave Windows. Won't miss windows, but I like so many of the programs.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

It's been several years since I had the will and energy to try emulating Windows over Linux.
There are so many variables across programs I cannot see how anyone will truly make it happen... not that it can't be done, but the cost of 10,000's of hours to do it.
The "Windows Debacle" needs fixed. Microsoft is abandoning the Windows OS in favor of a subscription based cloud OS... and that will not work for businesses.
It's going to be an interesting next 5 years

That's why I'm hoping this works out. I only want a Windows clone because so much is geared toward Windows. If they go sibscrsubscr for the masses (they will), then I will leave Windows. Won't miss windows, but I like so many of the programs.

Hey I still looove my Red Alert Yuris revenge games and some old Warcraft games. I have patches that fix the old IPX/SPX -> TCP/IP networking as well as emulating that old Direct X.
Some of the best games ever made are no longer available.

 

[EverCurious]

Semi-Related: One could get a mini with Win7Pro on it for older games... I think my "mini-rig" cost me like $300 total (four years ago!) and it even runs modern MMOs. APU ITX has the GPU built into the CPU, Silverstone SFX PSU, and you can get a small flat case so it ends up like a gaming console - can even VISA mount them on the back of a monitor.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Also semi-related, Valve. Back in 2016 the Steam Console was surely to be the new gamer rage. Windows 8 debacle helped boost sales to a half million by early 2017.
Then nothing.
Valve seemed to have given up, lost relationships with several game makers and now they sit on the back porch....and the Steam OS is in the basement.... at best.

What interest me here is my low opinion of cloud based anything. A good example is Amazon Prime Music. Cloud based music that had a vast library to choose from. But Amazon being Amazon, decided to create "Amazon unlimited"...and simply said fuck you to it's customers and moved large swaths of their library to unlimited only. Not good enough to pay nearly $100 a year for Prime Music...now we want you to pay more. Same for Prime Video... Amazon began using a dirty trick of bring shows on where only the first season was free...then you try to watch the new season...sorry...fuck you...it's gonna cost you $1.99 an episode for new ones.
I said fuck you and stopped my subscription.
Steam streaming games 3-4 years ago was the "future". For sure.
OK....so maybe not. By 2017 it was... wait for it.... losing steam. And now there are more complaints than raves.
I almost bought a Steam OS console. Glad I didn't.

 

[Tinhatter]

Has anyone played around with the ReactOS operating system?

With Windows heading in the direction of becoming a subscription service, I'm looking around for alternatives.

I have another desktop installed with Zorin and I like it, but an open source Windows clone would be great.

I expect to move away from Microsoft as much as possible sooner or later, but a Windows clone would be useful.

I have the ReactOS 0.4.5 CD, but never got it to connect to the internet, so its archived. Same with KolibriOS, Syllable Desktop, and the majority of the Linux distros. These are just not made for XP Pro users. Only MX Linux, TAILS, AntiX and Linux Mint connect to the internet on their own, and are what I'd call usable.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

Has anyone played around with the ReactOS operating system?

With Windows heading in the direction of becoming a subscription service, I'm looking around for alternatives.

I have another desktop installed with Zorin and I like it, but an open source Windows clone would be great.

I expect to move away from Microsoft as much as possible sooner or later, but a Windows clone would be useful.

I have the ReactOS 0.4.5 CD, but never got it to connect to the internet, so its archived. Same with KolibriOS, Syllable Desktop, and the majority of the Linux distros. These are just not made for XP Pro users. Only MX Linux, TAILS, AntiX and Linux Mint connect to the internet on their own, and are what I'd call usable.

I have Mint on one of my laptops, and like it.