What draws people to Reactos?

[Blackcrack]

1. no Windows8 surface (Normal Windows Desktop)
(Gabe Newell: "the Peoples want be hate Windows 8")

2. Kommerzfree

3. GPL Licensed (Open Sourced, all can look in)

4. Old Software worked like the new one.

5. supporting c, c++ and C#, Visual Basic, Pascal and all common programming languages

6. Modern NT- Architecture / Universal Windows compatibility (compatible with my Parents )
(with different subsystem if created, Win32/64, later more extended installable subsystems)

7. Free Downloadable

8. Low system requirements

9. Solves/fills all void!

10. no Licence check or some(no sell for licence)

11. can be installed almost anywhere
(IBM /ARM -Compatible) who be ported it is ..

12. ever bug fixing and optimizing (ongoing development)

13. customizing the Look of his System-look or Desktoplook and diffrent WM-Manager to use if want

14. contribute ideas
( or through open sources allows direct hard coding by third)

[PurpleGurl]

Just some comments on what I noticed. One way to cut driver sprawl is with universal drivers. I remember the old Windows versions with drivers for many outdated modems, video cards, and printers/plotters. UNI-ATA is a good project, and I am glad we are using it.

As for Windows drying up, I think hackers would just take over. If Microsoft went bankrupt and nobody claimed the technology, hackers would have it dissected, documented, patched, etc. Our project and their methods (since nobody would be around to stop them) would allow them to rewrite critical files to remove all limits and checks. In fact, if that happened, we could recruit former Microsoft devs, since they would not be bound to any NDAs and they would not legally compromise the project either. However, none of this is likely to happen, and it is all a pipe dream.

I didn't mention the open source part, but that is a plus to a degree. Commercial tends to have better polished projects, but open source is secure in terms of surviving, and there are always folks willing to update it. To update a commercial project, there is bureaucracy to wade through. First the customers have to cut through the red tape to find someone to take them seriously, and not simply blame them, insult their intelligence, or suggest more things to try. Then the same thing goes on internally until the rep gets someone to believe them and understand it is a product problem. Then the devs have to then figure it out, even if there are customers with the solution. Then they have to fight through red tape to dispatch the coders who handle whatever sections involved. Then changes have to have corporate approval. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating, but open source, while it still can be highly structured, doesn't usually have that much red tape, and members are usually flexible and can take on multiple roles if necessary.

[SomeGuy]

As for Windows drying up, I think hackers would just take over.

Actually, a much more scary and realistic scenario is that way down the road Microsoft is bought out by another company, that then flushes Windows down the toilet. Think Sun Solaris. In that case Windows would remain tightly locked up where no one could touch it.

So here is to hoping that the hell pit beneath MS HQ opens up and swallows them off the face of the earth. A much more pleasant outcome for everyone.

[Blackcrack]

well then we will begin to pray ... to the hell

[DukeNukemCZ]

better not use this as PR strategy.. (try think why) at least not yet.
This strategy can work for ROS fans,geeks and nerds for current time, try this PR for lure on some average joe or someone who needs to work on PC, give him ReactOS with glorious tales about how its opensource and how windows is dying and how its free and watch PR disaster

this type of PR isnt good idea right now, maybe after 2-4 years from now. (if development will go fast)

[DOSGuy]

if the market for Windows ever dries up, that's pretty much it for ReactOS, too.

I totally disagree. "The death of DOS has been greatly exaggerated".
I mean that with Windows gone, ROS (and Wine) will become what Free-DOS and DOSBox are to DOS now.

Exactly: niche products that "only geeks like us want to use for legacy software and nostalgia".

[rosfanatic]

1- I like windows
2- I don't like microsoft

[Stead]

the idea of developers comming together to create a free win32 os for the people is a pretty big draw for me

the fact it is win32 based and not linux, also driver compatability

driver compatability (again), i've noticed over time ms seems to restrict things with their os's now to prevent people from using older drivers, or using newer drivers on older operating systems, I know some changes are because its newer, but I feel ms seems to be changing some things to break compatability with older os, I feel windows 8 is a great example of this, not just drivers, but programs too.
I feel ms is more like a business than a caring company now, ok, I know its always been a big business, but it just seemed to me when mr gates was in charge he just wanted people to use ms because it would make things easy for the users, now, I feel ms will be changing things for the sake of change to ensure people upgrade.
At least ReactOS won't have an EOL support date, the way things are going windows 7 will be an os I'll use for a long time, but I know at some point to stick with windows I'll have to accept the crazy metro ui, or use a non supported os, maybe they will cave and allow users to choose again, but metro gives them such great incentives for money, I can't see them doing away with it.

Lean and mean, I realise you can't truely compare ReactOS with the amount of features and hardware support windows has, but, it seems fast, really fast when it works.

[Techno Mage]

With Windows 8 forcing users to have signed drivers, people may look to ReactOS to run some hardware.

[Blackcrack]

What has struck me,Microstoft that looks more and more, that they have the hands on the drivers and set the driver manufacturer no more longer in the network placed.
Take a look on different Hardware Manufacturer:
Windows 2000 Driver Download vers 1.4
Windows XP Driver Download vers 2.5
Windows 7 (no download) Use Microsoft Update

Microsoft Windows Support the Hardware use you Update to
installing you Drivers for xxxxxxx xxxxxx to have a nice running System blabla blabla.

it seems to try to make anywere contracts to have hands over the Micrsoft Hardware and Drivers..
and i bet, Microsoft knows about this project closely modest...
and if goes Reactos on Beta and goes installable or usable also become microsoft faer for
lose the operating system business worldwide and over 90% of private bussenes..
goes to Reactos who i can bet with it..

[fred02]

if the market for Windows ever dries up, that's pretty much it for ReactOS, too.

I totally disagree. "The death of DOS has been greatly exaggerated".
I mean that with Windows gone, ROS (and Wine) will become what Free-DOS and DOSBox are to DOS now.

Exactly: niche products that "only geeks like us want to use for legacy software and nostalgia".

Yes, "We are Geeks. (and) We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget."
On the other hand GOG exist, and I vaguely remember that Japanese local government could not afford to replace their Win2000 machines after its support ended in 2010.

[Blackcrack]

Yes, "We are Geeks. (and) We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget."
On the other hand GOG exist, and I vaguely remember that Japanese local government could not afford to replace their Win2000 machines after its support ended in 2010.

ööhh Yes, Microsoft fails, stolen things to my opinion and helpet to trade mssoft around the world and he make us all to Pirates and the DOS sold he it IBM befor he has buy it from an poor/arms dos developer and something ..

and for the Japanese local government can we get the Support for further times nea
If they are support us with many hands too Reactos it is open source
ööhh have we are an Japanese Reactos forum ? *bg* ah yes... 26 Posts *bg*

[Haos]

@Blackcrack

ööhh Yes, Microsoft fails, stolen things...

So what has Microsoft stolen?

[Blackcrack]

ideas and something ..... humm, what do you call's me, do you not know about the "adventures" of Microsoft ?

do you know a lil' bit about linux and 94' was fvwm Alfa fvwm was 95 on beta and was 96 on 1.0, fvwm95 or here with Redmond-theme (my self have seen the taskbar on an C64/Amiga/PC- Comuterevent on 1994 December on fvwm)
was developing before Windows 95' Fvwm it is comming from Toms Windows Manager TWM .....
and the mouse-Window Technology who had Programming an Woman Devoloper
Adele Goldberg who she works on Xerox Palo Alto Research Center
and invent the Mous-Windows overlaping interaction, Bill and Steve had both adopt, no,
taken easy the technology and Steve used it in Lisa and on the Lisa-event was Bill so bold and
have installed Windows 1.0 on lisa who Steve now publicly stood by his daughter and this
used bill for publication his Windows 1.0 what from bill realy nasty was ..
Exactly this was the moment for cooperation of Microsoft and Macintosh
between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Where Bill the worst one was..

But Haos, if yo not know the history of Microsoft and Apple ... na, i dont now..

[Haos]

You have presented quite an accusation. I hope you also know words like "libel" and "personal legal responsibility". It would be better if you'd just delete that post instead of spreading baseless accusations.