Info > Resources for Newbies

New to ReactOS?

The following would possibly be helpful to the newcomer. Please send corrections and additions as well as any other feedback to the "ros-web" mailing list.

Using the ReactOS website effectively

The bulk of activity in ReactOS happens within the community section. This is where one can keep abreast with the project's current state of affairs, and get in touch with the development team with regard to contributions.

myReactOS
Central to the community section is the ReactOS Website Global Login System, or more commonly known as myReactOS. This provides you with access to the Wiki, forums, Bugzilla and more.
Forums
The forums are the point of contact for users to get help or to provide feedback. These are regularly monitored by the development team and other volunteers.
Wiki
The Wiki is used to maintain both design and user documentation as well as other useful articles related to the project.
Bugzilla
Even after ReactOS comes out of Beta, the Bugzilla would remain crucial in the submission and resolution of bug reports. This is also where developers external to the project can submit source patches, and where language translators can submit their work.
Mailing List Archive
The mailing lists serve to be the main means of discussion between developers with regard to the design of ReactOS' architecture, and the coordination of work between them. The lists themselves can be subscribed to without restrictions, but for those who prefer to access the lists on-demand, the archives are available for use.
Newsletters
Newsletters are sent out every two to three weeks, summarizing the changes and developments with regard to the project.
IRC
The IRC channel is the main means of real-time communication between developers during collaborative work, cooperative bugfixing, and organising of events. It also serves as the centre to coordinate administrative activities for ReactOS.

Learning about ReactOS

The best way to learn about ReactOS would be to install it and try it yourself. If you have not yet installed it, and have not yet decided which version of ReactOS is the best for your needs, please visit the ReactOS download page.
More information about the project itself can be found in the info section. This covers project motivations, objectives and roadmaps, and also answe rs frequently asked questions. The press archives, media repository, and legal notices are also found here.

History Of ReactOS:

Before ReactOS:
ReactOS had its origins in an older project known as FreeWin95. FreeWin95 aimed at being binary compatible with Microsoft® Windows® 95. It was founded by Yannick Majoros around 1996. But the development never took off substantially due to endless talks on design and thoughts of following the NT architecture.

Birth of ReactOS:
ReactOS was born in the beginning of 1998. With the failure of FreeWin95, Jason Filby took over the project, renamed it as ReactOS and called up all those subscribed to the old mailing list to join ReactOS. Unlike FreeWin95, ReactOS planned to attain binary compatibility with Windows NT 4 rather than the DOS-based Windows 9x. The emphasis of the new project was on results rather than discussions. The project was renamed ReactOS, since the operating system's roots grew out of a dissatisfaction with Microsoft's monopoly over the operating system market.
Early Beginnings:
Early development was painfully slow and difficult due to the lack of kernel developers. Lack of a stable GDI meant there was no GUI. Only when the kernel got a bit stable and support for basic drivers were added that more developers started taking interest in the project.
ReactOS today:
Keeping up with time, ReactOS now aims at Windows XP/2003 compatibility rather than the older NT 4 target. ReactOS has come a long way since the start. It now has a pretty stable kernel and has a substantial implementation of various APIs for most higher level work and standard libraries. The implementation of the GDI, VGA, VBE drivers and OpenGL and partial DirectX support means it now has a GUI and can already run games (Quake I-III, Unreal Tournament, Diablo 2 etc.) and many other applications like AbiWord and Firefox. The almost completed networking stack provides for Internet access. Major parts of the kernel alongwith CC (Common Cache) and MM (Memory Manger), in addition to the Win32 subsystem, are being rewriten for better code and greater compatibility with their Windows counterparts. This has no doubt taken some time and rendered the SVN pretty unstable at times but this is a big leap in the development of ReactOS.

Helping out

Everyone has something to contribute to the ReactOS community! Microsoft® devotes vast resources to drive the development of the Windows family of operating systems, and it is only appropriate that ReactOS receives similar support in order to succeed. Our needs are not confined to requiring more developers: considering human resources alone, the project needs testers, translators, graphics designers, writers, and administrators to maintain the Wiki and Bugzilla. Funding through donations and other means would ensure that expenses incurred during the course of development are covered. Finally, recognition is also vital to ReactOS, as people would pay attention to the needs of the project and realise its potential to replace Windows®, and consequently its potential to drive innovation in the field of desktop operating systems.

This page provides more information on how you can help ReactOS.