ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Here you can discuss ReactOS related topics.

Moderator: Moderator Team

Post Reply
adamlevine
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2018 10:23 am

ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by adamlevine »

When the different operating systems are mentioned, it is usually named Windows, Linux, MacOS for PC.

But some time ago I was struck by an OS project where I do not know what to think of it, it's called ReactOS and it can be described as a Windows Open Source, that is, a system compatible with Microsoft programs and applications.

Perhaps one of the experts will be able to clarify if this will have a future to take into consideration, or that it is only a curiosity
Last edited by adamlevine on Tue Sep 04, 2018 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
shunesburg
Posts: 215
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2018 3:46 pm
Location: Somewhere in France

Re: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by shunesburg »

Q: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

A: No. Because the project is alpha status for the moment. Maybe in the future, but don't forget, the goals of ReactOS, like Windows, are not the same as Linux.
middings
Posts: 1073
Joined: Tue May 07, 2013 9:18 pm
Location: California, USA

Re: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by middings »

Perhaps the link to the "About ReactOS" page in the ReactOS Wiki was too well hidden on the wiki's home page.

"People are not meant to uninstall Linux and use ReactOS instead; ReactOS is a replacement for Windows users who want a Windows replacement that behaves just like Windows."--from "ReactOS" (About ReactOS), subsection, "What Is ReactOS".

Did the original poster (OP) to this topic really think that no one else had ever had this "alternative to Linux" question before?
Last edited by middings on Sat Sep 01, 2018 9:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Fraizeraust
Posts: 234
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 11:46 am
Location: Italy
Contact:

Re: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by Fraizeraust »

ReactOS' goals is to have a drop-in-replacement to Windows. This will also mean the underlying structure and the architecture of the operating system must be the same like on Windows to achieve such goals.

The point being, ReactOS is NOT an alternative to Linux by any means. Linux has its own different goals and objectives.
a.k.a. GeoB99 -- ReactOS Kernel developer -- My Wiki page
shunesburg
Posts: 215
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2018 3:46 pm
Location: Somewhere in France

Re: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by shunesburg »

middings wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 3:27 pm "People are not meant to uninstall Linux and use ReactOS instead; ReactOS is a replacement for Windows users who want a Windows replacement that behaves just like Windows."--from "ReactOS
Exactly, "the about" is clear. For the moment it's always in development but it will be a Windows alternative.
And when the stable release will be here, it's possible some people on Linux can use ReactOS in replacement, but it's not a real alternative because the softwares and drivers from one can't be use in the other. ReactOS is not a Windows alternative by nature.
karlexceed
Posts: 531
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:17 pm
Contact:

Re: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by karlexceed »

adamlevine wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 10:27 am usually named Windows, Linux, MacOS for PC
A different way to think of this might be: NT (Windows/ROS) or *nix (Unix/Linux/MacOS/BSD).

I think OP may be misunderstood here. The initial post reads to me as if OP is asking, "Will ROS one day be considered an alternative to the major market share OSes?" Basically, will it grow and survive long enough to be taken seriously as an everyday desktop OS? Perhaps the thread subject should instead read, "ReactOS, a possible competitor to Linux?"
PurpleGurl
Posts: 1790
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:11 am
Location: USA

Re: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by PurpleGurl »

shunesburg wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 5:05 pm
Exactly, "the about" is clear. For the moment it's always in development but it will be a Windows alternative.
And when the stable release will be here, it's possible some people on Linux can use ReactOS in replacement, but it's not a real alternative because the softwares and drivers from one can't be use in the other. ReactOS is not a Windows alternative by nature.
I think you meant, "not a Linux alternative by nature," on the end, since ReactOS is no more an alternative for Linux than Windows.
anthracen
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu May 10, 2018 2:28 pm

Re: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by anthracen »

All those corporations "loving" linux now, and in fact - just off-loading their spendings at the expense of the product quality, theoretically might be happy to direct their "love" at something not as ugly, messy and barely manageable. Windows environment would be much more friendly and familiar for many of them. But ReactOS must be in a much much more usable state, before they might take a look at it.

At the desktop, for enthusiasts and, those, having troubles with MS "spying on them", - easily! Again, given the state of its support improves, it has the potential to grab a big deal of those poor souls that now torturize themselves using linux as desktop. :lol:
Quim
Posts: 257
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 11:45 pm

Re: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by Quim »

Maybe it be an alternative if Linux subsystem is implemented in ROS in beta stage....
shunesburg
Posts: 215
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2018 3:46 pm
Location: Somewhere in France

Re: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by shunesburg »

PurpleGurl wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 7:31 pm I think you meant, "not a Linux alternative by nature," on the end, since ReactOS is no more an alternative for Linux than Windows.
Exactly. Sorry if I'm not always clear, English is not my native language.
Ancient
Posts: 82
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 11:32 pm

Re: ReactOS, a possible alternative to Linux?

Post by Ancient »

karlexceed wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 6:54 pm
adamlevine wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 10:27 am usually named Windows, Linux, MacOS for PC
A different way to think of this might be: NT (Windows/ROS) or *nix (Unix/Linux/MacOS/BSD).

I think OP may be misunderstood here. The initial post reads to me as if OP is asking, "Will ROS one day be considered an alternative to the major market share OSes?" Basically, will it grow and survive long enough to be taken seriously as an everyday desktop OS? Perhaps the thread subject should instead read, "ReactOS, a possible competitor to Linux?"
The *nix's you refer to are POSIX systems. This would include Unix, Mac OS, Linux, Android, and others. Windows is a different Operating System, derived initially from MS DOS which may have been a hijacked version of another DOS (I will leave Xerox PARC out of this, but it's also there and binds non-BSD POSIX and non-POSIX graphics shells including Windows, everybody stole from everybody else then wanted laws to prevent replication of similar theft). Early Windows (95, 98 ME) ran on top of CLI DOS. Eventually a full rewrite was done for both OS 2 (IBM, now a dead OS) and NT 3 the precursor to all subsequent modern Windows systems.

This project is trying to implement a limited set of Windows NT 5 capability.

Today we see Microsoft trying to redesign Windows to run on RT with an X86 emulator as necessary for 3rd party applications. Windows is moving toward not just ARM RISC, but to full Windows SNAPDRAGON desktop on chip with X86 binary capability.

Windows, like all other living Operating Systems is a moving target.

My guess is the new Steam modifications to WINE, which are mostly open source, are more likely to be competitive with Windows, at least in the near future. Mostly as Linux and Wine may be easier to move to RISC and a reasonable X86 instruction simulator may be available. The convergence between RISC and CISC is already done with POSIX systems and soon with Windows from Microsoft.

The biggest problem for WINE and for ROS in terms of compatibility for many things is DRM, the devils closed source software bane. Steam has created a variant of WINE, referred to as PROTON, which is open source, it also interfaces with DXVK to enable a reasonable subset of Direct3d 10 & 11 API (function calls). Allowing greater support for DRM video output under their open source but modified WINE.

Combining this with something like MINT, could make a compelling case as an alternative to Windows. Minus Windows drivers of course.

My point in mentioning the above is Windows, Linux, even Steam are not static targets. WINE may incorporate all or a large subset of PROTON in the not distant future. Possibly after that it will be seen in part here in ROS. Allowing better DRM video support would be helpful to ROS eventually.

It is better if an interested 3rd party does most of the work so ROS developers can continue to focus on their primary objective.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 36 guests