Question regarding versions of Windowsdrivers

[ChrisB]

Hi

To put this in a context; I don't like the newer Windows OS's. I prefer XP. How does ReactOS handle the different versions of drivers for the different versions of Windows? Newer hardware have no drivers for XP. Going forward, ReactOS must support these newer machines. I'm looking to upgrade my laptop, but I am discouraged because I am forced into Windows 8, 10 or Linux. It would be interesting to know the issues involved regarding this topic in regards to ReactOS.

[ctasan]

Hi

To put this in a context; I don't like the newer Windows OS's. I prefer XP. How does ReactOS handle the different versions of drivers for the different versions of Windows? Newer hardware have no drivers for XP. Going forward, ReactOS must support these newer machines. I'm looking to upgrade my laptop, but I am discouraged because I am forced into Windows 8, 10 or Linux. It would be interesting to know the issues involved regarding this topic in regards to ReactOS.

Drivers written for 2000/XP/2003 should work. (If it doesn't, please file a bug report on JIRA.)
Newer ones won't work since between XP and Vista, there are huge architectural changes.

[ChrisB]

To put it bluntly: If ReactOS won't support newer hardware, it'll be dead in the water...

[dizt3mp3r]

Not strictly true Chris. ReactOS has a primary goal that will be achieved by being compatible with hardware that would have been present with the sort of systems that would have been around running Windows 2003/XP/ Vista. That sort of hardware is plentiful and drivers abound. ReactOS will also be incredibly useful as a fully fledged o/s running within virtual environments (sandboxes &c) - see the fourth link in my signature for alternative ReactOS uses.

In addition, when 2003 compatibility is attained (or possibly before) there will most likely be extensions that allow it to act as later versions of Windows. No doubbt driver compatibility will also be addressed but for the moment ReactOS has a lot of work to gain even 2003 compatibility.