ReactOS 0.1.0 Released

JasonFilby writes "ReactOS 0.1.0 has been released! ReactOS is an Open Source effort to develop a quality operating system that is compatible with Windows NT applications and drivers. In this release, among other new features and fixes, especially worth mentioning are the ability to boot from CD and self-hosting capabilities (ReactOS can be compiled on ReactOS)." ReactOS has been in progress for a while, often tied to other projects with the aim of seamlessly replacing Windows: you can download an image of Bochs 2.0 with ReactOS 0.1.0 preloaded from the download and changelog page.

Comments

Re:But Windows NT is not 2k...

[rodgerd]

NT 4 is a good, stable target that encompasses the bulk of the Win32 API that is also in Win2k and WinXP. Once they've got that right, rolling forward to Win2K and up should be trivial - getting the basic microkernel and servers right will likely be the hard part.

Is this a worthwhile project?

[BrianUofR]

I certainly don't want to start a flamewar here, but I'm not sure if I think this is a useful product. It sounds like the objective of this project is to create a free clone of Windows NT, so people have choice. In order for this to be useful, I need to be able to install an app on either Windows NT 4.0 or ReactOS X.Y, and have the application not know the difference, right?

In order to make that work, the OS must look the same to the app. That means APIs and, at a higher level, the architecture, has to be the same. The reason we don't run any Windows NT based systems in production is that the architecture is flawed. It's a desktop OS with "enterprise" features tacked on. The fundamental architecture of NT is why it sucks, in my mind. To emulate that, even if you give it away for free, doesn't solve the security issues, the performance issues, etc etc.

I have a lot of respect for these guys, kernel hacking from the ground up is tough stuff, but I'd rather see them contributing their talent to the Linux or BSD projects rather than copying a flawed architecture.

Of course thats just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Re:Is this a worthwhile project?

[AxelTorvalds]

For crying out loud! Why do we keep assuming that opensource resources just transfer between products?

If these guys weren't working on this, they probably wouldn't be working on anything.

I think this is a hell of a project with a ton of potential. If there was a drop in windows replacement that runs windows apps, that's a killer app. Now they are years and years away from such a platform but from a pure oss ideological perspective this rocks. Anything that helps break the ties and allows for freedom is a good thing.

Re:legal trouble ahead?

[steveha]

I'm sure MS has patents and copyrights up the wazoo on Windows NT, and is not afraid to take advantage of them.

Microsoft isn't the nicest company on Earth, but they don't really have a history of using lawsuits to try to squash competition. I doubt the ReactOS guys need to fear this.

Remember how they arrogantly sued the company they bought MS-DOS from out of existence because they were worried they would add multitasking to it?

Actually, no, I don't remember this at all. Could you point me to a newspaper article or something?

I did a web search, and all I could find was that Seattle Computer Products sued Microsoft (in 1986), not the other way around!

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-11-502830.html

If Microsoft ever arrogantly sued Seattle Computer Products, I'd like to know more about it.

steveha