ReactOS - Dell IdeaStorm

How IdeaStorm Works:

Operating Systems Comments | Operating Systems Ideas

2660

ReactOS

2660 points posted to Operating Systems by fireball 03/07/07

There have been a number of ideas for offerings computers with some flavour of Linux preinstalled, and that's great. But, there are customers, who would still want to have benefits of Windows (still the majority of software applications are targeted at Win32 API and .NET Framework, not to speak about drivers for various consumer devices).

Would DELL be interested in supporting a project aimed at creating a compatible implementation of Windows (the same architecture, API and ABI), but under a GPL license?

This would sound crazy if it's to be done from scratch, but we already spent quite some time for development and even came up with a few releases (they are more like proof of concept, not usable at the moment for preinstalling on PCs).
If you like to read more - http://www.reactos.org

Thanks.

« Previous 1 2 Next »

ghostshaw 03/07/07	Whatever you say, ReactOS has one of the most skilled developer groups and shows great promise. Also the full Dx implementation will eventually make it great for gamers. -Ghost-
radhad 03/07/07	I know a lot people in german online communities who have an eye over this project how it goes further. A lot of them favorize Linux and see the advantages of an OpenSource "Windows". I hope the way to Beta 0.5 isn't too long :)
bugmenot 03/07/07	This is Russell, e-props from me!
greyghost 03/07/07	Yeah !! ReactOS is a project with GREAT potential and indeed every good project needs support !!! And having had enough flavours of Linux (no bad intention intended by saying this) we need an OS with which can run our own old Windows apps !!! GO REACTOS !!! and everyone who would like to contribute please visit the site and join in ..every type of help is always welcome !!
capfed76 03/07/07	Please support this great project, it's a great idea, I've seen it's progress. It's remarkable what they've done considering the available resources.
dodgeman 03/07/07	It would be great if Dell could contribute in any way to this project. It shows great promise for the future, and might just be the OS that really can be a real alternative to windows for common customers.
lotr 03/07/07	The open source answer for people who can't use linux
virus 03/07/07	i think that ROS is the best alternative to Windows
fry2oo7 03/07/07	This is probably the best alternative in question, especially for a system builder, as only opensource operating systems can be modified to do exactly what you want them to do. ReactOS is the ONLY os supporting windows applications and drivers, that a system builder like Dell can fit exactly to its needs. Plus, when you completely switch over from Windows to ReactOS, this could make PCs alot cheaper.
greatlord 03/07/07	i think that ReactOS is the best alternative to Windows. And current devlopers love it.
thewi2kbug 03/07/07	ReactOS is going to be the Linux of Windows.... reason why i say this: how Linux is a free alternative to Unix, ReactOS will be the free alternative to Windows
rusturist 03/08/07	Great idea indeed!
jaixbly 03/08/07	Yeah! Go for ReactOS, it promises open Windows, open Gates and no Bills!
bastetfurry 03/08/07	Dell should support this open source effort. If not with money then with free hardware for the core dev team or even some free advertisement.
drg4njubas 03/08/07	Great project!
ebiel 03/08/07	I think ReactOS is an excellent idea and has great potential!
spoonman 03/08/07	Go ReactOS this is a great project and the only real alternative to windows. Linux is nice and secure, but it i think it will never reach a state of usability that windows has, but reactos will!
bond007s 03/08/07	ReactOS definately has the possibility more than any flavor of Linux to be more what the user expects. With Dell support, it can reach that goal.
maverick_16 03/08/07	I highly agree. ReactOS seems like a very good candidate for "A must have" venture for a large pc maker. Dell should learn from IBM, Novell and SUN... Get your own foot in a tested platform and inject resources to make it happen. Fruits don't grow overnight :)
glaskows 03/08/07	I really like this project. I am a Linux user, but I still need Windows OS hardware support. I would love to have a virtualized lite version of reactOS for a printer server.
tonybenson 03/08/07	its sweet
tonymac32 03/08/07	I've been watching this project for a long time. Their current capabilities are impressive, and I look forward to seeing them reach Beta. I think with any kind of help, these guys could really bring a contender to the OS scene.
jesper79 03/08/07	Well, I'm pretty sure there will be possible to buy pc's with preinstalled ReactOS around 0.5 beta stage, and I probebly will buy one at that time. mvh jesper
jepael 03/08/07	I'd definitely want ReactOS on my computer rather than Vista, even if ReactOS would only be halfway done yet.
_walter_ 03/08/07	i agree, reactos is a great idea, i'd like to have it as my main os too
ixrayi 03/08/07	Its a really good Projekt and I think that is a good and real alternave to Windos.
gplgeek 03/08/07	This is a great project. Very skilled people and very useful. I replaced my windows XP system with a nightly build of reactos and I'll never go back. There are only a few windows programs I need and I just can't wait for more native driver support. Thank you ReactOS
greatlord 03/09/07	I love reactos in my heart and I hope I can switch over to reactos complete this summer. I only need guildwars and few other apps working to 100% in ReactOS
cman 03/09/07	When ROS will be more stable, I definitly swich to it.
greatlord 03/09/07	cman I agreed about it need be more stable 0.3.1 is bit harder see the bsod screen.
p80 03/09/07	I have my heart set on this being a success
greyghost 03/09/07	ReactOS can already dispaly to you its potential .. look at the screenshots area on the main page and you will see many number of software that already work great under ReactOS .. and ROS is improving with every release now.. !! futher support will help increase the project development speed !! So please everyone .. do support ReactOS! !!!!
visper52 03/09/07	I did just found out reactos and I like the idea, I will try it later today
radhad 03/09/07	I hope more people will find this project here and have a look at the website :) This even helps in smaller steps ;)
agenteyes 03/09/07	I will bay ReactOS in Swedich! This change the price dramatecly compare whit Windows. www.reactos-shop.com
changer 03/09/07	This could be a usable very quickly with backing from a player like Dell
betaluva 03/09/07	When ReactOS is more stable I encourge everyone to download and install it on their computers,its as easy to use as ms windows.
hiperjon 03/10/07	Can ReactOS run the Xara Xtreme vectorgraphics programm?
smiley 03/10/07	Reactos is a great alternative to windows!
mohitkumar 03/10/07	ReactOS is going to accomplish, what Linux has been trying for so long.
gedmurphy 03/10/07	> Can ReactOS run the Xara Xtreme vectorgraphics programm? The best thing to do it download ROS and try it. If it doesn't support it yet, it will do eventually.
gge 03/10/07	Great hope in Reactos , working in real hardware platform to be targeted by Devs team
usurp 03/10/07	The better idea to save a few dollars when you buy a new PC. Works well here !
dreams_ 03/10/07	ReactOS is going great, and it's opensource too! When it reaches beta status it will be very usefull.
preston 03/10/07	I've been watching this project for months and it's getting better and better. I can see a big potnetial in it.
thenico 03/10/07	Please Provide a CDROM of ReactOS.
colinfinck 03/10/07	ReactOS has a big potential, when it will be in Beta status. Then it will be useful for many users, also as a preinstallation on PCs. With support from Dell, we could really decrease the time up to the Beta status.
gedmurphy 03/10/07	> Please Provide a CDROM of ReactOS. The new release will be out in a few days
smiley 03/10/07	The current release is 0.3.0 .Here you can dowload it : http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/reactos/reactos0.3.0-REL-iso.zip?download WARNING: IT'S NOT FOR EVERYDAY USE. It's alpha version In a few days 0.3.1 will be released and you will be able to test the new version
raygun 03/10/07	Great idea and a HUGE amount of work. Great amount is done already, even more to be done. Keep it up! :)
cere4l 03/11/07	ixrayi 2 days ago Its a really good Projekt and I think that is a good and real alternave to Windos. ---------- you probably mean that windows is a horrible alternative to ReactOS >_>
jseypart 03/11/07	This will definitely become a great alternative to Windows, when it is more stable and supports more Windows programs. But it is incredible that ReactOS is already at that point with only so few developers. Keep up the good work!!!
tuxie 03/11/07	Ive been watching reactos for only a small amount of time considering, and in this time they have made so much progress that my head wants to unscrew. If only some big company or similar would stand behind it, such as dell, i really see no limit to its potential.
holysimpsons 03/11/07	ReactOS rulez! I'm tired of MS !
bratao 03/11/07	Its the os of future !
phoenix 03/11/07	Yeah, ReactOS will become a good alternative to MS Windows. The problem is that this will take a lot of time if the number of developers doesn't change. So I think it won't be successful in the nearer future unless a company like Dell supports it. And I am sure that this type of support won't cost a company like Dell much... btw, 0.3.1 was released today.
byr 03/11/07	very nice project. like other friends i m tired of MS
tachikoma_pilot 03/11/07	This is by far the best going open source OS at the moment, no hassles like linux libraries, no non-uniformity with standards, and best of all, all your windows applications should eventually work on it, oh yes and it is free, and got very talented coders this project deserves all the limelight it gets and more
unixfan 03/11/07	Open Source Windows NT implementation built from the ground up.. I'm a Unix fan.. but this would benefit those who don't have the intelligence required for UNIX.
emuandco 03/11/07	I found this project 5 years ago while I was looking for a Linux NTFS driver. I found the Captive Driver's Website with a link to ReactOS. I never heard of it before, but immediately downloaded Version 0.2.0. AFter this I followed the project and I can only say one thing, if this project continues growing in the same speed for the next years.... byebye Microsoft :-P
lleddell 03/11/07	It would be fine if reactos kernel support all software and drivers form XP. If Dell put 10.000.000$ in ReactOS microsoft wont sell any copy of windows vista What are the advantges of ReactOS if it will succeed it will be far more stable and saver bugless and cheaper... But if ReactOS succeed it wil be still open source (so you dont need dell box to run react os ) so I think Dell shuld go the APPLE way... OSS kernel and closed source GUI and other OS layers and Librayries BTW: an succesfull Os is an OS wich can do all what Linux can do+Photoshop+Windows Games
tonymac32 03/11/07	I agree entirely with lleddell on the success part being a function of games + linux. I would never look back if Linux could play battlefield 2142. I think, however, that the nature of this project would be somewhat lost if someone had a copyright on the main user interfaces/etc. Of course, I am sitting here freely using Fedora Core 6, which will someday turn into a Redhat commercial item, so who knows... What I would like to see is dell take special advatage of anything that Reactos does better than windows while keeping windows compatability, and of course providing a little bit of help to bring reactos to beta and beyond.
raygun 03/12/07	unixfan - this snobbish attitude of nix users is one of the reasons why people never migrate to nix
duv 03/12/07	Hmmm, interesting thought... sounds like some better than FreeDOS for the N-series.
tonymac32 03/13/07	unixfan, I do have to agree with raygun. I picked up linux when I was 14. With no previous computer experience. Now, 7 years later, I still haven't gotten past the attitude of some of the *nix community. And as impossible as this may seem, I fix problems in Linux with ease, while problems in Windows are like a brick wall. I also program in 5 different computer languages, including 32-bit Assembly. I think what you were trying to say, was that this will be a great everyman's Open-source operating system. Familiar, compatible. Free of confusing package managers, dependancies, sketchy hardware support, enigmatic command line magic, foreign-looking scripts, and the feeling that you will have to answer questions regaurding the proper syntax of a Perl statement before the system will give you your email. These guys have done a remarkable job with the resources at hand. Given some real resources, they would easily take off with this project and make it a real viable alternative.
chen379 03/13/07	I really think that Dell listening to customers and others in the community is a great step forward, and that offering something other than Windows will definitely draw more people. ReactOS is a promising alternative to having to use Windows, and what the team has done up to this point is amazing. I hope that Dell actually thinks about offering ReactOS as a preinstalled system; that way I can buy a computer with all of the pleasure of simplicity and none of the guilt.
whetphish 03/13/07	I first tested ReactOS about 5 or 6 years ago when it was CLI only. It's come a long way since then now having a GUI and is able to run quite a bit of software. It still has a long way to go, though, before it can be preinstalled on a PC. I would recommend anyone to try it out and help out with the programming if you can. I can't so I'll keep on observing! I'm a big UNIX fan (not Linux!!!!) and use a few different flavours at home and in my job. The trouble with UNIX is that most end users (many who are not that technical) are reluctant to give up Windows as they enjoy having a familiar interface and want to be able to use all the software they've been buying over the years without having to mess about setting up things like WINE. This is where I believe ReactOS will fit in when it is ready.
manksman 03/13/07	I have tried React OS and it is really great, most of the really hard work seems to have been done and I look forward to the day when we can have it working pre-installed on a brand as big and important as Dell.
nullix 03/14/07	after trying 0.3.1, I completely agree that this could well be the OS of the future !!
jawmht 03/14/07	Wow, This is great! ReactOS has potential to do anything, plans are already underway to implement a POSIX subsystem. Hopefully someone will design a emulation layer that runs Mac apps too!!!!
radhad 03/16/07	Get the latest version of ReactOS at http://www.reactos.org/en/download.html< ReactOS 0.3.1 is the latest version for now :)
nox 03/21/07	ReactOS is future
terstokat 03/30/07	What about Turkish language?
therrydicule 03/30/07	If it work well, with not a lot of bug and a good "compatibiliti". Why not?
maurits 04/12/07	Dell would get a lot of tech fans if they did..
gobinath 04/30/07	Dell Needs to think of ReactOS seriously. I think REACTOS has full potential to compete with windows.
kwash 05/08/07	Please support ReactOS. This is a great Operating System that has the potetial to compete with Windows.
bastetfurry 05/17/07	@terstokat: Its an OSS-OS that is done in their free time, if you want it done, either pay someone or do it for yourself and for every turkish user out there. If you need help with that, the devs are a very firendly group and would surely help you with any technical problems regarding your translation work.
unitedroad 05/17/07	ReactOS can be a serious competitor to Windows if they aim to be but that could be troubled by some lawsuit by windows regarding the similarities in design
truefsx 05/23/07	ReactOS is just plain WONDERFUL. I have tried using 0.3.1, and while there was installation problems, the VMWare image worked great, and could actually get partway through the installation of VMWare Tools. That is just a great step. ReactOS rox!
twocows 05/29/07	I support ReactOS; I've always been for the idea of an open-source Windows-like OS, and ReactOS just might be that one that makes it happen. However, it's still really early in development (alpha stage), so if Dell supports it, they could support it by donating people to the development of the project. That, in my opinion, would do most to help it out.
basurapr 05/29/07	I love the idea that ReacOS brings beyond, I'm totally desperate to have a beta version of this operating system. Is a great OS project, ubuntu is a nice choice for easy under linux, but ReactOS will rock the world with new posibilities of use on existing software and drivers. twocows is correct here, donating people for development is the best it can be done.
kimlik66 05/29/07	I learned about ReactOS only recently. I have a pretty old P-1 Dell Laptop with 32 MB of RAM. It used to run on Win98. But i replaced it with ReactOS. Boy is it fast!! No, actually i think the word "rocket" would be a more accurate word comparing Windows to ReactOS now running my good old laptop. ReactOS indeed is extremly fast and runs smoothly --even on such a really very old machine. And this despite the fact ReactOS hasn't even reached the beta stage. Really hope that all those geeks/coders out there eventually start coding for ReactOS, instead of coding for Linux, as Linux now is even worse than Windows for it’s increasingly heavier, slower and drains the cpu & ram like a hog for nothing. Meanwhile, i highly reccomend reading the following review of ReactOS http://neosmart.net/blog/2006/reactos-the-next-windows/
kevintrooper 06/01/07	I didnt know this was on ideastorm! even thow i have been with reactos long! (i make wallpapers for http://www.dellideastorm.com/article/show/66593
gnu-b 06/02/07	Good idea! It would be great if Dell was to support Reactos, which is still alpha quality.
resistant 06/02/07	This would benefit both Dell and the ReactOS community a lot!
kevintrooper 06/24/07	http://ideastorm.com/article/show/64782 http://ideastorm.com/article/show/66593
jorge 06/26/07	Nice one kevintrooper, only if they allowed re-directs :D
jorge 06/26/07	Hey Badblood lets meet at the reactOS forums! Wadaya say? We can preempt the Conference there.
badblood 06/26/07	OK, but where' the reactOS forum...
steadvex 07/25/07	I think reactos has gratepotiential, whats with all the people demoting this idea??
kevintrooper 07/25/07	yea!!!!!!! yeay version 0.3.3 RC is released!
trocupei 08/13/07	What about windows fanatics ? Why aren't they present in the topic ? And on Ideastorm in general. Is there a storm coming ? Will is start with Dell? Open source is the opposite of Bil Gates way of making money.... Please defend this guy ! He needs your help. Not that i don't like him, (i don't exactly know him personally) but he's making money selling things that you get for free on other platforms like Linux... And what is linux? It's the people, the community , the users, Not just the geeks....And the windowsaddicts that just can't figure out linux, well they are not user like you and me. They are just conditioned in a tunnel of truth. Believe or die.
jorge 08/13/07	There are no Windows users, if there were they'd have a presence here don't you think? (I'm using the blinders logic as used by our only popular Windows fan)
gplgeek 11/01/07	Merged Idea originally posted 03/08/07 ReactOS Donate time and support to ReactOS and offer it on all of your desktop systems. With a few more devs and some more resources this os could be the shining star of usability meets freedom!
jemboy 11/01/07	Merged Comment originally posted 03/08/07 If Dell Company would sponser the ReactOs project by e.g. dedicated developers, wouldn't it be a win-win situation? Selling a PC with ReactOS instead of WIndows would be like the Linux, 99% of the people would prefer...
therrydicule 11/01/07	Merged Comment originally posted 03/30/07 Well... If ReactOS is stable, and have a good "competebylite" (I want to say than his better then me english)... Why not?
gt500 11/01/07	Merged Comment originally posted 04/16/07 I agree. The best alternative to Windows is an operating system that aims to be binary compatible with Windows. ReactOS is the most mature attempt at such as operating system, and all it's lacking is proper support from users and developers. Being backed by a major PC manufacturer might bring this OS out of it's alpha stages, and onto the average users' desktop computers.
betaluva 11/01/07	Merged Comment originally posted 05/15/07 We need alternatives to the windows operating system,reactos is the most logical choice,it will run all of the programs that people want to use,companies will falling over each other to get to reactos once its complete,Dell should show it support now!.
steve2 11/01/07	Merged Comment originally posted 05/15/07 still alpha

track comments for this idea

« Previous 1 2 Next »

Please log in to post a comment

last 100 demotions:

Status

IdeaStorm Team

Meet the Team!

How IdeaStorm Works:

Categories

Status

IdeaStorm Team