ReactOS 0.4.11 "Open-Source Windows" Available With Big Kernel Improvements

[starshipeleven]

I like the potential for ReactOS, I've been dabbling with Win95/98 recently and found some memory wrappers that allow old dos games to run in Windows 98se. Should be possible to do similar memory wrapping in ReactOS giving us an NT that's more compatible with DOS apps than XP/7/10 is. DOSBOX is not a good solution for a lot of use cases due to poor performance.

Ahem. Win98se is still technically DOS 7.1 with a GUI and FAT32 support, just like Win95.

The NT kernel was used in the contemporary product Win 4.0 NT and then from Win2000 onwards on all Windows products. I have doubts that a wrapper designed for what is still basically a DOS system would work at all in a NT kernel.

[starshipeleven]

I wish someone would port this user interface wholesale to Linux.

Got you covered, fam. From Win3.1 all the way up to Win10. GTK only.

https://b00merang.weebly.com/themes.html

[DMJC]

Ahem. Win98se is still technically DOS 7.1 with a GUI and FAT32 supp. ort, just like Win95.

The NT kernel was used in the contemporary product Win 4.0 NT and then from Win2000 onwards on all Windows products. I have doubts that a wrapper designed for what is still basically a DOS system would work at all in a NT kernel.

Actually, it turns out that the main difference between win98se and winnt when it comes to DOS applications is VXDs vs VDDs (Virtual Device Drivers for both platforms). Windows 95/98 contain a lot more VXD devices for DOS compatibility, create equivalent drivers as .VDDs in NT and NT can run the same DOS applications that 95/98 can. In my specific use case, there's a custom VXD for remapping a certain Expanded memory manager's memory into a different region. That driver can be easily ported to an NT kernel.

[starshipeleven]

Actually, it turns out that the main difference between win98se and winnt when it comes to DOS applications is VXDs vs VDDs (Virtual Device Drivers for both platforms). Windows 95/98 contain a lot more VXD devices for DOS compatibility, create equivalent drivers as .VDDs in NT and NT can run the same DOS applications that 95/98 can. In my specific use case, there's a custom VXD for remapping a certain Expanded memory manager's memory into a different region. That driver can be easily ported to an NT kernel.

Ok, thanks.

So while this VXD could be easily ported as VDD on a NT kernel there is something else you need that isn't there in more modern Windows (I'd guess win16, which was dropped in Vista or 7 I think).

[DMJC]

Ok, thanks.

So while this VXD could be easily ported as VDD on a NT kernel there is something else you need that isn't there in more modern Windows (I'd guess win16, which was dropped in Vista or 7 I think).

Correct, the subsystem is called NTVDM (Virtual Dos Machine) ReactOS has an implementation of NTVDM. 64-bit versions of Windows removed NTVDM by default.

[Vistaus]

I wish someone would port this user interface wholesale to Linux.
The windows kernel blows and always has but back then there is no doubt MS knew UX design.

https://xpde.holobit.net/shots.php

Download mirror: https://linux.softpedia.com/get/Desk...Pde-1786.shtml

Or, if you want something more modern (code-wise, as XPDE has been abandoned) that resembles it but is short on features still: https://edeproject.org/

[Spooktra]

Almost 20 years and they have a barely functioning OS. It reminds me of Sky OS and Haiku, it's little more than a hobby for someone, surely they must realize that it never amount to anything.

[Nille]

But the difference is, that they started some years ago new to switch to the NT base. And the Win2k Source Leak almost killed the Project and a audit was required that halted the project for years and many developers had to resign because they came in contact with the win2k sources (self-inflicted or accidental).

[DMJC]

Almost 20 years and they have a barely functioning OS. It reminds me of Sky OS and Haiku, it's little more than a hobby for someone, surely they must realize that it never amount to anything.

This is such a dramatically wrong statement. ReactOS runs Skyrim, Caligari TrueSpace and 3D Studio Max. All of those programs are more complex than almost any of the Applications available on Linux and certainly more complex than anything running on SkyOS. ReactOS already delivers incredible application compatibility even if you just run it in a Virtual machine. Under the list of supported hardware it already boots/runs on Core 2 duo motherboards and real hardware. Yes the drivers are generally XP based, but once ReactOS reaches a certain level of hardware compatibility (mostly USB support so it's usable for daily tasks), it'll be quite simple to upgrade its driver support to support modern Windows 7/10 drivers. It can already self host and run older versions of Microsoft Visual Studio.

[starshipeleven]

I hope you don't mind a little adjustment.....The NT kernel was used in the contemporary product WinNT 3.1 and then from WinXP onwards on all Windows products..... (ME came after 2000).

To my defense, Windows ME was a dud that never even reached widespread use outside the US (or inside it) before Windows 2000 showed up. So I completely forgot about it.