ReactOS "Open-Source Windows" Steadily Improving x64 Port

[schmidtbag]

IMO the project is gravely held back by not tackling the driver compatibility situation.

I 100% agree. That, and the Windows-like OOBE are pretty much the only reasons to use it over some other open-source OS with WINE installed.
Personally, I think it was actually a bad move to add 64-bit support since that's just going to slow down their progress. Back when ReactOS was first being made, it didn't really make sense to use since Windows XP was ubiquitous, and effortless to pirate for anyone who didn't want to pay. However, XP has been long since abandoned, to the point that a lot of modern software can't be installed on it and a lot of modern hardware won't work properly either. ReactOS could be a great option to bridge the gap between 2000s-era hardware and software with what's available today, much in the same way of DOS Box. I think it has a lot of potential to be of immense interest [among hobbyists], all they have to do is get native XP drivers to work.

[user1]

I totally disagree. They should completely focus on being a guest in a VM. By doing so, they just have to support the usual batch of "virtual hardware", like all the virtio devices of qemu. The complexity of this task is by magnitudes lower than supporting physical hardware. No more hassle with self written hardware drivers or ironing out issues with third party drivers.

And, honestly, who is going to run this on bare metal?

If ReactOS should focus on being a VM only OS, then it's absolutely useless when Wine already exists. I mean there might be one or two rare cases when something doesn't work on Wine but does on ReactOS, but still. Wine also has wider software compatibility because it also supports modern Windows software for Vista/7+, while ReactOS is stuck in NT 5.x / XP era.

Unlike you, I've always viewed ReactOS as something that can be potentially useful to resurrect old hardware and run old Windows software on that hardware instead of running it on insecure outdated Windows versions, but considering how unstable it is even on old hardware, I currently don't see any point in this OS.

[Quackdoc]

I 100% agree. That, and the Windows-like OOBE are pretty much the only reasons to use it over some other open-source OS with WINE installed.
Personally, I think it was actually a bad move to add 64-bit support since that's just going to slow down their progress. Back when ReactOS was first being made, it didn't really make sense to use since Windows XP was ubiquitous, and effortless to pirate for anyone who didn't want to pay. However, XP has been long since abandoned, to the point that a lot of modern software can't be installed on it and a lot of modern hardware won't work properly either. ReactOS could be a great option to bridge the gap between 2000s-era hardware and software with what's available today, much in the same way of DOS Box. I think it has a lot of potential to be of immense interest [among hobbyists], all they have to do is get native XP drivers to work.

I can think of a lot of reasons actually, Industrial use being a major one, many companies rely on really old software and upgrading simply is not feasible, as I stated above, I plan on looking into using reactOS for retro gamgin systems since for a lot of old games wine is simply unusable (even modern windows is a pain, but at least many workarounds actually work on windows). it can also be good for getting niche systems working too, plenty of hardware out there that had decent windows support is now unusable on modern linux and windows, (I have a couple of old graphics tablets that are unusable on both windows and linux but have windows 9x era drivers)

but considering how unstable it is even on old hardware, I currently don't see any point in this OS.

the have actually been making good progress on this front, some acer aspire laptops and HP compaqs now boot (with vesa graphics but hey, lots of progress there alone). it's not a large range of support by any means, but it's certainly been making progress.

[user1]

the have actually been making good progress on this front, some acer aspire laptops and HP compaqs now boot (with vesa graphics but hey, lots of progress there alone). it's not a large range of support by any means, but it's certainly been making progress.

That's good to hear.

[stiiixy]

I was running this in 2007. Weird, how I cant now. Technology got technologygy.

[osw89]

there is no way in hell linux will be more usefull o

Wake me up when it can run Vivado or any EDA tool from Cadence or Synopsys. Oh right, that's too much to expect from an OS targeting the lowest common denominator that comes with ta file manager that doesn't even have a button to go up one directory.

[cb88]

I 100% agree. That, and the Windows-like OOBE are pretty much the only reasons to use it over some other open-source OS with WINE installed.
Personally, I think it was actually a bad move to add 64-bit support since that's just going to slow down their progress. Back when ReactOS was first being made, it didn't really make sense to use since Windows XP was ubiquitous, and effortless to pirate for anyone who didn't want to pay. However, XP has been long since abandoned, to the point that a lot of modern software can't be installed on it and a lot of modern hardware won't work properly either. ReactOS could be a great option to bridge the gap between 2000s-era hardware and software with what's available today, much in the same way of DOS Box. I think it has a lot of potential to be of immense interest [among hobbyists], all they have to do is get native XP drivers to work.

I'm not sure that is true, x86 is getting widely abandoned with low developer interest... its probably reached the point that it is holding the ReactOS project back to stay on x86 only. Also pretty much all VMs are 64bit these days and eventually 32bit VM drivers will likely stop being published.

Staying on x86 also means any driver compatibility has to be tested on old worn out hardware.... where it might not be a bug you are fighting but just broken hardware.

[schmidtbag]

I'm not sure that is true, x86 is getting widely abandoned with low developer interest... its probably reached the point that it is holding the ReactOS project back to stay on x86 only. Also pretty much all VMs are 64bit these days and eventually 32bit VM drivers will likely stop being published.

That's exactly why it makes sense to focus on x86, because it's a niche market that there will retain some demand in for a long while, especially among hobbyists. Like I alluded to, the main potential benefit of ReactOS would be to have XP compatibility while otherwise still having modern capabilities, since such an OS effectively does not and will not exist.
I feel like anyone who would want to run this in a VM could just do so through QEMU and emulate the architecture.

Staying on x86 also means any driver compatibility has to be tested on old worn out hardware.... where it might not be a bug you are fighting but just broken hardware.

Right but the old hardware is one of the only compelling reasons to use ReactOS. Let's face it - they're probably not even going to get W7 compatibility, so they might as well embrace the notion of being a modern OS with a focus of 90s and 2000s hardware and software. That is an attainable goal, but to be a complete open-source Windows replacement even up to today's products is likely to never happen. We're also at a time where modern Windows software is getting easier and easier to run on alternative OSes, but a lot of stuff from the 90s and 2000s that aren't compatible are likely to never be compatible, because nobody is paying attention to them. ReactOS could help fill that void.

I can think of a lot of reasons actually, Industrial use being a major one, many companies rely on really old software and upgrading simply is not feasible

I'm confused - your post seems to suggest you disagree with me, but your example aligns with what I said. If a company is held back by outdated software that does not work in WINE, it is unlikely to work in ReactOS too. If it does, great, but there's a pretty good chance that whatever makes it not work with WINE is related to hardware, hence me saying that ReactOS can really find its niche if it were to be compatible with Windows drivers.

[tuxd3v]

I think Ros should implement amd64..they should have done it long ago..they are underfunded, and that is the problem..
But right now, in the current geopolitical situation it can become an alternative, and I hope it does.

[cb88]

That's exactly why it makes sense to focus on x86, because it's a niche market that there will retain some demand in for a long while, especially among hobbyists. Like I alluded to, the main potential benefit of ReactOS would be to have XP compatibility while otherwise still having modern capabilities, since such an OS effectively does not and will not exist.
I feel like anyone who would want to run this in a VM could just do so through QEMU and emulate the architecture.

Right but the old hardware is one of the only compelling reasons to use ReactOS. Let's face it - they're probably not even going to get W7 compatibility, so they might as well embrace the notion of being a modern OS with a focus of 90s and 2000s hardware and software. That is an attainable goal, but to be a complete open-source Windows replacement even up to today's products is likely to never happen. We're also at a time where modern Windows software is getting easier and easier to run on alternative OSes, but a lot of stuff from the 90s and 2000s that aren't compatible are likely to never be compatible, because nobody is paying attention to them. ReactOS could help fill that void.



I'm confused - your post seems to suggest you disagree with me, but your example aligns with what I said. If a company is held back by outdated software that does not work in WINE, it is unlikely to work in ReactOS too. If it does, great, but there's a pretty good chance that whatever makes it not work with WINE is related to hardware, hence me saying that ReactOS can really find its niche if it were to be compatible with Windows drivers.

niche market / Dead market.... it never makes sense to chase the trailing edge at least not from a profit / sustaintability standpoint... the issues with that start compounding and the profits will start falling as your offering becomes less and less competitive and or interesting. Nobody gives a flying crap about running XP era software for pay.

If a company is truely held back by some XP era software, they are going to fail anyway and as such aren't a reliable stream of income.