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Release of ReactOS 0.4 Brings Open Source Windows Closer to Reality

posted by martyb on Wednesday February 17 2016, @07:09PM   Printer-friendly
from the making-progress dept.
ReactOS is a free and open source implementation of the Windows NT architecture, which intends to provide support for existing applications and drivers, outside of the control of Microsoft. The release of ReactOS 0.4 brings improved file system support, including native, out-of-the-box support for ext2, ext3, and ext4, as well as read-only support for NTFS. Additionally, the bundled version of UniATA was updated to add better support for SATA and PATA devices. Support was generally improved for third-party device drivers, making it substantially easier to install and use real hardware, as opposed to just virtual machines like VirtualBox.

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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by tangomargarine on Wednesday February 17 2016, @08:44PM

    by tangomargarine (667) on Wednesday February 17 2016, @08:44PM (#305934)

    Because not even Windows supports parts of its own back library anymore. I have several 2000-ish programs that worked fine up through Windows 7, but since 8 won't even run in compatibility mode.

    --
    "Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 17 2016, @10:15PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 17 2016, @10:15PM (#305977)

    The TechRepublic article mentions Win32 multiple times.

    There's this recent item as well WRT 16-bit APIs:
    Wine Staging 1.9.3 Adds Compatibility Fixes for a Bunch of Older Windows Games [softpedia.com]

    As the WINE and ReactOS projects have considerable cross-pollination WRT source code, if that stuff hasn't made it into ReactOS yet ("Staging" == beta), it should soon.

    I mentioned the antiX crew the other day and how much they get done despite the small number of people involved.
    The ReactOS crew is another small bunch that is impressive.

    -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by LoRdTAW on Wednesday February 17 2016, @10:51PM

    by LoRdTAW (3755) on Wednesday February 17 2016, @10:51PM (#305996) Journal

    How about VB5/6 programs to control industrial lasers via serial that wont work on > Win7. Gimme an opensource alternative that is 2000/XP compatible, runs on modern hardware, perhaps more secure, supports some new features and I'm sold. My shop is still running DOS, Win 2k and XP to keep the machines humming. Upgrading is ether technically or financially infeasible. It is easier and cheaper to keep a stock of old hardware that works.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 18 2016, @07:54AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 18 2016, @07:54AM (#306209)

      Try it? Get virtual box and put it on a new computer and test it out. I don't think anyone here can say if it works or not, unless someone knows for sure it will not run VB5/6 programs.