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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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Release of ReactOS 0.4 Brings Open Source Windows Closer to Reality
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Q: "What is the burning question on the mind of every dyslexic
existentialist?"
A: "Is there a dog?"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 17 2016, @09:03PM
Hardware support is going to be critical. A lot of the people who are still using XP or have to use a specific version of Windows do so because of hardware required for the software they run, things like X-ray units in dentist offices or specialized servers for CNC program files in machine shops. Over the years I've encountered literally dozens of situations where the only thing keeping a client on Windows was because the application AND hardware they had to use would only work on Windows. They really wanted to get off Windows but since they had to have Windows for the specialized software they didn't see the point in having to have two computers around where one would do the job just as well.
If ReactOS can use drivers for proprietary hardware that were written for Windows then it really has a chance to capture those users, if not you can forget about it.
As someone else pointed out ReactOS has been in development for 12 years and they are still in beta, at best. During that time WINE has evolved to the point it can handle a lot of, formally, Windows only software. Not all of it and not perfectly, but the list of supported software is large and growing. The only real stumbling for WINE is the hardware support.
(Score: 2) by Post-Nihilist on Wednesday February 17 2016, @09:52PM
ReactOS use mainline Wine for userland since 2009. So all that WINE maturation has also benefited ReactOS
Be like us, be different, be a nihilist!!!