ReactOS

by ReactOS Project

A free and open-source operating system designed as a Windows alternative

Operating system: Windows

Publisher: ReactOS Project

Antivirus check: passed

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ReactOS is an operating system that is designed as a free analogue of Microsoft Windows. The two main principles that developers follow are that the system should be open source, fully compatible with all drivers, programs and games for Windows. The second principle is to make the transition to ReactOS as discreet as possible for the user, without having to retrain or learn in the new system and software.

After 10 years of development, ReactOS 0.4 was released in February 2016. Despite the fact that the development is still in the "Alpha" stage, it can already run a large number of programs that are compatible with Windows NT versions 5.x (Windows 2000, 2003 and Windows XP), as well as supported file systems FAT-32 and NTFS in read mode, plus support for BtrFs and Linux Ext2 and ReiserFS.

ReactOS provides a free, open-source alternative to Microsoft Windows, with full compatibility and a familiar user interface for easy transitioning.

The ReactOS interface is almost one-to-one repeats the classic scheme of Vindovs, the user will be greeted by the usual labels "My Computer", "Basket", the "Start" menu, standard windows, and the familiar blue death screen (BSOD), which appears when critical failures occur.

Two distributions are available for download: Live - suitable for running the system on a virtual machine - VMware or VirtualBox, and ISO-image of the disk, which can be installed on a CD/DVD or USB-flash drive and from them you can install the OS to your hard drive.

ADDITIONAL SCREENSHOTS

ADDITIONAL INFO

- Windows compatibility: the ReactOS project implements a stable NT-like operating system that includes the Win32 subsystem. Driver and software compatibility for Windows is constantly improving;

- Security: contrary to popular belief, NT is a secure architecture. NT-based systems, especially XP, have gained a bad reputation not because of the kernel, but because of its security settings, which were aimed primarily at simplifying the system for ordinary users. The ReactOS developers will try not to repeat these errors;

- Lightness: ReactOS was originally conceived as a powerful system that does not require large resources. However, it will not be like Win95, on the contrary, ReactOS offers many modern functions;

- Openness: The ReactOS project professes the ideology of OpenSource. The system itself is free to use, fully open and available for viewing and editing. ReactOS is distributed under the GNU GPL license;

- Extensible: ReactOS is a flexible and extensible system. Perhaps it is one of the most scalable operating systems due to its NT core and open source code.

PROS

Open-source and free to use for any purpose.
Compatible with Windows applications.
Highly customizable due to its modular design.

CONS

Lacks full compatibility with Windows applications and drivers.
Unstable and prone to crashes.
Limited software and hardware support.

👨‍💻️ USER REVIEWS AND COMMENTS 💬

Oscar

IT IS AN OPERATING SYSTEM JUST LIKE WINDOWS. ALTHOUGH IT IS IN ALPHA STAGE BUT STILL IT IS PERFORMING WELL AS IT HAS ACCESSIBILITY TO ALL THE APPLICATIONS,DEVICE AND GAMING. IT IS QUITE EASY AND FAST TO OPERATE UPON.I HAVE TRIED SOME OF THE APPLICATIONS ON IT AND THEY ARE WORKING WELL ON THIS OPEN SOURCE PLATFORM. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE MORE OF THEIR SOFTWARE TOOLS SO THAT MORE OF DEVELOPERS CAN HAVE ACCESS TO IT.                        

Harrison Mcmicheal

ReactOS is an open-source operating system designed to be binary-compatible with Windows NT-based operating systems, providing a free alternative to Windows. It aims to achieve complete binary compatibility with both applications and device drivers meant for Windows NT and its successors, down to the internal kernel level. ReactOS is written entirely in C and assembly.                        

Callum Y******p

I recently used the ReactOS software and I was pleasantly surprised. It had a lot of features and was easy to navigate. I was able to move from one page to the next without any issues. The graphics were great too, and the interface was intuitive. The overall performance was good and it ran smoothly on my system. I also liked that it was open source, which allowed for a lot of customization options. The documentation was also helpful and answered any questions I had. All in all, it was a great experience.                        

Oscar H.

ReactOS is a very interesting project. It has a great potential to become a popular open source operating system. The software is well designed and runs a lot of Windows applications without many problems. The GUI lacks some features compared to Windows, but it is still fairly usable. However, some stability issues still need to be addressed.                        

Robert Yakey

ReactOS is an open-source operating system that aims to be compatible with software and drivers written for Microsoft Windows. It has a user-friendly interface and supports a wide range of applications and hardware. One of its main features is its compatibility with Windows drivers and software, which allows users to run their favorite Windows programs on this platform. Additionally, ReactOS is fast, stable, and secure, making it a great alternative to Windows for those who want a free and open-source option.                        

Declan

ReactOS is an open-source operating system intended to be binary-compatible with computer programs and device drivers made for Windows. Its primary feature is its lightweight footprint which enables the OS to run efficiently on older hardware. The software is continually updated by dedicated developers, ensuring smooth and reliable operation.                        

Jack

It's like a lightweight, open-source version of Windows, yet with compatibility issues.                        

John

Unstable, crashes often, but intriguing open source concept.                        

Riley

Open-source, Windows-compatible, needs improvement.                        

Robbie

Windows-like free operating system with good compatibility.                        

Harris

The software in question is an operating system that acts as a free alternative to Microsoft Windows. The philosophy of the developers behind this project is to make the system accessible to everyone by being open source, while ensuring full compatibility with all drivers, programs, and games designed for Windows. The other main principle is to make the transition for users as discreet as possible, without needing to be trained in a new system.

After about ten years of development, a major version was released in February 2016. Although still in the "Alpha" stage of development, the software is already capable of running a large number of programs compatible with Windows NT 5.x versions (Windows 2000, 2003, and Windows XP), it also supports the FAT-32 and NTFS file systems in read mode, in addition to support for BtrFs and Linux Ext2 and ReiserFS.

The look and navigation are almost identical to those of Windows, welcoming the user with familiar icons such as "My Computer", "Recycle Bin", the "Start" menu, standard windows, not to mention the blue screen of death (BSOD) in case of critical failure. Finally, two distributions are available for download: the Live version - ideal for running the system on a virtual machine - and the ISO disk image that can be installed on a CD/DVD or USB drive, and then install the operating system on the hard drive.                        

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