React OS

[Infrasonic]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne88Is2cymQ&t=0s

ReactOS is a free, open source operating system for natively running Windows applications. Here I install alpha build v.0.4.7 in a virtual machine and test it out, including running a version of PhotoShop.

The ReactOS website is at: https://www.reactos.org/

[cinelli]

An interesting development. It looks like an old version of Windows but it is free and, presumably, with no annoying activation codes. Does it include programs like Word and Excel? If so I wonder how up to date they are.

Cinelli

[Breelander]

An interesting development. It looks like an old version of Windows... Does it include programs like Word and Excel?

I've downloaded the LiveCD version to test it. The 'readme.txt' says "...The ReactOS project (is) currently focused on Windows Server 2003 compatibility..." which mean it is virtually identical to XP in 'look and feel'.

Windows Server 2003 is a server operating system produced by Microsoft and released on April 24, 2003. It was a successor of Windows 2000 Server and incorporated some of Windows XP's features.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Server_2003

No, there are no other programs bundled with it - it's the bare OS, just the same as you would get installing XP.

In fact, its not so much 'bare', more like 'skeleton'. Being in alpha there are (as yet) only a limited number of drivers included. It does not seem to have a driver for my laptop's Synaptics touchpad, for example - just the basic PS/2 mouse driver (but at least that worked with a usb mouse). You can of course install more drivers, apparently anything up to Win7 drivers can be used.

BTW, of the two laptops I tested it on, the first gave a very familiar BSOD (for the HD Audio driver, apparently) - one of the perils of alpha-testing, hence the strong recommendation to test in a VM

[Infrasonic]

It's actually been going for around ten years apparently, so I don't know how soon they are hoping to make it beta!...
I suppose as W7 gets closer to it's unsupported deadline there may be more willing hands on deck to help out with the development of React?

In the meantime I'll continue trying to get my Linux knowledge up to speed. Using Virtualbox and Mint VM daily now.