REACTOS
ReactOS: the open source Windows
Open source OS
Entering an alternative universe, Michael Reed takes a look at an open source stand-in for the Microsoft Windows operating system.
ReactOS is an open source operating system that replicates the functionality R of the Microsoft Windows series of OSes while offering a considerable level of application compatibility. The current version is described as being at the alpha stage of development, and the developers recommend against using it as a day-to-day operating system for general computer tasks. That said, it’s a reasonably complete implementation of Windows XP/ Windows Server 2003 era core functionality and it can run quite a bit of software.
OUR EXPERT
Michael Reed started with desktop OSes like RISC OS and AmigaOS before moving on to OS/2 and then Linux. So, he’s tough to impress in that area.
On Linux, we tend to use either Wine or a complete version of Windows running in a VM when we have to run a Windows program, but ReactOS can do some things that Wine can’t do, such as running hardware drivers intended for Microsoft Windows. Apart from running software, ReactOS is also useful to developers who want to learn more about creating software for the Microsoft family of operating systems.
Installation
The install procedure will evoke an immediate flashback for those who have installed Microsoft operating systems in the past, as the colour scheme and layout is much the same. Following prompts, one navigates the white-on-blue text mode interface to select localisation features and create the installation partition. It’s always good to see an alternative OS that can carry out the install procedure without resorting to the use of external tools.
QUICK TIP
ReactOS currently targets compatibility with Microsoft Windows versions from the early 2000s, specifically Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. By then, Microsoft didn’t use the Windows NT branding, but this era of Windows operating system is sometimes referred to as NT 5.x.
ReactOS can support FAT32, but it can’t use NTFS for the boot drive – unsurprisingly, as NTFS (although the most commonly used filesystem on real Windows setups) is poorly documented and difficult to implement in a smaller, independent operating system. ReactOS can, however, access NTFS partitions in readonly mode once it is installed.
ReactOS also supports the Btrfs filesystem for the system installation and even supports some of its advanced features, such as different RAID modes. It’s an interesting situation that shows the advantage of open source development when it comes to a third party adding support for a complex technology.
Following the initial installation, one can boot the system, but there is a second stage of installation, as is the case with the installation of Microsoft operating systems. Generally, you can click through most of the defaults to complete this stage. However, it does serve as an introduction to the fact that nearly every part of ReactOS works similarly to Microsoft Windows.