size of reactos

dark · Post by **dark** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:16 pm

Dr. Fred, thats just taking things out of context, REALLY out of context. and i have no idea what the reaction the first quote means; it makes very little sense

chris319 · Post by **chris319** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 11:12 pm

windows is big because of stuff they force on their customers, MSN, windows media player, real player, windows authentication, Internet Explorer, accessory programs, etc... and the occasionaly abode, aol

None of these things should be in the contemplated CD #1 barebones version of ReactOS. Not even a web browser, nope, no siree. It is straightforward to download your own copy of the latest version of Firefox or whatever browser you want, using someone else's bandwidth and not ReactOS'. However, a web browser should definitely be on CD #2, the first of the accessories CDs.

If anyone ever introduces A-O-Smell to ReactOS, I will seek them out and whack them with a rolled-up newspaper.

Blaskowicz · Post by **Blaskowicz** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 2:11 am

there should be at least a ftp client, in order to go to ftp.mozilla.org

the old ftp from BSD (which is in linux AND windows

) can do the job, but integration of FTP to ROS explorer (ftp only, not web

) would be better for non technical users.

eh, I'll do that next time I have to install Windows, use the ftp command to download Firefox so that I'll never have to use Internet Explorer at all

Post by **Dr. Fred** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 12:28 pm

dark wrote:Dr. Fred, thats just taking things out of context, REALLY out of context. and i have no idea what the reaction the first quote means; it makes very little sense

ok, I'm sorry here is a better version of my posting.
____________________________________________________________

dark wrote:This is an operating system site, not a distro site.

The term "operating system" includes usermode sofware. For example look at GNU. They tired to introduce the term "GNU/Linux" for the Operating system "Linux" which is the Linux-Kernel togther with usermode software like (GNU tools).
(But I have to acknowledge that without additional software ReactOs would still be an operating system.)

dark wrote:The linux kernal is about 30MB by itself.

I personally don't like distros. Yes, Linux has them, but that's for historical reasons. Other OSS OSes like FreeBSD don't.

I my mind the package manager would be a good solution for this, people just download a minmalistic CD and then choose the additional software they want to install themselfs.

R.I.N.L.

chris319 · Post by **chris319** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 1:00 pm

Here is another proposal for a ReactOS "distro":

CD #0 - Core operating system (including drivers) and nothing more. Just the bare essentials (intended for low-bandwidth downloads).

CD #1 - Core operating system with the following freeware applications, provided they all fit on a single 700 MB CD:

1. Web browser (Firefox?)

2. Email client (Thunderbird?)

3. Word processor/text editor (Abiword?)

4. CD burning software, either integral to the OS or an external program (DeepBurner free version?)

CDs #2 to n: Games, media players, office suites, utilities, etc.

N.B.: CD #0 would exist only as a downloadable ISO image. Recipients of physical CDs would receive CDs #1 through n. CD #0 would not be available in physical form.

MadRat · Post by **MadRat** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 5:46 pm

I'm all for a partnership with a common email/calendar program, but not for multiple CD's of freewares. The freeware authors should distribute their own code and themselves certify ROS-compatibility.

chorns · Post by **chorns** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 7:43 pm

ReactOS is not a distribution a la Linux distributions. ReactOS is a building block for disitributions (kind of like what the Linux kernel is to Linux distributions). This means you can take ReactOS and put it on some media and include whatever else you feel is needed and distribute it.

Alkali · Post by **Alkali** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 10:29 pm

Why is a distribution needed at all? Reactos provides the basic os, at least one web browser (come on people don't you want Joe AverageUser to try this? it can always be uninstalled), and the package manager. Software can then be downloaded from the package manager (Reactos bandwidth), or the software host website (their bandwidth) using the web browser. No competing packege management types or file types, the only need for a distro I can see is if people want some type of tech support. I mean windows provides a mostly basic os and their tech support is crap.

Quigs · Post by **Quigs** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:39 am

Why distros?

People are lazy, the faster they can get a system up and running the better.

We should not lock ourselves into the idea of a "cd". Also, Windows can be installed from within Windows and at bootup over the network. ReactOS should be the one to design all installation things. Don't leave that up to the distros.

How do you know where to stop when including things? The "average user" might also want an mp3 player, and we should give them a firewall and antivirus, etc...

ReactOS is an Open Source effort to develop a quality operating system that is compatible with Microsoft Windows(R) applications and drivers.

Including Firefox, Mp3 player, package manager, or any other application does NOT accomplish this.

Alkali · Post by **Alkali** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 1:47 am

What I mean is linux is a kernel, the main distros (slackware, debian, red hat, ext) are operating sytems in themselves in that they each have a different way of doing the same thing. The distros of the distros (Mepis, Vector, ext) simply precreate a usable os from the main distros.

Well, reactos will be the main distro because it will be a windows clone. Sure Mepis and Vector type distros will be usefull, but if reactos included a word processor, a web browser, and a media player, it would take care of the needs of a most average users. More advanced users would want to download their prefered software anyway.

In all reality most people are in agreement that distros or the user will take care of getting the apps, and reactos only needs to be responsible for the os. However, consitering this thread is about size, and I don't think abiword, firefox, and media player classic (or VLC) would add that greatly to the overall size, I don't see problem with adding these basic apps.

chris319 · Post by **chris319** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:20 am

Why is a distribution needed at all?

To get ReactOS into the hands of users.

Reactos provides the basic os, at least one web browser (come on people don't you want Joe AverageUser to try this? it can always be uninstalled), and the package manager. Software can then be downloaded from the package manager (Reactos bandwidth)

Why should ReactOS provide the bandwidth for this? If someone wants Winamp, let them download it from Nullsoft and let Nullsoft provide the bandwidth.

No competing packege management types or file types

R.I.N.L. We are not dealing with rpm and deb. In fact I'm not sure what a package manager is supposed to accomplish, unless it's to mimic Windows Update. Then it really isn't a "package manager", it's ReactOS Update.

We should not lock ourselves into the idea of a "cd".

Why not? It's a perfectly good way to get ROS into the hands of new users who do not already have it up and running on their machine and thus cannot do a network install. People have come to expect it: download an ISO image on another machine and burn a CD. You now have an installation CD with which ROS can be installed on any number of other machines, handed out to friends, and kept around to recover from catastrophic failure.

Taking into accound the issue of download bandwidth, there seems to be a consensus that ROS should supply only the core OS and a web browser.

Also, do not confuse "distro" (there should be only one version of ReactOS and not multiple versions a la Linux) with distributor. The latter processes orders, packs and ships physical CDs and has nothing to do with the software itself.

Alkali · Post by **Alkali** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:38 am

By "No competing packege management types or file types" I meant R.I.N.L.

Why should ReactOS provide the bandwidth for this? If someone wants Winamp, let them download it from Nullsoft and let Nullsoft provide the bandwidth.

I said we should include a browser. Most people don't know how to download without a browser. If you want to create a user guide to tell them how to download from a ftp site using the comand line be my guest, but guess what . . no one will want to. Also I did say only include basic apps like a browser and nothing else.

Also, do not confuse "distro" (there should be only one version of ReactOS and not multiple versions a la Linux) with distributor. The latter processes orders, packs and ships physical CDs and has nothing to do with the software itself.

What I meant by why a distro

Why should ReactOS provide the bandwidth for this? If someone wants Winamp, let them download it from Nullsoft and let Nullsoft provide the bandwidth.

Ok no package manager, I was not giving a argument for it, which is why I said this "or the software host website (their bandwidth) using the web browser". I do agree that a package manager should only be used for security updates.

Why not? It's a perfectly good way to get ROS into the hands of new users who do not already have it up and running on their machine and thus cannot do a network install. People have come to expect it: download an ISO image on another machine and burn a CD. You now have an installation CD with which ROS can be installed on any number of other machines, handed out to friends, and kept around to recover from catastrophic failure.

This I agree with

Oh yeah "ROS . . . handed out to friends, and . . . catastrophic failure." See I can take quotes out of context too

chris319 · Post by **chris319** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:48 am

I don't think abiword, firefox, and media player classic (or VLC) would add that greatly to the overall size

Firefox 1.0.4 for Windows, English = 4.7MB

Thunderbird 1.0 for Windows, English = 5.8MB

abiword/2.3.1/Windows = 4.9 MB

mpc2kxp6484.zip = 1.9 MB

vlc-0.8.1-win32.exe = 6.7MB

Worst case, you're looking at about 22 MB of applications if VLC is chosen. On a 700 MB CD that leaves 678 MB for ReactOS. If dialup download speed is a concern, get the proposed CD #0, except I would add Firefox to CD #0.

chris319 · Post by **chris319** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:56 am

I said we should include a browser. Most people don't know how to download without a browser. If you want to create a user guide to tell them how to download from a ftp site using the comand line be my guest, but guess what . . no one will want to.

Absolutely right. I'm now thinking a browser is a necessity and should be bundled with ReactOS, even on the proposed CD #0.

Opera is slightly more compact than Firefox (3.6 MB vs. 4.7 MB) but Opera want you to send them money. IMO Firefox is the preferable option.

dark · Post by **dark** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 6:06 am

since R.I.N.L has been said a lot how about:

R.I.N.D, ReactOS Is Not a Distro, distros include software, OSes do not.(an os is considered systemware)

if you include applications they will become outdated, making the end user spend more time setting up there computer because they have to update them or get rid of them.

Also to previous posts, i don't think firefox or opera can be included because they're not under the same liscense.

size of reactos

Not a distribution

Why a distro?

Why a distro?

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