The Impact of React OS

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Ironguy
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Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:13 pm

The Impact of React OS

Post by Ironguy »

Well this isn't much of techy discussion of the OS but more or so the social impact it would have on our society. I just thought it would be interesting to discuss.

This is what I think would happen once it is released.
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1) Initially it will be unknown to most of the world except for the elite in MS and those who dabble in Linux.

2) It will gain speed and eventuelly it will be a true alternative to Windows.

3) Eventually we will see branches of the OS. Designing it as it "should" have been in the eyes of the programmer.

4) All the while we will see massive development on the Linux Unified Kernel.

5) MicroSoft will begin to pump out upgrade after upgrade in order to minimalize the power of ReactOS. As at it's core, React IS Windows NT.

6) Microsoft will then begin to loose shares and the grasp it once had on the markets.

7) LUK should be relitivly stable for a release for public use roughly a few years after React OS is complete.

8) We will start to see some popular distros incorporating LUK into their systems. Compatibility problems are a thing of the past.

9) Microsoft in a sorry attempt to save the ground it lost in the markets will begin writing new forms of codes and mandating them as much as possible in products that are related to that version of windows of the time. This wont catch on though unless they have something ground breaking to offer. The reason why is because of the number of alternatives that are offered in the market for program writers to create. We can now have .EXE, .MSI files work on Linux or a branch of React OS. It would be detrimental to the coder to keep their worked tethered to MS.

10) It won't be shocking to see gaming rigs sold in America with a LUK powered Linux distro or a React OS equivalent.

11) Microsoft will have to reconsider the patent on their coding and the way they do business.
Z98
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by Z98 »

The relevancy of the LUK in the long run is questionable. Whether there exists a need for a universal operating system is highly questionable, not to mention the fact that certain Linux kernel devs and FSF people are likely to do everything in their power to prevent the integration of a stable driver ABI into Linux, since that eliminates the current major inconvenience with closed source Linux drivers. Their concern is functionality on their terms, not on how convenient it is for the end user.

How much market share Microsoft would lose is questionable, as its value lies as much in the support network it has in place as the products themselves. Don't presume that MS can't adapt to the changing environment. All things considered, their products are still doing well in the market despite all the naysayers and people complaining.
vicmarcal
Test Team
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by vicmarcal »

Ironguy wrote: 1) Initially it will be unknown to most of the world except for the elite in MS and those who dabble in Linux.
We are moving to target 2)
Because of that we need everyone support in the Sourceforge Community Choice Awards.
http://sourceforge.net/community/cca09/vote/
Remember, we are in 3 categories: Best project,Best project for goverment,The project that is going to change the way you do things.Please,select us in those 3 categories.Select other projects in other categories (if you wish) and click on vote.An email to send you a confirmation will be asked to confirm your vote.Please, it´s important to move to 2) this step. Tell your friends,tell your foes,tell in any forums, add the link to your forum signatures..anything can help.Thanks
Adif
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by Adif »

We are moving to target 2)
July 13, 2010 is coming fast for us Windows 2000 users. It would be a major coup if ReactOS was usable (certainly not complete, but usable) for orphaned Win2k people.
vicmarcal
Test Team
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by vicmarcal »

ReactOS is a 2003 clone so you are going to still be orphaned :(. Sorry
GoBusto
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by GoBusto »

vicmarcal wrote:ReactOS is a 2003 clone so you are going to still be orphaned :(. Sorry
I think he meant Windows 2000 is orphaned as in "unsupported, so you'll have to pay for a newer version of Windows" whereas ReactOS has an actively-maintained (read: supported) codebase and costs nothing to download.

As for the dire future in which Microsoft falls into the cone of a volcano after an epic clifftop fight screaming NOOOOOOOO (or, in one version, DO NOT WANT), I doubt it.

OpenOffice is available and yet Microsoft Office continues to be used.

Code::Blocks + MingW exists and yet Visual Studio is still popular.

*NIX + WINE can be obtained freely and yet the biggest obstacle to Windows Vista (and soon 7) is XP.

Microsoft is a known, trusted name with a huge installed user-base and it offers quality professional support for the products that it sells. In addition to Windows, it also produces products such as MS-SQL Server, Visual Studio, MS Office and a little thing called, y'know, the XBOX360.
vicmarcal
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by vicmarcal »

GoBusto wrote: OpenOffice is available and yet Microsoft Office continues to be used.
The main problem here is the closed mind of OpenOffice opposite to their open source.

OpenOffice was fighting saying that they follow the standards but not MS Office so that was the reason of the mess when you try to open a MO documment with OO. And OO has been sticked to that statement for too long:Not moving a finger to try to open correctly MO documents.
They werent moving to try to be compatible with the nonstandard(at least to open MO documents) because MO is following a nonstandard.
That was the closed mind.
Closed mind, because if OO wants to substitute MO in a PC they have to provide the basics.And what is the basic?The basic is that OO has to deal with MO documents until OO wins a big market. But as OO cant open MO documents in the right way, they arent winning the market.
The same happens with Linux distros oriented to desktop.And now Wine is trying to fill half of the gap.The other half(drivers) isnt fixable.
That is why LUK is appearing. To support closed drivers(mainly Windows ones) and opensource drivers(mainly Linux ones) as OO should have done: supporting standard rules and being compatible with the MS nonstandard rules.
doomonyou
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by doomonyou »

vicmarcal wrote:OpenOffice was fighting saying that they follow the standards but not MS Office so that was the reason of the mess when you try to open a MO documment with OO. And OO has been sticked to that statement for too long:Not moving a finger to try to open correctly MO documents.
They werent moving to try to be compatible with the nonstandard(at least to open MO documents) because MO is following a nonstandard.
Thats the big thing I hate about OpenOffice.org. At least AbiWord is making some progress in that area.
vicmarcal
Test Team
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by vicmarcal »

doomonyou wrote:Thats the big thing I hate about OpenOffice.org. At least AbiWord is making some progress in that area.
The first rule to win the market is giving the same to the users with your App.Since OO doesnt give the same(cant open perfectly MO documments) they cant win.
Firefox is giving the same + extra features, that is why they are winning market so fast.
ReactOS can win the market first in enterprises, since their requirements are lower than the requirements of general users.
richardarkless
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by richardarkless »

The only main problem I see that reactos will have is market share

If OEM's and popular retail stores dont adopt it when it gets final then less technical people will know about it

Also there would need to be a distribution that has the looks of modern operating systems like windows vista and 7 to get users using it over windows
greenie
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by greenie »

I actually don't think the look of modern operating systems is a big deal. The thing i am most asked to do is downgrade laptops and pc's from windows vista. Because they have crappy requirements. vista has a startup of 400mb ram usage. using internet explorer or Firefox can cripple the computer by exceeding the 512 mb ram(which they stupidly sell as vista compatible pcs with that low ram).
Plus I think with an opensource explorer people will create easy ways to make powerful themes.
Though I actually dislike windows vista and 7 themes. A strategy should be made on how to gain preference.
1) is obviously windows binary compatability
2) Personally I would say performance(we can get the o damn I bought this pc with vista with too high requirements)
3) customization. i would love to make interesting themes easily. Though windows always locks you out and requires hacks to do.

I don't think we can beat windows, but we could easily get a good following.
Ubuntu
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by Ubuntu »

I think it will start with the geeks and expand quickly via word of mouth. The problem though is that most people get the new version of Windows with the computer they buy, so ReactOS needs to give people the opportunity to run a Windows compatible OS on lesser hardware to prevent people needing to upgrade.

Usually your average person thinks that the computer needs to be replaced when the Operating System starts getting slow or has issues. It will be up to people "in the know" then to tell their friend that they can just install ReactOS and keep that same computer going and not need to upgrade.

I am sure small computer outlets would definitely want to grab ReactOS to include with the computers they sell. Just tell your customers it's a clone of Windows and it saves them $$$. People will agree to a deal like that! It's like the "No Name" version of Windows, just like the "Store Brand" cereal. Does the same thing just costs less; or nothing...
frmariam
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by frmariam »

greenie wrote:I actually don't think the look of modern operating systems is a big deal. The thing i am most asked to do is downgrade laptops and pc's from windows vista. Because they have crappy requirements.
My laptop has always been XP (Home Edition). Looks don't matter much for me (my PC has spent a big part of it's existance with the classic 2k looking windows theme).

But I can tell that the majority of the people I know adopted Vista over XP on looks alone ( and the fact that it was the most recent MS OS) even though their PC hardly had the resources to run it (and most didn't return to XP even though they complained a lot about their systems). Many of them are on a 7RC machine just because it's the newer OS (well at least 7 seems to be better performance wise so in the end it's not such a bad choice).

Most Mac owners I know (iPhone, iPod, iBook or whatever) have one only because of the way they look!

I don't think that this should be a concern at this point but we shouldn't underestimate how shallow the common user can be when it comes to this matter!
The123king
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by The123king »

frmariam wrote:
greenie wrote:I actually don't think the look of modern operating systems is a big deal. The thing i am most asked to do is downgrade laptops and pc's from windows vista. Because they have crappy requirements.
My laptop has always been XP (Home Edition). Looks don't matter much for me (my PC has spent a big part of it's existance with the classic 2k looking windows theme).

But I can tell that the majority of the people I know adopted Vista over XP on looks alone ( and the fact that it was the most recent MS OS) even though their PC hardly had the resources to run it (and most didn't return to XP even though they complained a lot about their systems). Many of them are on a 7RC machine just because it's the newer OS (well at least 7 seems to be better performance wise so in the end it's not such a bad choice).

Most Mac owners I know (iPhone, iPod, iBook or whatever) have one only because of the way they look!

I don't think that this should be a concern at this point but we shouldn't underestimate how shallow the common user can be when it comes to this matter!
Personally, i only care about what's under the bonnet (hood for you americans). As computers and programs get bigger and more complicated, i'm more and more inclined to upgrade to an x64 OS. I will not be upgrading to an x64 OS on looks alone, and will most likely "upgrade" to XP x64 edition if and when my PC seriously needs to be upgraded.
Ubuntu
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Re: The Impact of React OS

Post by Ubuntu »

My laptop has always been XP (Home Edition). Looks don't matter much for me (my PC has spent a big part of it's existance with the classic 2k looking windows theme).

But I can tell that the majority of the people I know adopted Vista over XP on looks alone ( and the fact that it was the most recent MS OS) even though their PC hardly had the resources to run it (and most didn't return to XP even though they complained a lot about their systems). Many of them are on a 7RC machine just because it's the newer OS (well at least 7 seems to be better performance wise so in the end it's not such a bad choice).
Looks are important, but they are least important. Number 1 is getting ReactOS to a functional state, and when that is done and the OS is at version 0.9.5 they can worry about making it look pretty.
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