ReactOS

Reader supplied reviews for ReactOS Average rating 5.7 from 15 review(s) What are your thoughts on ReactOS? Please include a few pros and a few cons, along with your overall impression of the operating system. Our FAQ page has tips on writing a good mini-review. Version: -- 0.4.160.3.17 Rating:    -- 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 out of 10 Your review (minimum 250 words): Past reviews - sort by: DateVotes Version: 0.4.16 Rating: 6 Date: 2026-08-30 Country: United States Votes: 7 ReactOS Review: A Big Improvement, But Still Not Ready for Everyday Use ReactOS has come a long way from some of its earlier versions. The latest releases feel noticeably more mature, stable, and usable, and it is clear that a great deal of work has gone into improving the operating system and its compatibility with Windows applications and drivers. For anyone who has followed the project for some time, the progress is encouraging. ReactOS increasingly looks and behaves like the Windows alternative it has always aimed to become, and the overall experience is considerably better than it was in previous versions. However, despite these improvements, ReactOS still has some significant shortcomings that prevent it from being a practical replacement for Windows for most everyday users. One of the biggest disappointments is the lack of a built-in web browser. In today's computing environment, a web browser is arguably one of the most fundamental applications an operating system needs. Without one, users cannot simply install ReactOS and immediately get online to browse the web, download software, access email, or obtain additional drivers and applications. The absence of an integrated email application is another limitation. While users can potentially install third-party software where compatibility allows, a modern operating system should ideally provide users with the basic tools required to get started. Perhaps more seriously, my experience with this version was that it would not install properly onto a hard drive. While ReactOS can be interesting to run and experiment with, an operating system that cannot reliably complete a hard-drive installation is still a long way from being ready for mainstream desktop use. This is particularly frustrating because the improvements elsewhere suggest that ReactOS is getting much closer to being a genuinely useful Windows alternative. That said, it would be unfair to judge ReactOS solely on what it cannot currently do. The project is ambitious, and developing a Windows-compatible operating system from scratch is an enormous undertaking. The improvements over previous versions are obvious, and the developers deserve credit for continuing to push the project forward. Overall Verdict ReactOS is **much better than previous versions**, and there are definite signs that the project is moving in the right direction. Its Windows-like environment and growing compatibility make it an interesting operating system for enthusiasts, developers, and anyone curious about an open-source Windows alternative. Unfortunately, it still feels more like a **work in progress than a finished desktop operating system**. The lack of a web browser, the absence of a straightforward email solution, and, most importantly, problems installing the system onto a hard drive are significant obstacles. Until these fundamental issues are resolved, ReactOS will remain primarily an experimental or enthusiast operating system rather than a realistic replacement for Windows. **Rating: 6/10** ReactOS deserves credit for the progress it has made. It is clearly improving, but there is still a considerable distance to travel before it can genuinely compete with established desktop operating systems. Was this review helpful? Yes No Version: 0.4.14 Rating: 3 Date: 2023-07-27 Votes: 9 Noble but unrealistic. Too far behind to catch up without a miracle. In compatibility and market niche it is outclassed by your pick of Linux configurations. I believe it will never be more than a curiosity. Still, it deserves to exist for novelty and proof of concept. To be clear, from a pros perspective it's a noble idea and I like the thought of an open Windows, but I have to ask if windows was really meant to be open in the first place. It seems at every turn even from early on Microsoft has meant its design to be anti competition, and this is the result: something that can never be what Windows is, because Windows is the product of countless paid hours of development and volunteer hours to curb MS's edges and free mass market testing, with hardware leaning into its support and every whim when it wants to change something. So you get to the major con: ReactOS cannot catch up. It will never get the bug testers, the developers, or the impetuous to stand head to head with wherever Windows is running to. If Windows is replaced I think it will be by an innovative Linux implementation or something else that goes away from the Windows design mindset. Success requires innovation, not just reacting. If you want older compatibility you can use a carefully tuned linux setup or brave an older Windows, which is still more practical than React. If you are looking for a novelty to contribute to this is a neat idea, stay far away if you want a daily driver. Was this review helpful? Yes No Version: 0.4.14 Rating: 10 Date: 2022-06-19 Votes: 30 An interesting non-Linux distro. This is an open source implementation of Windows that I wish would get more help and funding to keep it much more up to date and competitive to Windows. I have used it to try it out and I’m impressed. There are things lacking here and there because as I say with funding and it needs more people contributing bug fixes and helping the developers get further along. That’s what any open-source operating system needs. I can only think of the word admirable is what the developers here are doing. I really hope this project keeps going, I’d love to have an open-source and compatible implementation of Windows for everyday use, we’d not have to deal with Microsoft’s bs, user-unfriendliness and spyware. Was this review helpful? Yes No See all 15 reader reviews of ReactOS...