The dream of an open source replacement for Windows is still alive after 17 years of development. ReactOS, an operating built from scratch to be binary-compatible with Windows programs and drivers, is nearing its 0.4 release — you can download the release candidate right now.
There are plenty of free, open source operating systems on the market, including hundreds of Linux distributions. ReactOS has always been unique because of its goal –full compatibility with Windows software. In theory this could be revolutionary, but in practice rebuilding Windows from scratch isn’t simple.
For evidence of this you need only look at the list of programs tested on ReactOS 0.4. It notes the Windows versions of many open-source stalwarts, including Firefox and Libre Office, are already up and running. So are a few prominent Windows-only programs, ike WinRAR.
But that’s not to say everything is working. Diablo II, for example, is a game released in 2000 that apparently “installs fine” but “doesn’t run past character selection.” Videos show web-based software, like GOG’s online store, fail to work to varying degrees.
ReactOS isn’t ready to be your primary operating system. And it doesn’t claim to be. The project’s homepage claims it’s only “recommended only for evaluation and testing purposes. Users have tested it, uploading videos of programs they’ve managed to make work (and some they haven’t).
It might seem quixotic, but the ReactOS team keep pushing themselves to build a free version of Windows almost from scratch. Even if they never achieve full compatability with all current Windows app, which is a fast-moving target, ReactOS could wind up being useful in ways that are hard to predict. As older apps break on newer versions of Windows, for example, ReactOS could become the go-to system for running them.
The 0.4.0 release aims to improve compatibility with USB devices, simplify connecting to WiFi networks and improve sound support; a final release date is not available.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.