I 'll start:
Win98 se Because it was da bomb. I only reinstalled once in the final 4 years I used it as my primary OS. There was enough info on the WEB and in books for me to surgically repair the OS. I still to this day run the same install that I put there in 1998. My OS has so many customisations and changes that I would never be able to recreate them. I have 3 images of that OS as it is for that very reason.
Windows 7 I've been a Microsoft beta tester for the past 8 years. Vista from a code perspective is much improved over XP. However there are many many things that could be improved especially in making the UI more intuitive and cohesive. Vista is also what I like to call a kitchen sink model where everything including the kitchen sink is installed and running for the users benefit. Windows 7 includes changes to both of these key items. Microsoft will also be using a firmer hand when it comes to driver certification with Windows 7. Since the driver model is the same as Vista all Vista users will benefit.
BEos and now Haiku
Wow what can I not say. This os would have, should have been the best thing since sliced bread. The reason we don't have it now, is a lack of focus and poor marketing. Haiku looks to be only a year or two from reaching R1 which is the milestone where they would be 100% feature complete with the Origional BEos R5. What possible purpose could this OS serve in this day and age.
"Netbooks" Imagion an ASUS EEE that is instantly responsive with the ability to run H263 without video assist. Now imagion if they did give it hardware assist.
Most every major feature in OSX, VISTA and WINDOWS XP was in the 1998 BEos.
Mulit-Core support....Yep
No software RAM limit...Yep 32bit limited in the release version, a 64bit developer version was planned back in 1998.
Pre-emptive multitasking...Yep
Integrated search...Yes
Vector Graphics support...Yep
Fully journaled 64 bit file system...Yep
Antialising built into the font system...Yep
Welcome to 1998 people, BEos had it. Haiku is picking up where they left off.
If you have an old PC install an image of BEos R5 MAX on it. You will understand what I am saying instantly. The only analogy I can give is Windows 95 running on a 4GHZ pentium and a high speed SSD drive. YES it reacts that fast.
This OS is extremely focused on multimedia and gaming. When it critical mass I will be waiting.
Ubuntu
my favorite nix...
Almost there.....This OS is getting closer and closer to being a viable choice for users. I still spent 30 hours getting 8.04 to work on my HP 8510. The wireles nic light still doesn't work as it's a kernel issues tied to the new Intel wireless drivers.
The point is Ubuntu is ALMOST ready. I give it 2 more years before its up to WINDOWS XP pre-service pack one level of "user friendliness". I use it as my OTHER OS.
As the guys from BEos origionally said, linux is a collective of small programs glued together. Ubuntu is getting pretty good at making glue.
ReactOS
What's that you ask. Its a open source windows clone that is binaries compatible with Microsoft Windows. That means you can use windows driver in this OS.
Is it illegal? Nope Microsoft and its experts check ReactOS out periodically to make sure they arn't using any Microsoft code. So far so good.
Imagion Windows 2000 with the bugs squashed, direct X added, and ever poor desicion microsoft implemented given a thorough going over. That's the closest explaination I can give.
If your not a geek you may even think it was WINDOWS. There are small differences but users don't care.
ReactOS is currently in Alpha and should be Beta by Jan 2009. Release 1.0 should be available 2010. One last note, yes it runs on a Pentium 90 with 32mb of RAM and a 2 meg video card. The price is free my friend.
No support for old Microsoft OS's, no problem React OS is going to be there for you.
Win98 se Because it was da bomb. I only reinstalled once in the final 4 years I used it as my primary OS. There was enough info on the WEB and in books for me to surgically repair the OS. I still to this day run the same install that I put there in 1998. My OS has so many customisations and changes that I would never be able to recreate them. I have 3 images of that OS as it is for that very reason.
Windows 7 I've been a Microsoft beta tester for the past 8 years. Vista from a code perspective is much improved over XP. However there are many many things that could be improved especially in making the UI more intuitive and cohesive. Vista is also what I like to call a kitchen sink model where everything including the kitchen sink is installed and running for the users benefit. Windows 7 includes changes to both of these key items. Microsoft will also be using a firmer hand when it comes to driver certification with Windows 7. Since the driver model is the same as Vista all Vista users will benefit.
BEos and now Haiku
Wow what can I not say. This os would have, should have been the best thing since sliced bread. The reason we don't have it now, is a lack of focus and poor marketing. Haiku looks to be only a year or two from reaching R1 which is the milestone where they would be 100% feature complete with the Origional BEos R5. What possible purpose could this OS serve in this day and age.
"Netbooks" Imagion an ASUS EEE that is instantly responsive with the ability to run H263 without video assist. Now imagion if they did give it hardware assist.
Most every major feature in OSX, VISTA and WINDOWS XP was in the 1998 BEos.
Mulit-Core support....Yep
No software RAM limit...Yep 32bit limited in the release version, a 64bit developer version was planned back in 1998.
Pre-emptive multitasking...Yep
Integrated search...Yes
Vector Graphics support...Yep
Fully journaled 64 bit file system...Yep
Antialising built into the font system...Yep
Welcome to 1998 people, BEos had it. Haiku is picking up where they left off.
If you have an old PC install an image of BEos R5 MAX on it. You will understand what I am saying instantly. The only analogy I can give is Windows 95 running on a 4GHZ pentium and a high speed SSD drive. YES it reacts that fast.
This OS is extremely focused on multimedia and gaming. When it critical mass I will be waiting.
Ubuntu
my favorite nix...
Almost there.....This OS is getting closer and closer to being a viable choice for users. I still spent 30 hours getting 8.04 to work on my HP 8510. The wireles nic light still doesn't work as it's a kernel issues tied to the new Intel wireless drivers.
The point is Ubuntu is ALMOST ready. I give it 2 more years before its up to WINDOWS XP pre-service pack one level of "user friendliness". I use it as my OTHER OS.
As the guys from BEos origionally said, linux is a collective of small programs glued together. Ubuntu is getting pretty good at making glue.
ReactOS
What's that you ask. Its a open source windows clone that is binaries compatible with Microsoft Windows. That means you can use windows driver in this OS.
Is it illegal? Nope Microsoft and its experts check ReactOS out periodically to make sure they arn't using any Microsoft code. So far so good.
Imagion Windows 2000 with the bugs squashed, direct X added, and ever poor desicion microsoft implemented given a thorough going over. That's the closest explaination I can give.
If your not a geek you may even think it was WINDOWS. There are small differences but users don't care.
ReactOS is currently in Alpha and should be Beta by Jan 2009. Release 1.0 should be available 2010. One last note, yes it runs on a Pentium 90 with 32mb of RAM and a 2 meg video card. The price is free my friend.
No support for old Microsoft OS's, no problem React OS is going to be there for you.