Freeware Operating System?

[JeffinMS]

I know this might seem like a dumb question as I am thinking if there is one
it would probably be wildly popular but I have to ask anyway. Is there a
free OS similar to Windows that would run Windows programs and is somewhat
easy to use? I have just built a computer for a nephew and would like an
operating system to install that wont run me an arm and a leg that he might
be able to update, use windows programs and have fairly simple Inet
connectivity software.

Thanks In Advance
J

 

[Kerodo]

I know this might seem like a dumb question as I am thinking if there is one
it would probably be wildly popular but I have to ask anyway. Is there a
free OS similar to Windows that would run Windows programs and is somewhat
easy to use? I have just built a computer for a nephew and would like an
operating system to install that wont run me an arm and a leg that he might
be able to update, use windows programs and have fairly simple Inet
connectivity software.

Thanks In Advance
J

This one comes to mind, however it's still extremely early in
development..

http://www.reactos.org/en/index.html

 

[Ross]

I know this might seem like a dumb question as I am thinking if there is one
it would probably be wildly popular but I have to ask anyway. Is there a
free OS similar to Windows that would run Windows programs and is somewhat
easy to use? I have just built a computer for a nephew and would like an
operating system to install that wont run me an arm and a leg that he might
be able to update, use windows programs and have fairly simple Inet
connectivity software.

Thanks In Advance
J

No. But you can use WINE which runs on LINUX. This allows some Windows
programs to run. See http://appdb.winehq.org/

First you need to choose a Linux distribution.
SimplyMepis, Mandriva, Kubuntu or Xandros are free and relatively
easy to use. You can get Kubuntu or Ubuntu posted to you for free.

 

[Marc]

I know this might seem like a dumb question as I am thinking if there is one
it would probably be wildly popular but I have to ask anyway. Is there a
free OS similar to Windows that would run Windows programs and is somewhat
easy to use? I have just built a computer for a nephew and would like an
operating system to install that wont run me an arm and a leg that he might
be able to update, use windows programs and have fairly simple Inet
connectivity software.

Thanks In Advance
J

Opinions are like flowers. http://www.slax.org/

 

[Marc]

I know this might seem like a dumb question as I am thinking if there is one
it would probably be wildly popular but I have to ask anyway. Is there a
free OS similar to Windows that would run Windows programs and is somewhat
easy to use? I have just built a computer for a nephew and would like an
operating system to install that wont run me an arm and a leg that he might
be able to update, use windows programs and have fairly simple Inet
connectivity software.

Thanks In Advance
J

Opinions are like flowers. http://www.slax.org/

 

[Ivan Tisljar]

I know this might seem like a dumb question as I am thinking if there is one
it would probably be wildly popular but I have to ask anyway. Is there a
free OS similar to Windows that would run Windows programs and is somewhat
easy to use? I have just built a computer for a nephew and would like an
operating system to install that wont run me an arm and a leg that he might
be able to update, use windows programs and have fairly simple Inet
connectivity software.

Well, freeware, usable and runs windows software doesn't exist
together (yeah, I know Linux runs windows programs, but it's not
reliable). Best bet would be to buy used licence of windows 2000, and
use it.

Ivan.

 

[philo]

This one comes to mind, however it's still extremely early in
development..

http://www.reactos.org/en/index.html

I tried it...
doesn't work though.

Linux is a free and usable OS...
but windows programs need to be run using an emulator such as WINE

 

[Mark Carter]

I tried it...
doesn't work though.

Linux is a free and usable OS...
but windows programs need to be run using an emulator such as WINE

For the pedants out there:
WINE IS Not an Emulator
.... which also happens to be what its name stands for.

I tried WINE some time ago, they show screenshots of Excel running, and
so forth, but the reality seems to be that you wont get MS Office to
run. I read somewhere that Microsoft actually looks in the registry to
see if it is being run in WINE, and baulks.

Maybe things have improved since I last tried it - but I expect that it
wont really work. ReactOS looks like a really neato idea; but again, I
wont hold my breathe waiting for it to become truly usable.

If you want free, then Linux is reasonable. But running Windows software
is likely to be traumatic at best. BTW, I'm experimenting with FreeBSD,
and so far it seems quite good.

If you really must have Windows, then buy a new machine. I looked at
Amazon, and Windows XP is 177 GBP. OUCH. For that money, you could
probably buy something from Dell (without a monitor) with XP.

Personally, if it wasn't for the fact that the company for which I work
uses XP (so I need it at home) I would readily switch to one of the
*nixes. Considering the cost of computers nowadays, 177 quid for an OS
is mental.

 

[ceg]

I tried it...
doesn't work though.

Linux is a free and usable OS...
but windows programs need to be run using an emulator such as WINE

i couldn't get reactos to work either

 

[Bob Adkins]

Personally, if it wasn't for the fact that the company for which I work
uses XP (so I need it at home) I would readily switch to one of the
*nixes. Considering the cost of computers nowadays, 177 quid for an OS
is mental.

I don't guess many people are love with Windows, and certainly not me.
However, switching to *nix would mean losing 20 or 30 irreplaceable Windows
programs. That's why ReactOS is so attractive to me. Too bad it the
development is glacially slow. By the time there is a usable beta of
ReactOS, Vista will probably make it look like a relic.

 

[Gary R. Schmidt]

I don't guess many people are love with Windows, and certainly not me.
However, switching to *nix would mean losing 20 or 30 irreplaceable Windows
programs. That's why ReactOS is so attractive to me. Too bad it the
development is glacially slow. By the time there is a usable beta of
ReactOS, Vista will probably make it look like a relic.

What are the 20-30 irreplaceable Windows programs?

I'm interested because I do software development, and the usual reason a
product doesn't exist is that no one realises there is a market for it.
Even a free one!!!

Cheers,
Gary B-)

 

[Mark Carter]

I don't guess many people are love with Windows, and certainly not me.
However, switching to *nix would mean losing 20 or 30 irreplaceable Windows
programs. That's why ReactOS is so attractive to me. Too bad it the
development is glacially slow. By the time there is a usable beta of
ReactOS, Vista will probably make it look like a relic.

And it's sad to say that MS could probably come up with so many ways to
squash it like a mosquito if it so chose. If ReactOS ever registers on
their radar, they'd probably slap it with some bullshit lawsuit in the
first instance. There's bound to be some patent that it violates, might
violate, or whathave you. Not that they would actually need an argument
with merit to actually take it on. And ReactOS have already shot
themselves in the foot with copyright issues. I know they're conducting
a code audit - but it's a ghost that could easily come back to haunt them.

Failing that, they could always engineer some incompatability into their
system ... not that it would help them with software that's already been
released from years back. You can bet the Microsoft is not going to give
up its monopoly without a fight.


Sad, but true.

 

[rhaazy]

As suggested earlier use Linux with WINE and a program called CrossOver
Office to run a majority of windows applications from linux. Warning
however, be prepared for hours of tinkering to possibly find that the
particular application you want doesn't run at all...

There is another program for linux that runs windows apps. But I can't
seem to remember what it is called, I do remember that it is quite
good, and you probably have to pay for it but you might be able to find
a "trial" version just to see if it suits your needs, its quite
inexpensive and I'm sure you would find the price worth it when
comparing it to a license of windows...

 

[Mark Carter]

I know this might seem like a dumb question as I am thinking if there is one
it would probably be wildly popular but I have to ask anyway. Is there a
free OS similar to Windows that would run Windows programs and is somewhat
easy to use?

With respect, I'm inclined to say that if you have to ask, then the
answer is "no". Please don't infer that I'm being narky, it's just that
I think you may have a steep climb ahead of you if you go down the Linux
route.

The problem is that if you want to run Windows software, then you're
bascially looking at Windows. Is there any specific reason why you MUST
run Windows programs? If so, which ones? There's a plethora of free
software available for both Windows and Linux, especially the latter.

If you're looking for MS Office compatability, then OpenOffice on Linux
might be "good enough".

Just a random idea: I wonder if Microsoft Works will work with WINE. I
noticed it on Amazon at 33 USD:
http://tinyurl.com/oj8hl

 

[Mark Warner]

I know this might seem like a dumb question as I am thinking if there
is one it would probably be wildly popular but I have to ask anyway.
Is there a free OS similar to Windows that would run Windows programs
and is somewhat easy to use? I have just built a computer for a
nephew and would like an operating system to install that wont run me
an arm and a leg that he might be able to update, use windows
programs and have fairly simple Inet connectivity software.

Do you *really* need to run Windows programs, or will "Windows-like" do?
If the latter, then there are any number of Linux distributions that
would fill the bill. My personal favorite, and one that is itself quite
"Windows-like" is SimplyMEPIS.

 

[Al Klein]

And it's sad to say that MS could probably come up with so many ways to
squash it like a mosquito if it so chose. If ReactOS ever registers on
their radar, they'd probably slap it with some bullshit lawsuit in the
first instance. There's bound to be some patent that it violates, might
violate, or whathave you. Not that they would actually need an argument
with merit to actually take it on. And ReactOS have already shot
themselves in the foot with copyright issues. I know they're conducting
a code audit - but it's a ghost that could easily come back to haunt them.

We need a small country, somewhere, that doesn't recognize the
intellectual property laws of other nations, but has an internet
connection.

Copyright is nice - squashing innovation isn't. (MS already set the
precedent on "look-and-feel" claims when they were the defendants.)

 

[Vrodok the Piglet lover]

Once Upon A Time (on or around Sun, 09 Jul 2006 14:57:42 -0400), in
alt.comp.freeware, Al Klein <[email protected]>, by way of Message-id

We need a small country, somewhere, that doesn't recognize the
intellectual property laws of other nations, but has an internet
connection.

Ah yes, but how-much are you willing to pay (<http://www.havenco.com/>)
for the priviledge?

 

[Renan]

Do you *really* need to run Windows programs, or will "Windows-like" do?
If the latter, then there are any number of Linux distributions that
would fill the bill. My personal favorite, and one that is itself quite
"Windows-like" is SimplyMEPIS.

In fact, the OP should have posted what applications he needs to
run.

Most of the applications that I use in Wine work, at least partly. I
run:

- 7-Zip File Manager
- MDL Draw (a program used to draw chemical formulas)
- [OT] mIRC (I have registered it, so I want to use it, even though
there are better IRC clients on Linux)
- PhotoFiltre
- XnView
- and a few other games

 

[Bob Adkins]

There is another program for linux that runs windows apps. But I can't
seem to remember what it is called, I do remember that it is quite

Lindows?

 

[Al Klein]

Once Upon A Time (on or around Sun, 09 Jul 2006 14:57:42 -0400), in
alt.comp.freeware, Al Klein <[email protected]>, by way of Message-id


Ah yes, but how-much are you willing to pay (<http://www.havenco.com/>)
for the priviledge?

Of being a small country? Or buying software written by someone who
(purportedly) lives in one?