Freeware Operating System?

[Buzzy]

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

I have been test driving 'Mandriva' linux for about a month now. Yes, it
will run Windows programs with 'Wine' installed however, not all core
Windows programs will run or run properly. As I have noticed so far,
there are substitute programs for almost anything in windows and this
flavor of Linux found ALL of my hardware, even my digital cameras
WITHOUT a damn install cd!
Warning: I tried three different installation flavors of Linux and found
Mandriva the easiest to install HOWEVER, there is quite a bit to do to
finish this installation successfully (Java, codecs etc.) and as of this
writing, Adobe's Macromedia Flash is available for Linux ONLY up to
version 7. For Windows, version 9 is available. This is suppose to be
addressed in version 10. We shall see.
Anyway, previous knowledge of Windows helps, but Linux is actually a
very different beast! Once installed, it nice!

HTH
Cheers,
Buzzy

--
--- Buzzy's Stall Wall ---
www.buzzys.net
"The World Wide Web's Rest Area"
Warning: This site contains MY
version of freeware! All are welcome!

 

[Chris Dubea]

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

Last time I looked at the site, they were still a fairly long way off
from making this fully functional.

Specifically it says

"Please bear in mind that ReactOS 0.3.0 RC1 is still in alpha stage
and is not recommended for everyday use"

I look forward to it being useable, but we aren;t there yet.


===========================================================================
Chris

 

[Chris Dubea]

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.

I have to agree with you on this one. I've been casually watching the
development for at least 4 years and they are up to ver 0.30.

By the time it's at 1.0 I'll be ready to retire!

cd
===========================================================================
Chris

 

[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...

Cedega Core is a possibility

 

[Alex]

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

Chances are they won't have laws recognizing *any* property ... ;-)

Alex

 

[Al Klein]

Chances are they won't have laws recognizing *any* property ... ;-)

If the country is too small for any "property" to fit on it ...

 

[Vrodok the Piglet lover]

Once Upon A Time (on or around Wed, 12 Jul 2006 08:48:17 -0400), in

If the country is too small for any "property" to fit on it ...

Have a look-see (<http://www.havenco.com/products_and_services/index.html>)
at Havenco (<http://www.havenco.com/>). Kinda <g> small, there.

 

[David Harmon]

On Wed, 12 Jul 2006 13:55:01 GMT in alt.comp.freeware, Vrodok the

Have a look-see (<http://www.havenco.com/products_and_services/index.html>)
at Havenco (<http://www.havenco.com/>). Kinda <g> small, there.

Expensive enough.
Have any examples of services or web sites hosted by them?

Principality Notice 031/06 Recent fire press release
http://www.sealandgov.org/notices/pn03106.html

 

[Vrodok the Piglet lover]

Once Upon A Time (on or around Thu, 13 Jul 2006 08:16:36 GMT), in

On Wed, 12 Jul 2006 13:55:01 GMT in alt.comp.freeware, Vrodok the


Expensive enough.

True, but think of the 'possibilities'.

Have any examples of services or web sites hosted by them?

Last time I'd seen Havenco give this info out, the only entity willing to allow
that it was using the facilities was (as I faintly recall) something todo with
the true/legal government of Tibet (Dali Lama, etc. ?). As might be surmised,
most who would partake of such 'facilities' are of a rather secretive bent.

Principality Notice 031/06 Recent fire press release
http://www.sealandgov.org/notices/pn03106.html

Looks bad at first. However, after reading on a bit, the main damage seems to
have been to some power-generation equipment, not to the all-important
data-machinery ("backup" power currently in use?).