ReactOS . . .

[richmond62]

So: downloaded the latest recension of ReactOS 32-bit:

https://reactos.org/

Installed it in VirtualBOX

(they did manage to escape from the Evil Empire and are now based in Germany).

BUT to download OXT Lite Firefox is making rude noises about being out of date . . . mainly because ReacOS identifies itself as Windows 2003 . . . Ho, ho, ho.

Much the same with Chrome.

Shared folders does not 'bite'.

Will see if 'it' can see a USB drive . . .

Damn: no it cannot.

Bunging OXT Lite for Windows inside a disk image . . .
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Sheesh!

[tperry2x]

As you are doing this in Virtualbox, make a standard iso of the windows version, then attach that ISO in virtualbox.
Virtualbox won't know how to read a dmg as it's mac-only format.

[richmond62]

Aha . . . used Roxio Toast 17 to make an ISO image . . .
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Yum: Kisses all round.

Presumably that is because the OXT Lite installer is for 64-bit Windows

(something which is NOT indicated)

or ReactOS is even more borked than when I tried to install various versions of LCC a while back:

https://forums.livecode.com/viewtopic.p ... OS#p225875

[tperry2x]

In case ReactOS isn't that great on .bat scripts (I'm not sure if it is or not), you can unzip the archive:

whereis.png (13.07 KiB) Viewed 7193 times

Move the OpenXTalk folder to what would be considered the C:\Program Files\ folder. (equivalent of).

[tperry2x]

Presumably that is because the OXT Lite installer is for 64-bit Windows
(something which is NOT indicated)

There's no installer.
And yes, OXT Lite is 64-bit. Something I did mention (since the outset), and certainly since the engine update to 9.7.0-dp1

[richmond62]

since the outset

OK: my bad: now I'll start farting around with ReactOS 64-bitch.

Well: aksherly: from 29 March until 6 April I will be on holiday: which is a blasted nuisance as I won't be able to try some sadistic April Fool's Day tricks on my pupils: I'll just have to play the court jester myself and have a go with ReactOS 64:

Mind you I am not sure what 'MSVC' means.

"Madly Serious Vicious Cretin" ? . . . Oh, well, if the cap fits.
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[tperry2x]

OK: my bad: now I'll start farting around with ReactOS 64-bitch.

Haha, wasn't being bitchy. Not supposed to read like that.
This was the bit I was referring to:

If you are feeling adventurous, you can download the binary from here and replace the exe in your openxtalk lite folder. Be aware, this is 64-bit. (I didn't see the point building a x32-bit version).

[richmond62]

Haha, wasn't being bitchy.

I know you weren't.

I was being bitchy about ReactOS!

[tperry2x]

The GCC and the MSVC (Microsoft Visual C) options are the choice of compiler (which I assume is included) in ReactOS.

[richmond62]

The GCC and the MSVC (Microsoft Visual C) options are the choice of compiler (which I assume is included) in ReactOS.

"Greater Chicago Council"

How depressingly mundane.

I wonder if ReactOS aren't being a bit naughty IF they are including actual Microsoft stuff.

[richmond62]

There might be some uptake for a 32-bit Windows version . . .

. . . well as far as there is any uptake at all: there should be some sort of way to track this.

[tperry2x]

Other than people asking for it, or my domain control panel showing traffic of the number of times the updates are requested, there's no tracking or reporting of any telemetry. I don't believe in spyware or grabbing any user data without a user's consent.
Not that I'm implying you meant that at all, but just merely mentioning why I haven't made in-roads into that kind of thing. If people ask for a 32-bit version, then I'd have to try and sit down and see if I can compile one at some point.

Not sure why ReactOS won't run a 64 bit windows exe if that's the case? I mean, I thought pretty much everything was leaning towards x64 these days?

[richmond62]

Not sure why ReactOS won't run a 64 bit windows exe if that's the case?

I will install a virtual 64-bit ReactOS during my holiday and see what happens.

The idea of running OXT Lite on ReactOS is probably fairly daft as we can run OXT Lite on Linux, but it would be another feather in OXT's cap, as well as an Open Source alternative for people who are sacred (why?) of giving up Winndows, but still want an entirely Open Source set-up.

[tperry2x]

Taking that another step further, you could also argue - imagine someone who has their linux system set up just the way they like it, so didn't want to change distros to ReactOS. Why not just install wine in that case?

(as that's what ReactOS is using anyway behind the scenes).

Or, taking it further: if they didn't want to 'pollute' their system with Wine, they could use a wine appimage. Even less impact on the system, fully portable, and doesn't cause any dependency conflicts: they can choose an x32 or x64 wine appimage and run whatever they want pretty much.

Or, why not just have a windows-pc sat in some dusty corner if that's your thing

[richmond62]

I wonder what keeps the ReactOS poeple going, especially as the have left Russia (sensible move) and "Uncle Vladimir" is no longer financing them.

The justifications for ReactOS do seem a bit daft.

Yet, however daft ReactOS may be (and I have heard of dafter things): knowing if OXT Lite will run properly on ReactOS is not totally useless knowledge.

[richmond62]

Another question is whether ReactOS works faster on bare metal than a light type of Linux + WINE.

Just as it is a pain-in-the-bum to make standalones for MacOS on Linux or Windows, it is always, just as much as p-i-t-b to make Windows standalones when not using Windows . . .

[tperry2x]

Just as it is a pain-in-the-bum to make standalones for MacOS on Linux or Windows, it is always, just as much as p-i-t-b to make Windows standalones when not using Windows . . .

No, just a pain to make Mac standalones on anything except a mac.

Windows can make Linux and obviously Windows standalones.
Linux can make Windows and obviously Linux standalones.
Neither can make MacOS standalones because the commands to do so are only available from within MacOS*.

*Not 100% true: Linux can make MacOS standalones, but only ones that will work pre-MacOS11, due to enhanced Gatekeeper f***ery.

Either way, Wine or ReactOS won't be much good at making a standalone for MacOS at all. (I really don't know why it's even an option in the standalone settings for Windows (and for all the use it is) for Linux either. If I'm being cynical, I know it's there because all the IDE is hived off from a standard github build so what was in the IDE is pretty much a template for all the platforms. Whether it works or not.

This sums the standalone support up nicely:

[richmond62]

Hey-Ho . . .

VirtualBox will NOT boot from ReactOS's 64-bit .iso images.
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[tperry2x]

VirtualBox will NOT boot from ReactOS's 64-bit .iso images.

On their download page...

Please note, that ReactOS is still in alpha and gives no guarantee of stability, safety of your files or working at all.

[richmond62]

ReactOS is what my Grandfather termed "a coming man already gone."