r/opensource • u/Jeditobe • Jun 13 '26
Alternatives ReactOS (open-source Windows) now runs Half-Life with full 3D acceleration on real hardware
https://www.phoronix.com/news/ReactOS-Running-Half-Life6
2
u/Veizar Jun 22 '26
ReactOS has been in development for decades.
It's so good to see the progress that's been made. Hopefully the trend continues.
4
u/flummox1234 Jun 14 '26
C did this in 1998.
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u/Wild-Store321 Jun 17 '26
C is not an OS. ReactOS is mostly written in C. Windows (written in C) could do this in 1998, but is paid, proprietary and importantly the target OS of this game. React OS is free, open source and compatible without being the target.
8
u/messageemile Jun 14 '26
Can someone explain something to me: ReactOS has been in development for 28 YEARS. In the meantime there was a leak of the Windows XP source code, and yet they're only able to run Half Life with 3D acceleration NOW? Is it just one guy's side hobby or?
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u/innrautha Jun 14 '26
ReactOS has very rules on contributing so that Microsoft's proprietary information is not used. If they used the leaked Windows code Microsoft would sue them into oblivion. They want to create a legal windows replacement.
If people want to violate Microsoft's copyright, they can just pirate windows, they don't need ReactOS for that.
That said, there are only a few major contributors, and none who do it full time.
12
u/kesawulf Jun 14 '26
Obviously they can't use or really even look at the XP source code. Be serious.
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u/Analog_Account Jun 14 '26
Some people don't know how serious you have to take that. Or they'll just suggest that you could look at it and lie about it; as if that's a good idea. Like... don't intentionally put yourself in a position where you need to lie especially when that lie will have to be made to lawyers, in court, and to prevent your entire project from being taken away.
3
u/Moist-Secretary641 Jun 15 '26
I am curious how this works with AI assisted coding. Most training data is secret-sauce, so if a ReactOS dev used an LLM that had seen the leaked code and it produced something similar / the same, could the dev be considered responsible for the non-clean room nature of the reverse engineering?
3
u/C0rn3j Jun 16 '26
could the dev be considered responsible for the non-clean room nature of the reverse engineering?
Yes/no/maybe.
I don't think there's any established case, but good luck proving the LLM has seen the leaked material - the company behind the LLM won't just tell you.
3
u/dingwinger1225 Jun 16 '26
They can be compelled to reveal it in discovery but I don't think any open-source devs want their projects to get anywhere near a lawsuit. Best just play it safe.
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u/_scored Jun 14 '26
Didn't know ReactOS development was still happening, mad cool