Modern Linux distributions are powerful operating systems that can fully replace Windows or macOS for many users. But there are still some Windows-only applications that may not be available for Linux, and some folks may be more comfortable using an operating system that looks familiar.
Over the years we’ve seen plenty of projects that aim to let you run Windows software on Linux or other open source operating systems, as well as Linux distributions designed to look and feel like Windows. But I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one that goes quite as far as loss32.
Basically it’s an operating system that uses a Linux kernel, the WINE compatibility layer for Windows applications, and the ReactOS userland, plus a few other odds and ends to let you run Win32 apps.
While loss32 is still a work in progress, developer hikari_no_yume says the goal is to create a free and open source operating system that looks and functions a lot like classic versions of Windows (think Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows XP).
That might sound like ReactOS, but the difference is that rather than trying to build a new Windows NT-compatible kernel from scratch, loss32 relies on mature software including Linux and WINE.
ReactOS may be impressive from a technical standpoint, but it’s been under development for nearly three decades, and is still considered alpha software with limited hardware support, limited support for Windows software, and other limitations. The developers collaborate with the WINE project, but have no plans to adopt a Linux kernel.
Loss32, meanwhile, is designed to be an operating system that’s easier to put together more quickly by using software that’s already available. And since it would be a Linux-based operating system, users would also be able to run native Linux applications.
Is this an approach that makes sense? I guess it depends on your goals. ReactOS developers say part of the reason they aren’t using a Linux kernel is because it will probably never be 100% compatible with all Windows components (like Windows hardware drivers). But if you’re looking for an operating system that can run millions of existing Win32 applications and don’t want to go through the trouble of choosing a Linux distro, installing and configuring WINE, and (optionally) configuring your desktop environment, loss32 looks like an interesting project.
At time of publication, loss32 isn’t available for download yet, but hikari_no_yume plans to release “an initial proof-of-concept” that will let you basically build your own version of loss32 using a Debian Linux distribution.
There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done, and the developer is looking for contributors to help with the project. You can find more details at the loss32 website.
via The Register and Linuxiac
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