Freedows OS
Encyclopedia
Freedows OS was an open source
attempt at creating a MS-Windows
clone for x86 platforms, intended to be released under the GNU General Public License
, started in 1996 by Reece K. Sellin,
an undergraduate Computing Science Major at the University College of the Cariboo
in Kamloops, British Columbia
, Canada
. The name is a portmanteau of "free
" and "Windows". The project was modeled on other cooperative attempts to build operating systems, such as Linux
.
The project was never completed, getting only to the stage of design discussions which featured a number of novel concepts. These included a modular architecture derived from Stanford University
's Cache Kernel that used plug-in components to allow running software from different operating systems, including software from other hardware platforms.
The project's intended features, combined with sizeable worldwide developer and alpha/beta-testing interest, resulted in difficulties in project organization and coordination. The project made little progress towards producing running code, and faced nearly constant redesign until a personal conflict split the project into two factions: Freedows (still controlled by Sellin) and Alliance OS (where some of the other developers had gone) — neither has subsequently produced a finished product.
Development of Freedows was indefinitely suspended in 2002, but the development of ReactOS
and E/OS
, independent projects with similar goals, has reached a greater success. Freedows was notorious for being called vaporware during the years it was active.
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
attempt at creating a MS-Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
clone for x86 platforms, intended to be released under the GNU General Public License
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
, started in 1996 by Reece K. Sellin,
an undergraduate Computing Science Major at the University College of the Cariboo
Thompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University is a comprehensive university located in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. It offers students a broad range of courses, career streams, and the ability to ladder credits from diploma programs into full degrees...
in Kamloops, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The name is a portmanteau of "free
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
" and "Windows". The project was modeled on other cooperative attempts to build operating systems, such as Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
.
The project was never completed, getting only to the stage of design discussions which featured a number of novel concepts. These included a modular architecture derived from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
's Cache Kernel that used plug-in components to allow running software from different operating systems, including software from other hardware platforms.
The project's intended features, combined with sizeable worldwide developer and alpha/beta-testing interest, resulted in difficulties in project organization and coordination. The project made little progress towards producing running code, and faced nearly constant redesign until a personal conflict split the project into two factions: Freedows (still controlled by Sellin) and Alliance OS (where some of the other developers had gone) — neither has subsequently produced a finished product.
Development of Freedows was indefinitely suspended in 2002, but the development of ReactOS
ReactOS
ReactOS is an open source computer operating system intended to be binary compatible with application software and device drivers made for Microsoft Windows NT versions 5.x and up...
and E/OS
E/OS
E/OS is a virtual machine emulation system.E/OS is primarily based on the Linux kernel, QEMU, XFree86, and Wine, and is intended to be a replacement for operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, BeOS, OS/2, DOS, and Linux...
, independent projects with similar goals, has reached a greater success. Freedows was notorious for being called vaporware during the years it was active.
External links
- Freedows SourceForge project, suspended
- The Project, SourceForge, The Future A message from Sellin, as the project moved to SourceForge