ReactOS is celebrating its 30th birthday. Happy Birthday ReactOS! Today marks 30 years since the first commit to the ReactOS source tree. It’s been such a long journey that many of our contributors today, including myself, were not alive during this event. Yet our mission to deliver “your favorite Windows apps and drivers in an open-source environment you can trust” continues to bring people together. Let’s take a brief look at some of the high and low points throughout our history. ↫ Carl Bialorucki at the ReactOS website OSNews has been following ReactOS since about 2002 or so (the oldest reference I could find, but note that our 1997-2001 content isn’t available online, so we may have mentioned it earlier), so you can definitely say we all grew up alongside ReactOS’ growth and development. All of the events the team mentions in their retrospective on 30 years of ReactOS were covered here on OSNews as well, which is wild to think about. Personally, I don’t really know how to feel about the project. On the one hand, I absolutely adore that dedicated, skilled, and talented individuals dedicate their precious free time to something as ambitious as creating a Windows NT-compatible operating system, and there’s no denying they’ve achieved incredible feats of engineering few people in the world are capable of. ReactOS is a hobby operating system that survived the test of time where few others have – AtheOS, Syllable, SkyOS , and so many others mentioned in that oldest reference I linked to are long dead and gone – and that alone makes it a massively successful project. On the other hand, its sheer ambition is also what holds the project down. If you say you’re going to offer a Windows NT-compatible operating system, you set expectations so insanely high you’ll never even come close to meeting them. Every time I’ve seen someone try ReactOS, either in writing or on YouTube, they always seem to come away disappointed – not because ReactOS isn’t impressive, but because it’s inevitably so far removed from its ambitious goals. And that’s a real shame. If you take away that ambitious goal of being Windows NT-compatible, and just focus on what they’ve already achieved as it stands now, there’s a really impressive and fun alternative operating system here. I really hope the next 30 years will be kind to ReactOS.

If you have any interest in SGI’s IRIX or used IRIX back when it was still current, you’re undoubtedly aware of Nekoware, a collection of freeware for IRIX, maintained and kept up-to-date as much as possible. After stagnating in 2015 and a few failed restarts and some infighting (apparently), the project finally relaunched somewhere last year, and a new quarterly release was pushed out. Nekoware 2025Q4 is a clean break from previous releases, and requires that users fully remove any traces of previous installations. It contains the kinds of packages these freeware/open source collections for classic UNIX tended to contain: tons of common open source libraries, command-line tools, and more, including a few emulators. You’ll need IRIX 6.5.21 or newer, running on at least a MIPS R5000 processor-equipped SGI machine. Planning for and work on the next release is already underway, and a brand new Nekoware SDK has been released as well, which provides bootstrap functionality and addresses the problem of having to build Nekoware on unstable IRIX environments. Seeing Nekoware resurrected is great news for the surprisingly active IRIX community. As a HP-UX user, I feel some envy.

Howard Oakley answers a very interesting question – is it possible to slim macOS down by turning off unneeded services and similar tricks? The answer is obviously no, you cannot. Classic Mac OS was more modular, with optional installs that the user could pick and choose, as shown above in Mac OS 9.1. These days with the SSV, choice is more limited from the start, with the only real options being whether to install the cryptexes used in AI, and the x86 code translator Rosetta 2. The latter is transient, though, and likely to go away next year. Like it or not, modern macOS isn’t designed or implemented to give the user much choice in which processes it runs, and architectural features including the SSV and DAS-CTS prevent you from paring its processes down to any significant degree. ↫ Howard Oakley That’s because macOS is not about creating the best experience for the user, but about creating the most value for shareholders. Giving users choice, allowing them to modify their operating system to suit their needs, removing unneeded components or replacing them with competing alternatives just isn’t in the interest of shareholders, and thus, it’s not allowed by Apple. That’s exactly why they’re fighting the EU’s very basic and simple consumer protection legislation tooth and nail with lies and propaganda, while giving Trump millions of dollars and silly plaques in bribes. You’re as much a user of macOS as a passenger on a ferry is its captain. If you just want to get from Harwich to Hoek van Holland, that’s a fine arrangement, but if you want to explore beyond the bounds of the path laid out by those more wealthy than you, you’re going to have to leave macOS behind and find a different ship.

The 9020 is a fascinating system, exemplary of so many of the challenges and excitement of the birth of the modern computer. On the one hand, a 9020 is a sophisticated, fault-tolerant, high-performance computer system with impressive diagnostic capabilities and remarkably dynamic resource allocation. On the other hand, a 9020 is just six to seven S/360 computers married to each other with a vibe that is more duct tape and bailing wire than aerospace aluminum and titanium. ↫ J. B. Crawford I was hooked from beginning to end. An absolutely exceptional article.

Android devices are not immune to issues like every other technology. They may shut down suddenly, stop responding, get stuck in a continuous reboot loop, or apps may simply not function properly. Most people, when faced with such situations, think that a factory reset is the only way and go for it immediately. However, this may not be the correct (or safe) way at all. Knowing how a factory reset is different from a system repair for Android will not only enable you to pick the right approach but also get rid of the issue quicker and save your data that can be lost due to the troubleshooting of your Android phone. What is a Factory Reset? A factory reset completely removes all user files and changes in an Android device, thereby resulting in the device being like a fresh, brand new one. In fact, a factory reset is the first major step that people generally think of taking when their phone starts acting up. Examples of common situations when a factory reset may be useful: Main features: Factory Reset Steps Step 1: Back up your data Before proceeding, ensure all important data is safely backed up using Google Backup, external storage, or a trusted backup tool such as Dr.Fone. Step 2: Access factory reset settings Navigate to Settings > General Management > Reset > Factory data reset. Step 3: Confirm and complete the reset Review the information displayed, confirm the reset, and allow the device to erase data and restart with default factory settings. What is System Repair for Android? System​‍​‌‍​‍‌ repair is a focused fix for issues with the Android operating system itself without resorting to a complete factory reset. It doesn’t rule out user data but rather fixes damaged system files, unsuccessful updates, and OS-level problems that cause the device to behave unusually. Dr.Fone System Repair (Android) is one of the most common tools in this category. It is a desktop software program that basically acts as a lifesaver for the toughest Android system troubles such as boot loops, black screens, stuck logo, bricked devices, and frequent crashes. The process is guided, automatic, and does not need a high level of technical skill; basically, anyone without a technical background can deal with it smoothly. Curious to see how easily your Android issues can be fixed? Visit the Android Repair website to learn more and explore step-by-step solutions. Typical problems system repair can fix: Main features: System Repair with Dr.Fone (Android) – Step-by-step guide: Step 1. Launch Dr.Fone and connect your Samsung device Open Wondershare Dr.Fone, go to Toolbox, connect your Samsung device, select System Repair, choose Android, click Android Repair, then Repair Now. Step 2. Select the brand and confirm details Choose Samsung as the brand, confirm Name, Model, Country, and Carrier, check “I agree with the warning and I am ready to proceed”, and click Next. Step 3. Enter Download Mode For devices with a Home button, power off and hold Volume Down + Home + Power, then press Volume Up. Step 4. Download and install firmware Dr.Fone will detect firmware automatically. Click Fix Now, type “000000” to confirm, and let the installation complete. Step 5. Complete the repair After rebooting, click Done if the device starts normally, or Try Again if it doesn’t. Factory reset vs system repair: when to use which solution Scenario A Soft issues (minor errors) Recommended approach: Always start with the easiest fixes: reboot your device, install the updates for your apps, and delete the cache. Scenario B System firmware corruption Recommended approach: System repair programs such as Dr.Fone should be your top option because they fix the Android operating system directly. Furthermore, they can fix complex system errors even in the case when a factory reset fails or cannot be done. Scenario C Severe but simple user errors Recommended approach: Here, a factory reset is the more sensible choice since it deletes user data and configuration clutter and works well when the source of the problems is the settings or the apps rather than the firmware corruption. Scenario D All other methods have failed Recommended approach: A factory reset should be the last option after you have tried every other stuff. And before doing a factory reset, you must back up your data so that you don’t lose it permanently. Conclusion Understanding the right situation for a factory reset and a system repair can be a great time saver, protect your data, and spare you from frustration. For minor issues or when you want to keep your files, system repair is generally the right way, fixing the OS without deleting your data. A factory reset is best when the device’s performance is noticeably impacted by a messed-up setting or a deeply ingrained user-level error. In cases of firmware corruption or boot loops, system repair tools like Dr.Fone can be a very good, reliable, and efficient solution. Knowing the distinction allows you to select the right method for your Android device, keep it running smoothly, and at the same time minimize data loss.

Legal separations involve high emotional stress and complex financial decisions. Many individuals in Franklin overlook critical details when they rush through the paperwork or let emotions dictate their choices. Proper preparation ensures a fair division of assets and protects long-term interests. Failure to address specific state statutes can lead to unfavorable court orders. This article examines common pitfalls and explains how professional guidance improves the final result. The Financial Impact of Hasty Decisions Spouses frequently underestimate the true value of shared property or retirement accounts during the initial filing phase. A Franklin Divorce Lawyer identifies hidden assets and ensures all financial disclosures remain accurate. Many people forget to account for tax consequences when they divide real estate or investment portfolios. This lack of foresight leads to significant losses after the final decree. The court requires precise documentation to validate any claims regarding separate or marital property. Legal professionals help clients organize these records to prevent costly disputes. Social Media Errors and Communication Gaps Private life becomes public record when individuals post sensitive information on digital platforms during a case. These updates can negatively affect child custody arrangements or alimony requests if the content contradicts official testimony. Legal experts advise clients to maintain strict privacy on all social networks to avoid unintended consequences. The following list describes specific actions that protect a person’s legal standing: Mistakes in Child Custody Plans Parents sometimes agree to informal visitation schedules that lack legal enforceability. This error causes friction when one party decides to change the routine without prior notice. A structured parenting plan provides clarity and reduces the need for future court intervention in Franklin. Courts prioritize the best interests of the child over the preferences of the parents. Detailed schedules must include holiday rotations, school breaks, and transportation responsibilities to ensure stability for the children. Debt Allocation and Future Expenses Most people focus on assets but forget to address shared liabilities like credit cards or medical expenses. Joint debts remain the responsibility of both parties unless the settlement specifically assigns them to one individual. Creditors can pursue either spouse for payment regardless of what the divorce decree states. A Franklin Divorce Lawyer drafts specific indemnity clauses to protect a client from a former spouse’s financial defaults. This step is vital for maintaining a healthy credit score after the marriage ends. The following points highlight areas where debt management is crucial: How Legal Expertise Secures a Fair Outcome in Franklin Procedural errors delay the conclusion of a case and increase total costs. Missing a filing deadline or using the wrong forms can force a restart of the entire process. Local rules in Franklin dictate how evidence must be presented to the judge. Professionals manage every administrative task to keep the case on track for a timely resolution. Clear guidance helps individuals avoid the trap of settling for less than they deserve out of exhaustion. Successful outcomes require a focus on long-term stability rather than immediate relief. Secure a qualified Franklin Divorce Lawyer to ensure every document meets local standards and protects personal wealth. Always update beneficiary designations on life insurance policies and retirement accounts immediately after the final judgment. This proactive step prevents a former spouse from receiving accidental windfalls. Professional advocacy simplifies the path toward a fresh start while maintaining financial integrity for the future.

Xous is a microkernel operating system designed for medium embedded systems with clear separation of processes. Nearly everything is implemented in userspace, where message passing forms the basic communications primitive. ↫ Xous website It’s written in Rust, and it’s been around for a while – so much so it’s sponsored by NLnet and the EU. The Xous Book provides a ton more details and information, with a strong focus on the kernel. You can run Xous in hosted mode on Linux, Windows, or macOS, inside the Renode emulator, or on the one supported hardware device, the Precursor. Obviously, the code’s open and on GitHub (which they should really be moving to a European solution now that the Americans are threatening the EU with war over Greenland).

Have you noticed how it seems like how the “light mode” of your graphical user interface of choice is getting lighter over time? It turns out you’re not crazy, and at least for macOS, light mode has indeed been getting lighter. You can clearly see that the brightness of the UI has been steadily increasing for the last 16 years. The upper line is the default mode/light mode, the lower line is dark mode. When I started using MacOS in 2012, I was running Snow Leopard, the windows had an average brightness of 71%. Since then they’ve steadily increased so that in MacOS Tahoe, they’re at a full 100%. ↫ Will Richardson While this particular post only covers macOS, I wouldn’t be surprised to discover similar findings in Windows, GNOME, and KDE. The benefit of using KDE is that it’s at least relatively easy to switch colour schemes or themes, but changing colours in Windows is becoming a hidden feature, and GNOME doesn’t support it out of the box at all, and let’s not even get started about macOS. I think “light mode” should be “grey mode”, and definitely lament the lack of supported, maintained “grey modes” in both KDE and GNOME. There’s a reason that graphical user interfaces in the era of extensive science-based human-computer interaction research opted for soft, gentle greys (ooh, aah, mmm), and I’m convinced we need to bring it back. The glaring whites we use today are cold and clinical, and feel unpleasant to the point where I turn down the brightness of my monitor in a way that makes other colours feel too muted. Or perhaps I’m out of touch.

I’m not particularly interested in photo editing or management, professional or not, but one thing I do know is that many people who are miss one application in particular: Aperture. Discontinued over a decade ago, people still lament its loss, and Daniel Kennett explains to us layman why that’s the case. Aperture’s technical brilliance is remarkable in how quiet it is. There’s no BEHOLD RAINBOW SPARKLE ANIMATIONS WHILE THE AI MAKES AUNT JANICE LOOK LIKE AN ANTHROPOMORPHISED CARROT, just an understated dedication to making the tool you’re using work for you in exactly the way you want to work. It’s the kind of monumental engineering effort that the user is unlikely to ever notice, simply because of how obvious it is to use — if I want to zoom in to this photo, I point at it with the zoom thing. Duh. Sure, it’s a tiny thumbnail inside a small thumbnail of a page in a book… but how else would it work? And that is why Aperture was so special. It was powered by some of the most impressive technology around at the time, but you’d never even know it because you were too busy getting shit done. ↫ Daniel Kennett I half-expected to get some wishy-washy vibes-based article about some professional photo management tool, but instead, I came away easily and clearly understanding what made Aperture such a great tool. Beng able to access any set of tools wherever you are, without having to take a photo to a certain specific place in the user interface makes perfect sense to me, and the given counterexample from the modern Photos application instantly feels cumbersome and grating. At this point it’s clear Aperture’s never coming back, but I’m rather surprised nobody seems to have taken the effort to clone it. It seems there’s a market out there for something like this, but from what I gather Lightroom isn’t what Aperture fans are looking for, and any other alternatives are simply too limited or unpolished. There’s a market here, for sure. What other alternatives to Aperture exist today?

There’s cursed computing, and then there’s cursed computing. It turns out that you can render GNOME’s windows with the compositor from Windows 7, dwm.exe. Yes. tl;dr of how this clusterfuck works: this is effectively just x11 forwarding an x server from windows to linux. the fun part is a) making gnome run with an already existing window manager (namely dwm.exe lol), b) making gnome run over x11 forwarding (it is Not a fan, last time it tried running gnome on windows this is what broke it and made it quit trying), and c) actually ripping out parts of the gnome compositor again to make dwm instead of gnome render window decorations to achieve ✨️aero gnome✨️ ↫ ⬡-49016 at Mastodon This is already one of the most cursed things I’ve ever seen, but then things got so much worse. How about Windows 7’s dwm.exe, but composited by GNOME? I need an adult.

ChaosBSD is a fork of FreeBSD. It exists because upstream cannot, and should not, accept broken drivers, half-working hardware, vendor trash, or speculative hacks. We can. ↫ ChaosBSD GitHub page This is an excellent approach to testing drivers that simply aren’t even remotely ready to be included in FreeBSD-proper. It should be obvious that this is not, in any way, meant to be used as a production operating system, as it will contain things that are broken and incomplete on purpose. The name’s also pretty great.

This is a book intended to teach someone the Java language, from scratch. You will find that the content makes heavy use of recently released and, for the moment, preview features. This is intentional as much of the topic ordering doesn’t work without at least Java 21. ↫ Modern Java GitHub page Some light reading for the weekend. This sure is one hell of a detailed book.

Excellent news for OpenBSD users who are tied to macOS: you can now run OpenBSD using Apple’s Hypervisor. Following a recent series of commits by Helg Bredow and Stefan Fritsch, OpenBSD/arm64 now works as a guest operating system under the Apple Hypervisor. ↫ Peter N. M. Hansteen at the OpenBSD Journal If you have an M1 or M2 Mac and want to get rid of macOS entirely, OpenBSD can be run on those machines natively, too.

Speaking of NixOS’ use of 9P, what if you want to, for whatever inexplicable reason, use macOS, but make it immutable? Immutable Linux distributions are getting a lot of attention lately, and similar concepts are used by Android and iOS, so it makes sense for people stuck on macOS to want similar functionality. Apple doesn’t offer anything to make this happen, but of course, there’s always Nix. And I literally do mean always. Only try out Nix if you’re willing to first be sucked into a pit of despair and madness before coming out enlightened on the other end – I managed to only narrowly avoid this very thing happening to me last year, so be advised. Nix is no laughing matter. Anyway, yes, you can use Nix to make macOS immutable. But managing a good working environment on macOS has long been a game of “hope for the best.” We’ve all been there: a curl | sh here, a manual brew install there, and six months later, you’re staring at a broken PATH and a Python environment that seems to have developed its own consciousness. I’ve spent a lot of time recently moving my entire workflow into a declarative system using nix. From my zsh setup to my odin toolchain, here is why the transition from the imperative world of Homebrew to the immutable world of nix-darwin has been both a revelation and a fight. ↫ Carette Antonin Of course it’s been a fight – it’s Nix, after all – but it’s quite impressive and awesome that Nix can be used in this way. I would rather discover what electricity from light sockets tastes like than descend into this particular flavour of Nix madness, but if you’re really sick of macOS being a pile of trash for – among a lot of other things – homebrew and similar bolted-on systems held together by duct tape and spit, this might be a solution for you.