Should ReactOS Create a Crowdfunding Campaign? | Linux

As more distros receive large backings from major corporations (for better or worse), it begs the question- why can’t we as a community do the same for ReactOS?.

ReactOS is perhaps the most important and significant OS development in the past decade. It’s essentially a full recreation of Windows, built entirely from scratch without any Microsoft code, and completely Open Source and free to download.

This has the potential to completely change our current paradigm, and inspire the millions of current Windows users to ditch their proprietary software in favor of a new, Open Source one. Without any sweeping changes to the software they use, their habits and their preferences.

Whether ReactOS will ever be the ‘complete’ equivalent to Windows 10 anytime soon is doubtful, but there are still many people using Windows XP and Windows 7. For them, ReactOS might just be the perfect replacement.

It is perhaps our greatest weapon in the fight against Microsoft, and to foster the continued growth of FOSS. You might despise Windows personally and that is completely understandable (I do as well for the most part), but it’s impossible to deny it’s mass audience and the benefits a ‘true’ Open Source replacement would bring. This video received more then 500,000 views by discussing this very topic, and if you were to ask any Windows user they would certainly agree with the prospect.

What are your thoughts on the matter?. Putting aside all the stigma associated with other, scummy crowdfunding campaigns I would love to contribute to this one. It’s far more deserving of a hundred thousand dollar investment then any one distro, to be quite honest.