If you hear the word “open-source”, you can think of Linux. However, the Linux distribution is not just open-source operating systems. Apart from Linux, there are many uses today. Some dates returned even before the existence of Linux.
9
Plan from Bell Labs 9
Plan from Bell Labs 9In the name of Science-Fi B-Movi 9 schemes from outer locationThere was an attempt to tell what an OS could be. Leobs led by Rob Pike and other members of the original Unix team, Plan 9 took Unix’s “Everything Is A File” concept and moved beyond this. Network server can be detected by navigating the file system as you can do on a local machine.
One of the biggest goals of Plan 9 was to build a distributed operating system. PCs and Workstations act as terminals to reach compute servers and file servers. You can read all about it in the original paper, describing the system from the beginning of the 90s. The effort to commercialize it stumbled as Unix, Windows and later Linux machines were very high, but it has affected a lot of modern OS including Linux. It was later open, and you can still run it today.
8
Haiku
Haiku An open source of BEOS is entertainment. BEOS, created by BE, led by Jean-Luis Gasei, in the east, was a radical renewal of the operating system. BEOS was notable for its intimacy with multimedia and for many processors when the PC usually had only one CPU. Only multicolored machines were usually Bhamoth servers. Despite attracting a creed the following, BEOS eventually disappeared when it was acquired by the palm.
An open-source community has taken BOOs as Haiku to revive. If the beos was like the original Unix, Haiku can be like Linux.
7
Minics
Minics Computer scientist Andrew Tenbam was built with a textbook that he wrote on the operating system. The system was originally designed to portray microcarnals, or kernels that transfer a lot of functionality to different servers. While the Minix created a small community around it as it came up with a book with full source code for a relatively low cost, it was also known when a finish computer science student named Linus Torwald was motivated to make his own kernel in the middle of the round. Prince of PersiaThis effort increased in Linux.
Connected
How this classic video game helped spread Linux
Who says playing is a waste of time? This may be the reason that you have double-boot linux.
Tananbam later raised the minics in an attempt to create a super-wisdom system and an attempt to create a completely open-source.
6
Helenos
Similar to Minics, Helenos Mainly a research project for the construction of a microconnnel-based OS. But what you probably notice is retro user interface inspired by Windows 3.1 and 95.
It is fun to play with Helenos, but it is probably not ready for use as a daily driver. These are some interesting ideas about implementing procedures, but it will be mainly of interest for serious geeks that are aware of how things work on systems like Unix normally.
5
ARO
ARO The “AROS research stands for the operating system. The name can be a recurrent brief name, but it is an attempt to recreate the famous Amiga operating system, Emigos. AROS is aimed at widespread compatibility with amigoas, but it is a complete reunion. An advantage more than amigos is that it runs on various types of computers including regular PCs.
With Linux, several versions of ARO are available. One of them is OneOther versions include Ikros, Aerose visionAnd Aspirose,
4
Rectose
If Aros is dedicated to rebuilding amigoas, Rectose An open-source tries to rebuild windows in fashion. It also tries to mimic the classic Windows 9.x look-and-face. Under the hood, it is applying Windows NT stress, so it is aimed at compatibility with modern Windows versions.
In practice, development is slowed by the need for reverse clean room engineering to remove cases from Microsoft. The API of Microsoft is also a moving goal, so developers often find themselves to start with scratches.
Nevertheless, you can download and run the images of reactose. I found that it is quite usable. Even it includes a solitaire game, something that has been released from recent Windows versions, in at least one advertising version.
3
Freedos
While the purpose of reactose is to re -create Windows NT, see if you can guess what Freedos is trying to resume. Freedos MS-Doss has a clear clone. Single-tasking, single-user MS-Doss. DOS with 640K blockage, until you do not run a memory manager (which is involved).
Why would you like to run such an operating system in 2025? The most obvious reason is indifference. I grew up on MS-Doss, so this is a fun journey below the memory lane. If you do not mind scrutinizing for a new CMOS battery, you can play old business software and more importantly, modern or even vintage PC hardware. A practical use for me was to replenish the BIOS on a Linux-Cowl Netbook. Many BIOS utilities work only with DOS. You can also use it as a platform for embedded systems due to its simplicity compared to the least Linux Distros.
Connected
Freedos 1.4 has arrived, still runs MS-DOS games and apps
The open-source option of MS-Doss got just a big update.
2
Gnu hurd
Before the Linux kernel was present, Hurd The GNU project was the first attempt to make kernels for a free software operating system, which gave anyone the ability to read and replace the source code. Depending on the famous Mach kernel of Carnegie Melon University, Hurd is another attempt to create a microchenele-based kernel.
Unfortunately, the development of kernels has been much slower than the developers which were originally intended. Linux Karnell jumped the Hurd, but it is still an active project. Debian has made images of one Debian/Herd Distribution Available, but it is not yet stable for production work. The biggest obstacle seems to be a lack of drivers, as most of the energy has moved to Linux. I have only managed to make it on the installation screen at an virtualbox VM. If you want to tinker with OS in a virtual or spare machine, Hurd may be worth a look if you can get it to work.
1
Bsds
Non-Linux Open Source In OSES, the most prominent BSD can be. BSDs can collectively detect their heritage for Berkeley software distribution, built in UC Berkeley, which began in the late 1970s. He revised the original Unix in ways that appealed to other universities. BSD was also popular on the workstation as it was one of the first major OS to implement TCP/IP. It network for these workstations and prepared the basis for modern internet.
Of BSDS, Freebsd Perhaps the most famous. This increased PC-based hardware from the 386BSD project to port BSD. When that project ground is stopped, many developers used the source code to create their own version. FreebSD targeted the 386BSD effort mainly to continue the attempt to focus on PC and Intel Hardware at the expense of other architecture. These days, FreeBSD runs on different types of architecture. It is best known to its file server abilities, with native support for ZFS. FreeBSD powers Netflix’s open connect Material distribution network Also flightware flight tracking site,
NetbSD There is another offshoot of the 386BSD project. Where FreebSD initially focused on X86 computers, NetbSD targeted for portability, making a version for almost any computer architecture in existence. Want to run it on your PC? Sure, you can do this. Do you have some old machines, perhaps a motorola 68000-based machine such as an old Mac or amiga? You can also run Netbsd on it.
Maybe you have a digital equipment Wax Minipotor? Yes, you can also get NETBSD for this. Netbsd’s slogan is “Of course it runs Netbsd.” It is also running A toaster, as seen on laughing squad,
Openbsd The result of a dispute is that NETBSD developer Theo de Rodt had other members of the project. He separated and started his system. Openbsd is famous for focusing its focus on security. They claim that its entire development had only some remote holes in the system. This is an impressive claim to any system, even an open-source. Parts of Openbsd have become popular in other places, such as OpenSsh And Tmux Terminal Multiplex.
Dragonflybsd There is a system that has made some radical changes in the standard BSD codebase. The system features a hammer 2 filesistum with Diduplication and Snapshot for reliability in the system. It also provides virtual kernels, where a kernel can run in the user location instead of a normal privileged mode. This makes it easier for developers to dibg kernels.
Linux is not just the open-source OS. The chances of coming will be more because developers want to try new ideas. If you want something different, it is still to find a lot.
