ReactOS 0.3.14 Released

The ReactOS team is proud to announce the release of ReactOS 0.3.14.

This version includes a significant amount of changes including both =

user visible and architectural improvements. Also included in this =

release is the valuable work accomplished as part of the Google Summer =

of Code 2011 event, of which ReactOS was a mentoring project.

One of the more significant sets of improvements was to ReactOS=92 =

networking stack. As part of the GSoC, ReactOS gained a new TCP/IP =

driver built around the LwIP project. The LwIP library is a popular and =

stable implementation of TCP/IP originally intended for embedded use. =

The new driver has significantly increased both stability and =

performance, allowing the use of high bandwidth applications such as =

torrents. Furthermore, ReactOS has improved compatibility with NT5.1 =

drivers with the export of scatter/gather DMA functionality. Last but =

not least, ReactOS now includes wireless network support and is able to =

connect to both open and WEP encrypted networks.

One of the more obvious user visible changes includes the implementation =

of theme support. Users can now change the look and feel of ReactOS=92 =

user interface by installing XP based themes and changing the appearance =

of the desktop from the default classic look to something more exciting.

Architecturally, the addition of a kernel mode testing framework has =

helped to identify a variety of bugs in kernel mode components. This is =

an important change with regards to core stability and is proving =

invaluable in ensuring the project does not suffer unexpected =

regressions in the kernel.

Support for building ReactOS using the Microsoft toolset has also played =

a large part in the release. This is now at a stage where ReactOS can be =

entirely built using an MSVC based environment and can produce a working =

boot and livecd. Along with GCC, ReactOS can now be built using two =

different toolsets and on a variety of platforms including Windows, =

Linux and Mac OS X.

During the preparation of this release 789 bugs were fixed, including =

118 regressions with the oldest regression being issue #1009 (can't open =

context menu with Shift-F10). The oldest bug fixed was #209 (PrintScreen =

doesn't work) from over eight years ago. 811 new bugs were opened since =

the release of 0.3.13.

A list of some of the more significant changes includes:

* ACPI
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface support is now enabled =

automatically when the ACPI Hardware Abstraction Layer is used, =

providing support for power buttons and full system power off.

* LwIP
A new TCP/IP driver using the LwIP driver has been integrated into =

ReactOS, significantly improving network performance and stability and =

also presenting an upgrade path to IPv6.

* MSVC Compatibility
ReactOS can now be built using Microsoft's compiler to create a working =

boot or livecd.

* Scatter/Gather Support
Scatter/Gather DMA operations are now supported, significantly improving =

compatibility with network drivers written for NT5.1 and later.

* Shell Improvements
The shell32 library rewrite in C++ has been merged in and brings with it =

various architectural improvements that will help serve as a foundation =

for future work on the new explorer shell.

* Special Pool
A special pool designed to guard against misuses of kernel pool memory =

has been implemented.

* Theme Support
ReactOS now has the infrastructure needed to theme the user interface =

and shell, allowing users to install and use something besides the =

classic Windows theme.

* WiFi Support
ReactOS now supports wireless network drivers and is able to join open =

and WEP encrypted wireless networks.


The detailed 0.3.14 changelog is available here: =

http://www.reactos.org/wiki/index.php/ChangeLog-0.3.14

Main news link: http://www.reactos.org/en/news_page_70.html
Download link: http://www.reactos.org/en/download.html

I would like to thank all the past and present members of the ReactOS =

team for their hard work and of course all those in the community that =

support us.
We will never forget involvement and contribution of those who left our =

world too early.
http://www.reactos.org/pipermail/ros-dev/2011-June/014419.html

--
Aleksey Bragin
ReactOS Foundation President
http://www.reactos.org