OSDev.org

I want to know besides React Os if there are any efforts big or small to create an operating system with some resemblance to Windows. Maybe even on here.

Just take a look at how lang ReactOS has been developed. They aren't even close to being done. Wine, despite being in development for more than 20 years, still got problems with a lot of programs. Once again, create your own spec and be friends with it.

In a way, every OS is trying to be a Windows-like OS? Maybe not at the binary level, like ReactOS, but at the UI level, there's not a whole lot of difference between OS X, Ubuntu and Windows 7.

Even Microsoft has had a hard time trying to make a "better" windows than windows. Every time they try to make any noticeable "improvements", they get an internet full of people screaming at them to "go back to the way XP did it!"

I think the real question should be, is anyone out there working on a non-Windows-like OS?

On a related note, I just bought my first Windows 8 phone today, just to play with, and I'm amazed at how "almost exactly" like an iPhone it is. Android, Windows Phone, and iPhone have all been copying each other for years now, and the end result is that none of them really stand out anymore. And if Windows 10 is any indication, we'll probably never see any phone (or OS) try to go it's own way ever again. I doubt that we'll see any new innovations until the next big gadget hits the market, whatever that may be...

Or what about just a UI shell no less? I don't mean that it has to be compatible with any Windows programs.

For big boys to copy an innovation costs just a tiny fraction of a total corporate turnover. Or the innovation is too simple to be copied just for a few millions?

Real innovation is like a standard definition. It was IBM PC, Windows, iPhone that had defined a standard. But they all just included some new ideas from outside and pushed the resulting combination to the market. Steve Jobs was different a bit, but Windows or Android have managed to copy everything very quickly. However, such competition is good for us. Or it is not? Instead of concentration on parts that I like, they draw new fancy buttons and compete in the area of more fun without serious internal quality. But who will buy a quality without fun? Just a few geeks. And fun without quality is bought by billions. Market of quality things is too small and it is a big problem

I think, they were not the real standard definers, instead, the Mac and Mac OS were. They defined the standard of easy-to-use computers. Windows just copied the Mac OS.

Edit: also, the Unix defined the standard of great back-ends.

Oh, come on. We all know the origins of the Mac OS. Apple innovated nothing, and set no standards.

They're innovative at patenting things that shouldn't be patented.

Xerox Alto?