Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

ReactOS VS Classic Shell

Compare ReactOS VS Classic Shell and see what are their differences

ReactOS logo ReactOS

ReactOS is a free, modern operating system in alpha stage, based on the design of Windows XP/2003.

Classic Shell logo Classic Shell

Classic Shell was developed for Windows 8 since that was the first version of the popular operating system to forgo the iconic Start menu.
  • ReactOS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-21
  • Classic Shell Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30

ReactOS videos

ReactOS Demo

More videos:

  • Review - ReactOS 0.4.12 Review - Window Snapping, New Fonts, New Looks!
  • Review - ReactOS Is An Open Source Windows-Inspired Operating System

Classic Shell videos

Classic Shell with Windows 10!

More videos:

  • Review - Classic Shell Review | Make Windows 8 Like Windows 7 with Classic Shell
  • Review - Classic Shell 4.0.2 Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ReactOS and Classic Shell)
Linux
100 100%
0% 0
Note Taking
0 0%
100% 100
Operating Systems
100 100%
0% 0
LMS
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using ReactOS and Classic Shell. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ReactOS should be more popular than Classic Shell. It has been mentiond 66 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

ReactOS mentions (66)

  • Someone connected Windows XP to the internet, and it didn't survive long
    I wonder how ReactOS does as it is Windows XP/2003 compatible? https://reactos.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 9 days ago
  • Questioning "The Value of Open Source Software"
    Https://reactos.org/ implement some of the windows API. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Windows 10 end of life could prompt torrent of e-waste
    You can use Rufus: https://rufus.ie/en/ To modify the ISO to turn off hardware check and TPM support for Windows 11 to install it on an unsupported PC. https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/wiki/FAQ#user-content-Help_I_dont_see_the_option_to_bypass_the_need_for_a_Microsoft_account_with_Windows_11 https://aros.sourceforge.io/ https://www.haiku-os.org/ and https://www.arcanoae.com/arcaos/ I know some third-world nations... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Microsoft Will Eventually Start Charging You for Windows 10 Security Updates
    I suppose you want ReactOS https://reactos.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • Rumor: Windows 12 could become a subscription based operating system
    On a side note, in a universe where ReactOS[0] had comprehensive drivers support, would it be a better alternative to modern Windows? Or would desktop Linux? That's a fun thought exercize, at least for me :) [0] https://reactos.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
View more

Classic Shell mentions (18)

  • Scrollbars Are Becoming a Problem
    There's a great add-on called... ClassicShell http://classicshell.net/. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • What software would be used to remove the red elements and change the layout of the tray icon?
    Windows Classic Shell is what I have used for over a decade. It brings back the old start menu and can be customized. Source: about 1 year ago
  • Microsoft is turning Windows 11's Start Menu into an advertisement delivery system
    ClassicShell is no longer being developed. OpenShell succeeded it. (c.f., http://classicshell.net/). Source: over 1 year ago
  • Is it possible to install windows 8.1 on the surface pro 5?
    Http://classicshell.net/This lets you pick UI goodness you want. Source: over 1 year ago
  • looking for a taskbar replacement
    Other, non-rainmeter options that I'm aware of include TranslucentTB and Classic Shell (note: Open Shell is the newer version, but I'm unsure if it has the same features). Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing ReactOS and Classic Shell, you can also consider the following products

Linux Mint - Linux Mint is one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions and used by millions of people.

Open Shell - Open Shell is a fork of the Classic Shell project for Windows that getting back the classic start...

Ubuntu - Ubuntu is a Debian Linux-based open source operating system for desktop computers.

Start Menu X - Start Menu X with Start Button. Power users know how inconvenient and time-consuming it is to launch programs from the system menu.

Arch Linux - You've reached the website for Arch Linux, a lightweight and flexible Linux® distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. Currently we have official packages optimized for the x86-64 architecture.

StartIsBack - StartIsBack returns Windows 10 and Windows 8 a real fully featured start menu and start button, behaving exactly like the ones in Windows 7. It's totally awesome and easy solution for your new Windows woes.