Ekush OS

Ekush OS (Partially Found Operating System, 2004-2005)

Ekush OS was an ambitious but ultimately short-lived fork of ReactOS, an open-source operating system aimed at creating a free, compatible alternative to Microsoft Windows. Ekush OS was developed with a specific focus on supporting the Bengali-speaking community by providing localized tools and software. However, due to various legal and developmental challenges, Ekush OS fell into obscurity and is now considered completely lost or partially found media.

Background and Development

Ekush OS began development in early 2003 with the aim of creating an alternative operating system that could run Win32 applications, much like ReactOS. The project was spearheaded by the Lianasoft Foundation and intended to provide a platform for Bengali language computing, addressing issues with Unicode and creating tools that could support Bengali script effectively.

Challenges and Controversy

From the outset, Ekush OS faced significant challenges:

Licensing Issues

Ekush OS was criticized for failing to comply with the GNU General Public License (GPL), which required it to release its source code alongside binaries. Early releases of Ekush OS did not provide the source code, leading to concerns and accusations from the ReactOS community and broader open-source community.

Uncertain Code Origins

There were additional fears that Ekush OS might have incorporated code from leaked Microsoft Windows 2000 sources. This would have been illegal and problematic, potentially jeopardizing ReactOS if any integration occurred without proper verification.

Technical and Development Hurdles

Development of Ekush OS was slow, with the project reportedly stagnating within its first year. A roadmap was created in early 2004, setting ambitious goals to develop a basic kernel and graphical user interface (GUI) within 12 months, but progress remained limited.

Merger with ReactOS

By late 2004, amid ongoing controversies and slow progress, Ekush OS merged with ReactOS. This decision was partly driven by the recognition that completing ReactOS was a more monumental task than initially expected. The merger allowed the Ekush OS team to contribute to a larger, more established project, potentially benefiting both sides. It is believed that Ekush OS version 0.0.4 was integrated into ReactOS around 2005, though the specifics of what elements were merged remain unclear. It could've merged in ReactOS 0.2.5 or ReactOS 0.2.8

Known Versions and Lost Status

Ekush OS had several versions planned or partially developed:

Version 0.0.1, 0.0.2, and 0.0.3

These early versions are unconfirmed and are either lost or never existed in complete, public form. There are no known binaries or detailed descriptions of these versions available today.

Version 0.0.4

This version is the most documented and was presumably merged with ReactOS around 2005. Traces of this version may exist within ReactOS releases from that time.

Media Coverage and Obscurity

On the wayback machine, you can see Akashor.com and Ekush.com .

Ekush OS received limited media coverage, mostly focused on its legal and ethical controversies:

- Slashdot compared Ekush OS to CherryOS, another controversial project known for its questionable use of source code.

- OSNews and various open-source forums documented the project's struggles with GPL compliance and the resulting fallout with the ReactOS community.

Since 2005, there have been no significant mentions or updates about Ekush OS, and it is generally unknown within ReactOS. The only other known lost forks of ReactOS is ReactOS NG, ReactOS Server and OpenROS.

Significance and Legacy

Ekush OS represents a niche but interesting effort within the open-source community to create an alternative Windows-compatible operating system with a specific cultural focus. Its merger with ReactOS and subsequent disappearance underscore the challenges faced by small, independent software projects attempting to navigate legal complexities and technical hurdles.

References and Further Reading

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/04/11/10/1320231/ekush-a-cherryos-for-the-windows-world https://medium.com/heapstead-solutions/5-operating-systems-no-one-knows-about-d5eba011e74d https://www.osnews.com/story/8830/ekush-emulator-and-its-license-pains/ https://reactos.org/pipermail/ros-dev/2004-November/000717.html https://lists.reactos.org/hyperkitty/list/ros-dev@reactos.org/thread/EDNZ33BLN2UCNONRR4ONZW4AW5P3SYMU/ https://codedocs.org/what-is/reactos) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReactOS https://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/10/20/d410201601109.html