My 5 favorite open source non-Linux applications

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Highlights taken by ZDNET

• Although Linux is the king of open source OSes, there are options.
• Here you will find a few open source OSes to play with.
• Don’t expect any of these to be viable options for everyday use.

When you think of open source operating systems, probably only one option comes to mind: Linux.

That makes perfect sense, given that Linux is the most popular open source OS in the world (and it’s starting to catch on with non-open source OSes).

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But Linux isn’t the only open source game in town. In fact, there are several open source options that you can try. I found five in particular that were interesting enough to share with you, including four that reimagine an operating system from the past and one that was built by a single developer (take that, Linus).

Let’s see what we can see within the realm of non-Linux open source applications.

1. Haiku

The first time I tried

Haiku was two thousand and two

It was an alpha.

Decades later, Haiku finally reached beta. Yes, that’s one slow development process. What attracted me to Haiku was its slight similarity to the Afterstep Window manager that I had used and loved. Why is it the same? Haiku is a reimagining of the defunct BeOS, inspired by NEXTSTEP (which also inspired AfterStep).

Besides the great UI, the worst thing about Haiku is that it installs in seconds. Furthermore, you probably won’t find an OS where apps run as fast as they do on Haiku. The trade-off is that you may not get the app you need. The good news is that there is Haiku Depot, where you can install many applications (even the likes of LibreOffice).

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Another great feature found in Haiku is the Deskbar, which gives you quick access to minimized programs and system tray items.

I wouldn’t recommend Haiku for everyday use, but it sure is fun to play with.

2. BSD

BSD stands for Berkeley Software Distribution and is the closest thing to Unix you can run on a desktop. It was created at UC Berkeley by the Computer Systems Research Group and began as a derivative of the original AT&T UNIX developed at Bell Labs.

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BSD continues in several derivatives, such as FreeBSD, GhostBSD, MidnightBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, DragonFly BSD, and more. At first, you might think that any BSD you choose to use is actually Linux, because it probably runs one of the many Linux desktops, such as FreeBSD with KDE Plasma.

I’ve played with several BSDs, and one of the most important things I always take away is that they are incredibly stable. This should come as no surprise, given that BSD was the basis of the operating system used on personal computers around the world.

The good news is that BSDs are suitable for everyday desktop computing. In fact, if you’re looking for one of the most reliable and stable operating systems in the world, try FreeBSD or OpenBSD.

3. ReactOS

ReactOS is what Windows would look like if it were open source and stuck to the Windows XP/7 UI. Although ReactOS is not Windows, it aims to be compatible with Windows. You can even choose between a modern UI or a classic Windows (95/98) option. It allows you to join Workgroups and install Windows applications.

The installation of ReactOS is similar even to that of Windows (although it doesn’t take nearly as long). There’s an Internet Explorer version you can use, too.

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Although ReactOS looks and feels like Windows, don’t expect it to have all the same features, as this OS suffers from a very slow development process. Also, remember that you are using an OS based on another, older OS, so there are some features you won’t find here (like the universal search bar in the browser). It also tends to not work as expected.

Regardless, ReactOS is a fun experiment to try.

4. AROS

AROS is an acronym that stands for AROS Research Operating System. This particular OS is a reimagining of the Amiga OS, a single-user OS that saw its final release in 2025 — 40 years after its initial release. AROS is a full GUI OS with pre-installed applications, including the OWB web browser.

Although AROS looks easy to use, don’t be fooled — it’s not. This should be considered as an innovation or research project object. Installing AROS is a bit tricky because it’s different from other installations, and it doesn’t offer much help.

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Once you install AROS, you’ll find that it’s also a single-user operating system, meaning you don’t log in. When you open AROS, it goes directly (and quickly) to the desktop, where you can start opening pre-installed apps and see what’s what. Be careful, you will see a lot of app errors and apps that won’t open.

Maybe one day, AROS will be a viable option.

5. TempleOS

I’m putting TempleOS on this list for one reason and one reason only — it was created by one person. Imagine: One person writes the entire application by himself. Although Linus Torvalds started writing Linux on his own, he got a lot of help along the way.

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Now, TempleOS is not an operating system that you can actually use. In fact, after installation (which takes seconds), you start in what looks like a text-based file manager. Believe it or not, this is actually a GUI desktop, where you can access your personal menu and open applications such as games.

One thing to keep in mind is that TempleOS is a very biblically themed OS, and should be viewed as a one-time-and-go experience. But considering that one person created this OS, it’s amazing.