The ReactOS project recently initiated a Kickstarter campaignin the form of Thorium Core, a cloud desktop environment that allows one to have a consistent computing environment with the same applications and settings anywhere one has a reliable broadband connection. To achieve this, Thorium intends to complete the work needed to bring ReactOS to a state where it is useable for day to day activities as well as tune it for usage in various virtual environments. Due to ReactOS' lightweight nature, a Thorium Core instance will have more resources to dedicate to the things that matter most to a user, running their applications.

Of course, Thorium isn't about just a cloud desktop. It's very much about ReactOS itself. The project has gotten close, very close, to being ready for general use. Rough edges are being polished at a daily rate and in the preparation for 0.4.0, the team has put significant effort into not just the system's stability but also the user friendliness of a new explorer shell. With Thorium's success, the project can work on other issues that stand in the way of ReactOS being ready for day to day use. So for ReactOS supporters, Thorium offers the chance to bring ReactOS out of alpha, into beta, and maybe even into production. If you've been waiting years for ReactOS to be to the point where you can replace your soon to be retired Windows XP install, then here's a chance to help the project make that final push to be ready.