We'll no doubt eventually have our own innovations, but I doubt there is much point in "re-inventing the wheel" regarding network protocols - the standard seems to have settled on TCP/IP with the occasional IPX network.
I remember those times, where NETBIOS and IPX have been used for WFW 3.1. It was a nightmare to get two LANs connected - I prefer using the one and only TCP/IP protocol (may it be version 4 or the better 6).
Whatever developments are made to improve ReactOS in some ways not done with Windows by Microsoft, should be easily adaptable to run on Windows (ie, should be available separately so Windows users can run ReactOS apps.) But the main aim of this project is compatibility, so introducing something "proprietary" to ReactOS (or requiring additions to Windows so apps for ReactOS can run on it) is not really a good idea, IMO.
I don't think, it's enough just to duplicate anything what's already existing in MS Windows. Why should one switch to a new operating system with the same features like the old one? (appart from now being able to use free software)
It's easy to include new functionality regarding the user interface without breaking compatibility. We can invent any new programs and include them into the distribution or extend existing things with new functionality.
I for my part will extend Explorer to include some usefull extensions.
Regards,
Martin