Why Steam install the games in my /home directory?

[Medvish]

I mean, the steam client should ask where do you want your games, in /home/.../steamapps or /opt/.../steamapps/ or other place, and only keep the config and savegames files in your /home/.../steam.

I really hate those games/programs that fill my /home instead to be installed in my / and only keep user file on my /home.

Another problem with this /home install, is if you have two users, and both play TF2, you will have two TF2 install (2 TF2 to update)

[asterissco]

I think that steam support multiple Unix profiles. If you use other user and other user dont buy DLC for example, Steam needs two different versions of same game. One with DLC and other without. Yeahh, its bad because you must be installed twice of same game. I think.

Sorry for the English, i`m from Spain

[Turambar]

You can now choose where to install your games during the install process (drop down list). It's been like this for a while now.

[que movida]

basically, it needs root permissions to write in /opt... meanwhile in your home doesn't.

Linux, in general, separate configurations under your home and programs in what you call /, so you can reinstall and preserve your configurations

Steam is not used to that kind of configuration or have plans to integrate it more into the distributions, as far as i can tell and if i can predict the future a little ;)

[dirrtymartini]

Originally posted by Turambar:

You can now choose where to install your games during the install process (drop down list). It's been like this for a while now.

Last time I installed it, those two choices were "/home" or "/boot".

Are you saying we now have more choices?

[Turambar]

Hmm, it must list the places where it can write without root privilege I guess. It lets me install my game to either my /home default place or any of my mounted disks (that's not "anywhere", granted)

http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2013/10/1362685440-steaminstallchoices.png

[instabilis]

You can edit which folders Steam can use in Settings > Downloads + Cloud > 'Steam Library Folders'

I think there is still an updating pending for Source games to allow you to change where they are installed, TF2 Beta has already been migrated to the new system.

[dirrtymartini]

Originally posted by instabilis:

You can edit which folders Steam can use in Settings > Downloads + Cloud > 'Steam Library Folders'

I think there is still an updating pending for Source games to allow you to change where they are installed, TF2 Beta has already been migrated to the new system.

So, we *might* be able to install games outside of /home then?

[instabilis]

Originally posted by dirrtygsharp:

Originally posted by instabilis:

You can edit which folders Steam can use in Settings > Downloads + Cloud > 'Steam Library Folders'

I think there is still an updating pending for Source games to allow you to change where they are installed, TF2 Beta has already been migrated to the new system.

So, we *might* be able to install games outside of /home then?

Yes, provided the user account you are using has permissions to read and write to that location. That said, do not run Steam with root permissions!

[Medvish]

But steam could ask for root privileges(gksu), like in W7 or W8. When you install a new game on Windows the steam client asks admin privileges to install that game.

Or like some other programs, steam could change the directory permission(that's why i suggest /opt/steam) maybe create a new(default) user to control that directory.
/opt/steam be control by steam(user) so when you install or change some thing the steam user do that for you.

[dirrtymartini]

Originally posted by Medvish:

But steam could ask for root privileges(gksu), like in W7 or W8.

Agreed. Elevate privs, make directories, set owners and perms, then return to user-mode. I seem to recall the installer asking for a root password at some point anyway.

Originally posted by Medvish:

Or like some other programs, steam could change the directory permission(that's why i suggest /opt/steam) maybe create a new(default) user to control that directory. /opt/steam be control by steam(user) so when you install or change some thing the steam user do that for you.

No, you were on the right track. Users should have r-x access to the binaries. Give users full access to their config data and save games only. That's how we handle the thousands of other apps that run on Linux PCs.

[instabilis]

Originally posted by dirrtygsharp:

I seem to recall the installer asking for a root password at some point anyway.

Which installer was that? Steam its self doesn't request root permissions.

[dirrtymartini]

Originally posted by instabilis:

Originally posted by dirrtygsharp:

I seem to recall the installer asking for a root password at some point anyway.

Which installer was that? Steam its self doesn't request root permissions.

It might have been when steam-launcher first hit. There was a prompt for a root password during the isntallation or updating of the Steam Client.

[instabilis]

Originally posted by dirrtygsharp:

Originally posted by instabilis:

Which installer was that? Steam its self doesn't request root permissions.

It might have been when steam-launcher first hit. There was a prompt for a root password during the isntallation or updating of the Steam Client.

Ah, that would be for your systems package manager. All the Steam launcher does is installs a version of the Steam client in your home directory, then runs it.

[dirrtymartini]

Originally posted by instabilis:

Originally posted by dirrtygsharp:

It might have been when steam-launcher first hit. There was a prompt for a root password during the isntallation or updating of the Steam Client.

Ah, that would be for your systems package manager.

It might have been. Getting back to the point though, Steam could easily do the same when installing games outside of /home. Prompt for root password, install game, set directory / file perms so user can run the game, then drop root privs.

[instabilis]

Originally posted by dirrtygsharp:

It might have been. Getting back to the point though, Steam could easily do the same when installing games outside of /home. Prompt for root password, install game, set directory / file perms so user can run the game, then drop root privs.

That wouldn't end up being very practical, how Steam is doing things at the moment is probably the best solution.