Revisiting question: Linux version when?

[lil]

In the help line, Wallpaper Engine said they didn't plan Linux support since it was < 1% of the Steam users, and if Linux users wanted it to eventually be ported to Linux, we'd need to up the percentage of users that are Linux users, and said it was "too hard" to port it too Linux to be worth it.

Well....

Linux users are currently, checking as of today, at 2% of users, and noticeably higher than the number of Mac users.

Linux has been growing significantly, and has even outpaced Windows' previously #1 competitor.

Further, various hacky open source groups have already managed to get it moderately-working on Linux, despite no official support for their efforts, (such as https://github.com/catsout/wallpaper-engine-kde-plugin and https://github.com/Almamu/linux-wallpaperengine )

So, it's not even super hard anymore, there's outright examples of where to start from, just hire these people and make it their jobs, with the condition of being able to integrate their solutions and you're already 2/3rds of the way there (just need to integrate their work with nice interface, make it a little more robust and adaptable to various system setups like allowing steam running in other drives, available if they had first-party access to the program).

So, Wallpaper's engine has had BOTH problems they had with providing a Linux port removed.

By your reasoning, this should be totally doable now.

So the question is, to the Wallpaper Engine teams:

Is it happening?

If so, let us know.

If not, then tell us when it will. Give us specifics. What metric exactly do we have to meet to get Wallpaper Engine on Linux and gracing the face of our steamdecks?

[Tim]

The amount of effort to get it working on Linux is simply not relation to the 2% Linux userbase on Steam. I will not give you "specifics" until we change our mind, we are not machines with hard metrics but the disparity between userbase and effort to get the app to work on Linux is completely off the charts.

And on top of that, people always ignore that the Linux user base is also severely split up into various different Linux distributions, desktop environments and so on. Even on Windows we have massive difference between Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 which are already a major pain to deal with and on Linux this would be in another universe of maintenance torment. So realistically, you would probably only talk about a certain desktop environment in certain release versions, so it is really much lower than 2%.

The open source solutions you saw are not comparable to an actual product that costs money, they are very barebones compared to the actual app and it is lacking features, essentially only a very basic rendition of the wallpapers is possible and this is trivial. It is missing everything that has any depth. It's a typical case of the pareto principle, they got 80% of the things to work in 20% of the time. But the remaining 20% of work will take 80% of the time. (And the real numbers are probably more like (98% / 2%) in this case rather than 80% / 20%)

It is outright rude and selfish how some people demand we create a Linux version, ignoring the reality that Linux remains an absolute niche operating system which, on top of that, is fragmented into many different desktop environments which are also severely overhauled every few months.

[lil]

1. Linux isn't a niche operating system anymore. Not only has it been the #1 operating system in the world for a LONG time in professional since (thanks to servers), in recent time it has surpassed Mac, which noone would call 'niche' at this point.

2. It's not rude to see a previous expectation you gave your userbase, and then ask when the follow-through is happening. More and more gamers are switching from Windows to Linux. It's not a lot yet over 2 million active users on Steam, maybe not an unstoppable tidal wave, but its happening, and its picking up pace (especially since now you get better FPS on linux than you do on windows on same hardware, even with translation layers since Windows is just that bloated anymore).

3. The visual processing has been significantly more stable than Windows. X11 has been around literally decades. Now it's *finally* getting up update to Wayland, and that's literally being adopted by pretty much every distro. If you're insistent on supporting higher level Desktop Enviroments which are more fragmented, (which I don't know why you would, Variety wallpaper manager does just fine focusing on X11/Wayland) considering most high-level DEs are slightly more than just a selection of widgets thrown onto the desktop, you could easily focus on just the most popular daily-driver desktop oriented DEs: (Gnome, KDE Plasma, Budgie, and the upcoming Cosmic); but again, you don't need to focus on those, X11 & Wayland is all you need to focus on, which is far less than Win 7 vs 8 vs 10 vs 11 vs Dx9 vs dx 11 vs... vs... vs....

4. The whole point of asking for a target metric is because Linux, unlike Windows, is built by community, and community can be motivated by "Get to point X, you get Y". It's not about being a machine, it's about giving the community a target; what would make it worth it to you?

[Tim]

1. How is the popularity of Linux on servers relevant for a desktop app? Come on, that's just a silly argument. Mac OS is also not relevant to us, it's just as niche for our target audience "gamers on Steam" as Linux.

2. Sure, it's not rude to ask, I guess your last paragraph of your initial post rubbed me the wrong way? Maybe it came off more hostile than you intended it to be.

3. Of course we would focus on one of them but that was my point. Your 2% reference number is not relevant because even if we did develop a Linux-compatible version, it would not actually reach 2% of the users because it would likely be heavily constraint to a certain version of a certain desktop environment on a certain distribution. Even Steam's hardware survey shows how fragmented the small Linux userbase is. At the end of the day, the app would target maybe a fraction of the 2% which is what I was trying to highlight.

4. I am really not in the position to demand any "Get to point X and we'll talk". I cannot give you a specific number where we'd suddenly jump on Linux. Also, placing the burden of making Linux more popular on indie developers is just wrong, it needs to come from the big players and the reality is that a lot of big players have also dropped Linux support in recent years. Valve's approach on Steam Deck is great but it's not viable for us since our app is heavily integrated into the OS and nothing that can just be stuffed into an emulator.

And just to be clear, I have been using Linux / Kubuntu for almost 20 years now privately and professionally. I have no beef with Linux but anyone who sells a product for Linux must also be able to maintain it. I also don't want to go around Elon Musk-style and promise stuff that will never happen, I'd rather argue with Linux nerds online and give them a dignified but stern "no" even if that's not the easy way of doing things.

[*WOLFBANE*]

I'm an a Linux (KDE) user, and I bought your app just to show support. You are discounting Android which is also Linux based. And don't forget the Steam Deck. That is also pure Linux. Specifically, Arch with KDE.

Build it, and they will come. Valve knew this to be true. That is why they have gone full "Steam" ahead (pun intended) with Linux. You (developer) are leaving a lot of money on the table. Not to mention, putting all your eggs in one basket. I hope the clouds part and give you wisdom to see the error of your ways.

Hope for the best...

P.S. I too have been using Kubuntu for 20 yrs now. Wow, how time flies.

[Lee Berserƙ 𒉭]

should be on Linux

[满穗的狗]

I notice that when I run wallpaperengine by proton, I an preview wallpaper well in windows mode.And I notice that the I can not set wallpaper because proton not supppor some api of windows about Desktop support.AN^Y Hack can fix this? Place, I will pay for it.

[UPRPRC Member]

Wallpaper Engine is the only thing that makes me still use Windows 10. I even thought about writing a script that would change my wallpapers as a cronjob every hour with solutions posted above. Linux nerds are ready to get the "right" desktop environment to get your app running x)
But I can fully understand that maintaining such software over years on Linux is crazy with tons of people who have tons of different problems.