What SteamOS is, and what it is not

[ProfessorKaos64]

Great post a Reddit user drafted. Very good read. Mods, if this is worthwhile enough, it may be ncie to pin this one.

https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/2yfx1l/psa_what_steamos_is_and_is_not/

[Balderick]

which lessens the appeal of steamos and the justification of its existence.

Now;

1. How is steamos more open than windows?
2. Why do i have more steam client features that i can choose to use and that work in windows in comparison to steamos?

[NeptNutz]

Tux lähetti viestin:

8-Bit Cerberus lähetti viestin:

No. It is not.

I'm not going to argue this in circles incessantly. If you believe this, then you are fundamentally, demonstrably wrong and I suggest you educate yourself not only on what SteamOS is, but what Linux is as well. This is not an opinion or fanboy argument, this is cold hard facts.

agreed. I mean I didnt think it thru when I suggested it.
If a game is created on Linux it works on all distros of Linux not just SteamOS. That is a diffferent approach from Windows.

Yes, apparently we are all supposed to go quietly into that good night of Direct Xbox gaming, or otherwise just curse our damned PC luck and hope against hope that someday, one day, Halo 3, Halo Wars, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4 will actually show up on Windows.

[Tux]

40-1PvtBalderick lähetti viestin:

which lessens the appeal of steamos and the justification of its existence.

Now; how is steamos more open than windows?

Windows is owned by one comany. Linux has distros which can be created by anyone.

SteamOS games are actually Linux games NOT SteamOS games.

Not to mention the Microsofts general concept of gaming is totally screwed up in the first place regardless of who is more locked down.

[8BitCerberus]

40-1PvtBalderick lähetti viestin:

Now;

1. How is steamos more open than windows?
2. Why do i have more steam client features that i can choose to use and that work in windows in comparison to steamos?

1. Because it's Linux. I'm not going to do your homework for you.
2. It has the same features as BPM on Windows. Actually more, because it has networking setup, client and security updating. Probably a few more that I'm forgetting

When the desktop client features make it into BPM then they will be there, just like you used to not be able to add non-Steam games from BPM. You can now. The only major option that I'm aware of missing from BPM is the ability to create additional libraries so you can install games on other drives or in other directories. That's certainly going to be something they'll need to get added in before November or very soon after.

[Balderick]

coz its linux meh. FOSS works on most operating systems including windows.

the steam client is proprietary (closed source) regardless of which operating system it is being run in. steamos brings nothing of the goodies FOSS offers ootb.

[Shark]

40-1PvtBalderick lähetti viestin:

coz its linux meh. FOSS works on most operating systems including windows.

the steam client is proprietary (closed source) regardless of which operating system it is being run in. steamos brings nothing of the goodies FOSS offers ootb.

Valve has already shown that they can benefit from the operating system being fully open source. A good example of that is the Vulkan driver for Intel and the Steam Controller driver, wgich is in upstream Linux. Valve also purchased features for Intel drivers from an independant company, a.k.a. LunarG.

It is also not practical for Valve to ship Windows with modifications. Some things in SteamOS aren't even possible in Windows.

Lastly, Windows can't keep up with the pace of development on Linux. Microsoft releases a new kernel about once every 3 year, while Linus pushes out 4 in a single year. Mature distros have 1 or 2 releases per year. Mature dsktops for Linux also have frequent releases, but that's not really relevant to SteamOS.

I'd say Linux was the best choice for Valve, it being open source makes it a very future proof option. Not everyone using Windows should jump on it, yet, though. Linux is very different from Windows and doesn't get the same level of support from application/game developers as Windows does yet. It's unlikely that Linux won't become one of the bigger desktop operating systems in the future, though. We'll see.

[8BitCerberus]

40-1PvtBalderick lähetti viestin:

coz its linux meh. FOSS works on most operating systems including windows.

the steam client is proprietary (closed source) regardless of which operating system it is being run in. steamos brings nothing of the goodies FOSS offers ootb.

SteamOS is not the Steam client. Again, do your homework.

[Balderick]

lol all steamos does is boot load and run the steam for linux client in a gimped manner, using repackaged older packages on a very old customised kernel

Windows can use any boot splash user chooses and can autologin any any user whilst autoloading steam in bpm mode. afaik steamos does little more than that and all to make pc gaming more familiar to console users!?. lmao
Vulkan will be supported in all operating systems not just steamos or linux which will bring a wider scope of benefits to all developers who implement it and not just those who support linux.
So win 10 already supporting dx12 and vulkan gives devs more choice than what linux only devs see...

What can SteamOS do that Windows or any linux desktop distro can not?

i simply can not see the dependence of game devs porting their windows titles to linux in any way shape or form bringing any benfit to people gaming on linux. though it has to be said it is amazing how much linux has caught up in past two or three years since Valves involvement however the end of that rainbow can never be reached... ...gaming on linux will be a compromise for some time yet.

[Shark]

When compared to other Linux distros, SteamOS only offers a benefit if you exclusively use your system on your tv. In the end SteamOS being Linux actually does mean it can do many things which Windows can't do, or can't do as efficiently.

Some examples:

The desktop only launches when opened.
The Steam runtime, no first time setups.
Automatic driver updates.
SteamOS barely uses any disk space.
Support for more controllers ootb.
Remote management through ssh is possible.
Containerization/sandboxing will be very easy in a year from now, but is already possible.
Running a server is easier and more efficient in a lot of cases.
Creating custom versions of SteamOS is possible, even by community members.
Debugging of applications which don't work like expected is made possible, Windows does a very poor job at this.

There are more things which make Linux/SteamOS stand out, but you probably get my point. Whether you prefer Windows, SteamOS or a different Linux distro is up to you.

[Tux]

40-1PvtBalderick lähetti viestin:

coz its linux meh. FOSS works on most operating systems including windows.

the steam client is proprietary (closed source) regardless of which operating system it is being run in. steamos brings nothing of the goodies FOSS offers ootb.

In 2004 if you had told me that Google is going to make a smartphone using the Linux kernal and that OS is going to be the main OS for all phones in the industy I would have laughed.

The thing about technology is that you can rarely look at the now to predict the future

[Balderick]

Tux lähetti viestin:

In 2004 if you had told me that Google is going to make a smartphone using the Linux kernal and that OS is going to be the main OS for all phones in the industy I would have laughed.

The thing about technology is that you can rarely look at the now to predict the future

what does that smartphone analogy and this tablet[shield.nvidia.co.uk] have in common? ARM

How can a $300 dollar tablet trump any pc running the current build of steamos?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h8k5LLK0jI desktop stuff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YERQnvw6ZTw functionality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxXEs1yPxYM pc titles (not mobile gaming)

[Tux]

40-1PvtBalderick lähetti viestin:

what does that smartphone analogy and this tablet[shield.nvidia.co.uk] have in common? ARM

How can a $300 dollar tablet trump any pc running the current build of steamos?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h8k5LLK0jI desktop stuff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YERQnvw6ZTw functionality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxXEs1yPxYM pc titles (not mobile gaming)

ARM has nothing to do with the comparision I am making.

your reply is likely the best example of correlation does not imply causation I think I have ever seen.

[Balderick]

Tux lähetti viestin:

ARM has nothing to do with the comparision I am making.

your reply is likely the best example of correlation does not imply causation I think I have ever seen.

ahh you like using analogies that have nothing to do with the point you make! how useful is that!?

practicing the point that is made may allow to you to see the point i am trying to make - ironically

[ProfessorKaos64]

[40-1]PvtBalderick, I have to agree with the others, you'll in a losing battle here.

[Balderick]

np.

time will tell.