Gabe confirmed that Steam will be on Linux this 2012

[Blackops]

lol showed this to Burton but forgot to comment. I think this is great news but its not that big of a deal as most people install wine anyways. It will be quicker and easier I guess for those that don't want/need wine but whatever.

If it means we can use hardware to its maxium potential while running in a linux environment, then I'm all for it! Well, I'm all for it either way.

[Seph64]

Ah, the Phoronix effect!

Not that I don't believe Steam is coming for Linux (I also emailed Gabe asking about Steam for Linux, and he said yes, but I think that might be an automated response), it's just that Phoronix exaggerates everything that includes "steam" and "linux". And thus everything linking back to phoronix is furthering the Phoronix Effect.

Someone should do a test: Email gabe, put something about Linux in the message, but instead ask for something truly outrageous, like if he'll hand over the keys to his most expensive car, or give you a million dollars, or something like that.

[markcocjin]

Originally Posted by Seph64

Ah, the Phoronix effect!

Not that I don't believe Steam is coming for Linux (I also emailed Gabe asking about Steam for Linux, and he said yes, but I think that might be an automated response), it's just that Phoronix exaggerates everything that includes "steam" and "linux". And thus everything linking back to phoronix is furthering the Phoronix Effect.

Someone should do a test: Email gabe, put something about Linux in the message, but instead ask for something truly outrageous, like if he'll hand over the keys to his most expensive car, or give you a million dollars, or something like that.

You do not have to email Gabe. In an interview, he has stated that he moved his desk over to the Linux development cabal where he currently spends most of his productive time.

Linux is a big deal in Valve right now. The Linux community also talks about Steam on Linux over at their channel in YouTube. It's not a secret. They are doing it.

In addition, I think Valve and Steam may be the single most important force to draw a huge consumer base over to Linux. This is because Steam is not a niche market. In a sense, it is THE market.

If people find no problem adjusting to the Android or iOS ecosystem because of their purchased gadget, what more for a Steam specific Linux version? It's like driving a brand new car. It's not like your old one or your neighbor's but it still basically functions the same way.

Actually, if it's a Steampowered Linux OS, and it functions like Steam, then there would probably be nothing to adjust to.

Imagine a Steam Linux that updates all the drivers in your PC just like it would each and every game. Imagine reformatting and installing Steam and your cloud settings remembers all the settings and installed programs of your previous PC setup.

[MADDOGGE]

Someone has yet to say what advantage having a Linux Steam client performs. Having a native Linux Steam client isn't going to automatically make all those games Steam offers for sale playable on Linux. You are still stuck with trying to get them all to run on wine.

When Steam went to the MAC it didn't magically make Steams games playable on the MAC. Someone at Valve had to re-code Valves games to get them to run on MAC OS. Valve certainly isn't going to re-code all the 3rd party games it sells just for Linux and you know the developers won't. You are still left with the majority of the games Steam sells being Window's games. Perhaps someone thinks Steam has come up with the Window's emulator or all emulators to go along with this Linux client?

[damaged]

Originally Posted by MADDOGGE

Someone has yet to say what advantage having a Linux Steam client performs. Having a native Linux Steam client isn't going to automatically make all those games Steam offers for sale playable on Linux. You are still stuck with trying to get them all to run on wine.

When Steam went to the MAC it didn't magically make Steams games playable on the MAC. Someone at Valve had to re-code Valves games to get them to run on MAC OS. Valve certainly isn't going to re-code all the 3rd party games it sells just for Linux and you know the developers won't. You are still left with the majority of the games Steam sells being Window's games. Perhaps someone thinks Steam has come up with the Window's emulator or all emulators to go along with this Linux client?

One of the issues with developers wanting to port things to Linux has always been about [the lack of proper] DRM, with a native Steam client, this may help alleviate that concern.

[Seph64]

Originally Posted by markcocjin

You do not have to email Gabe. In an interview, he has stated that he moved his desk over to the Linux development cabal where he currently spends most of his productive time.

I would love to see that interview.

In addition, I think Valve and Steam may be the single most important force to draw a huge consumer base over to Linux. This is because Steam is not a niche market. In a sense, it is THE market.

I would love to see the logic. The only reason to port Steam and Source to Linux would to capture any potential customers who use Linux. There's probably not gonna be a real surge of Linux users if Steam comes to that platform, well unless Valve gets big name developers on board (like Bethesda making a Linux port of Skyrim for example).

Windows 8 may be a big sack of ♥♥♥♥, but that won't stop Microsoft from pushing it on the masses. PC Manufacturers may just continue to put Windows 7 on their machines, but Linux? Nope, they may offer that as an alternative, but it won't become the standard.

If people find no problem adjusting to the Android or iOS ecosystem because of their purchased gadget, what more for a Steam specific Linux version? It's like driving a brand new car. It's not like your old one or your neighbor's but it still basically functions the same way.

Android OS, while uses a Linux kernel, is not your typical Linux OS. For instance, can I go in to the android APP store, download Winamp for Android and then use it on my gentoo install on my computer?

Actually, if it's a Steampowered Linux OS, and it functions like Steam, then there would probably be nothing to adjust to.

Imagine a Steam Linux that updates all the drivers in your PC just like it would each and every game. Imagine reformatting and installing Steam and your cloud settings remembers all the settings and installed programs of your previous PC setup.

Oh goody, what a way to take the fun out of Linux (the choice, man, the choice!).

I want Steam to come to Linux like any other Penguin lover, but a Steam Linux OS? BAH! I use Gentoo, and nothing is gonna stop me.

[markcocjin]

Originally Posted by Seph64

I would love to see that interview.



I would love to see the logic. The only reason to port Steam and Source to Linux would to capture any potential customers who use Linux. There's probably not gonna be a real surge of Linux users if Steam comes to that platform, well unless Valve gets big name developers on board (like Bethesda making a Linux port of Skyrim for example).

Windows 8 may be a big sack of ♥♥♥♥, but that won't stop Microsoft from pushing it on the masses. PC Manufacturers may just continue to put Windows 7 on their machines, but Linux? Nope, they may offer that as an alternative, but it won't become the standard.



Android OS, while uses a Linux kernel, is not your typical Linux OS. For instance, can I go in to the android APP store, download Winamp for Android and then use it on my gentoo install on my computer?



Oh goody, what a way to take the fun out of Linux (the choice, man, the choice!).

I want Steam to come to Linux like any other Penguin lover, but a Steam Linux OS? BAH! I use Gentoo, and nothing is gonna stop me.

"There have been developers working on the Linux support for sometime, but not until recently has Gabe Newell become personally involved with the Linux client work," Larabel said. "In fact, his desk is currently in the current Valve Linux development camp!"

Larabel also mentioned Newell's personal distaste for Microsoft's new Windows 8, which perhaps has to do with the Valve chief's new desire to branch out. "Listening to Gabe Newell talk about Linux for hours made me wonder whether he was a former ex-Microsoft employee (where he actually did work in his pre-Valve days in the 90's) or the director of the Linux Foundation," Larabel said. "His level of Linux interest and commitment was incredible while his negativity for Windows 8 and the future of Microsoft was stunning."

You've obviously made up your mind about this so I won't go into a point by point analysis of what you said. You're saying that Linux will be like Linux has always been. I'm saying that Steam will change Linux gaming by turning it into a compelling platform for developers.

If Valve is good enough, it will create an ecosystem of gaming on Linux when there was once barely any. If the iPod can turn into a threat for Nintendo and Sony's handheld, there could be a chance for a Linux PC to compete with Windows gaming.

I look beyond Linux' current fragmented state. I do not look at how impractical it is to sell a game on the existing Linux gaming marketplace. I do not look at how there are often driver problems with Linux. If you are Valve, and you are rumoured to to dabble into hardware solutions, you tackle the Linux gaming problem as a whole and not just through a mere port of Steam and the Source engine.

Mike Abrash is working on augmented reality hardware and software. That is so out of Valve's current product line. Mike Ambinder, a Valve psychologist has, under Valve, made trademarks for modular gamepad designs. Valve employees are blogging about prototyping small form factor PCs. Anything is possible. And it's not just "Oh we're releasing on Linux too." Steam can't just be ported to Linux and that's that. It's not financially feasible. That is, unless you're planning something more ambitious like going in, in a big way bringing partners with you.

This is what I believe. And obviously, this is what Gabe and company believe in as well. They have a big group in Valve that are cooking something exciting enough that its founder has joined in on the work. Gabe Newell worked on the Windows operating system. I think it was the user interface or something.

I'm just excited about it from a gamer point of view. I do not like to have gaming tied to a corporation who came up with something as thoughtless and such a hindrance as Games for Windows Live. A corporation who cannibalized its own PC gaming community and platform just to boost sales of its console device. It was Microsoft who was behind that aggressive campaign on how the PC is dying.

Who the hell would trust them with the future of PC gaming? I'm guessing Windows will want to sell all Windows playable games in their App store. They're probably making a Steam-like feature built in and will require all games to pass through it. Windows may want to turn into a closed software ecosystem like the iOS app store.

[MADDOGGE]

Originally Posted by damaged

One of the issues with developers wanting to port things to Linux has always been about [the lack of proper] DRM, with a native Steam client, this may help alleviate that concern.

Thank you damaged. A logical reason that I knew nothing about and actually makes sense. That's all I wanted was a legitimate reason why they should bother.

[§W-]

Originally Posted by MADDOGGE

Thank you damaged. A logical reason that I knew nothing about and actually makes sense. That's all I wanted was a legitimate reason why they should bother.

Another simple fact is that Steam can't have Linux games if it isn't on Linux.

More developers will support Linux if there is a major platform to distribute on it. If you want to believe that a major distribution platform should only go to Linux when developers support it, then you create a chicken and egg problem. A developer can't provide truly and successfully support Linux without a good distribution partner. And you want to stipulate that a distribution partner should only get involved when a developer creates a game that is successful on Linux.

But you see, if you want to take a page out of evolution, it doesn't worry about whether it is valid to have a chicken that doesn't come from a chicken egg, or if it should create a chicken egg that didn't come from a chicken. It just happens, and the end result is delicious chicken. (Or perhaps it is a horrible creature with terrible genetic disease, but you can't have chicken without the other failures too).

Simply put, if you build it, it may or may not work, but you can't use the lack of prior success as a measure of usefulness because, well, a lack of evidence is no evidence at all.

And to be honest, I think you have it backwards. There have been many developers who want to support Linux comparability. But they ultimately fail because of a lack of a strong distribution platform. That is evidence that developers can't support the Linux platform on their own. But what Valve is doing, is they are FINALLY tackling the problem on the OTHER end.

[nrnoble]

Since Valve did not announce anything at E3, anything Linux based is likely 1+ years away. If they had a decent working beta, they would have shown it. I remain skeptical until I read press a release from Valve stating what they are\aren't doing, or interviews with direct quotes from Valve. Reading stuff from the Escapest is always questionable until there more info confirming it.

[Washell]

Originally Posted by nrnoble

Since Valve did not announce anything at E3, anything Linux based is likely 1+ years away. If they had a decent working beta, they would have shown it. I remain skeptical until I read press a release from Valve stating what they are\aren't doing, or interviews with direct quotes from Valve. Reading stuff from the Escapest is always questionable until there more info confirming it.

An email from the CEO and owner of the company isn't good enough?

[nrnoble]

^^ If that is the case, then a public statement (ie press release) will be forth coming shortly to clarify what Valve has planned. I look forward to reading what Valve officially has to say.

[Custom333]

"This 2012"?

As opposed to next 2012.

[damaged]

Originally Posted by MADDOGGE

Thank you damaged. A logical reason that I knew nothing about and actually makes sense. That's all I wanted was a legitimate reason why they should bother.

No worries.