SteamOS

[Akreontage]

Ladies and gentlemen!
VALVe has announced SteamOS as you may already know. And this is great news! The free linux-based operating system focused on gaming is something that many were dreaming about. And I am one of them. Frankly speaking I use windows because it is the only solution for gamers. I really like Linux but I've always been Windows user (and I hate it pretty much). When SteamOS'll come out I'll definitely install it as the second OS (well, until it'll gain some developers support and later I'll install it as my primary os, at least I hope so) and will support valve in any way I can. There is possibility that supported games will run much better on SteamOS because Valve stated they've gained some superiority in graphics processing (of course we have to see it with our own eyes first but any way it MAY BE the truth or WILL BECOME the truth). For me it is definitely the most anticipated OS in my life, and I've never cared/waited for new OSes/OS upgrades.
And what do you think about it? Will you give it a try?
Please, share your thoughts! 🙂

[Arne_Saknussemm]

Will try it sure....makes sense...an OS dedicated to gaming only...however if it is an OS dedicated to making another proprietary console..."Steam box" for your living room I´ll give it and Steam a miss....

[WeRNothiNg]

I am definitely going to give it a try.

[abvolt]

I'll give it a try i'm wondering since its a linux based os will all of our current steam games work ?

[Akreontage]

abvolt wrote:
will all of our current steam games work ?

Of course they won't... All your games work on DirectX. Developers should rewrite their games.

[AccUser]

Akreontage wrote:
Of course they won't... All your games work on DirectX. Developers should rewrite their games.

Actually, Valve have addressed this. Whilst a bunch of games are native to Linux (and thus SteamOS) it is worth noting that games you have on another platform can be streamed. For example, you have purchased Skyrim on your Steam account, and it is installed on your Windows-based gaming rig: you'll be able to play the game from your SteamOS box in your lounge, but this is only acting as a control input and display client. The game is actually being executed on the Windows box, but the audio and video output is streamed to the SteamOS box. I don't know what the performance will be like, but I'm pretty sure that it will be sufficient.

Edit: accidentally a word

[B0UJI]

It's a good start though, at least they are sticking their necks out and trying. There is no alternative to Windows for gamers and they are giving it a shot.

Initially it will be Linux only games and anything on steam running for it. They have Steam streaming implemented for windows games to stream from a windows box with steam installed but this feature is mainly for the living room aspect until they get more native support.

Yes, day1 its use is going to be limited and slow uptake, but the same happened when steam itself came out. As time goes on, and it is developed more it could become a full fledged alternative. Only want to play games and happy with steam? Get SteamOS then! I applaud them for sticking it out there. As I said at least they are trying an alternative and are putting a "Big Company" support and standardization behind it which means development will happen timely and targeted.

I suspect they went to developers and said "WHY U NO LINUX?!?!" and what came back was the lack of standardization "some might have Ubuntu, some Fedora, some Redhat, some not with the right Kernel some without needed packages etc..." and they said "Well what if we made a standardized Distro, and you just target that?". That way they avoid the big dragnet of issues with saying "we support linux" which is pretty broad and can limit it to "We support SteamOS"

[Akreontage]

Right now I am extracting steamos to my usb drive. I'll try to install it on my rig and download Portal 2. We'll see how things work.

Damn... Couldn't install it on my rig. 😞 Gives me many "Hardware errors".