New Steam beta replaces Trident/IE with WebKit • Hacker News Board

Re: New Steam beta replaces Trident/IE with WebKit

#31

Post by abrahamsen » Wed, Feb 24, 2010, 10:55 AM UTC

jmillikin wrote: post #21

houseabsolute wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are mistaken if you believe that you can distribute an application built using GPL code and not release the source code (and all derived code) as well. In the event that you were confused by my wording, check again. I have attempted to clarify.

That's not what your original post said, and even now that you've edited it, it's still wrong. There is no requirement that Valve release source code for an internal development build, and just because GPL'd code was at one point used in Steam wouldn't prevent them from distributing it without source in the future. The GPL isn't some magical infective uber-license; it's just plain copyright.

The GPL can't force Valve to release source even if they had used GPL'ed code for an external release. However, a court could force Valve to stop distributing the infringing binary, and to pay damages to the owners of the GPL'ed code.

It is possible that Valve would choose to release source for the steam client after negotiation with the owners of the CPL'ed code instead, but that would require agreement from both parties. And it is actually not totally unlikely that Valve would seek such a solution, the steam client represents a very little part of the total value of steam, the main value is in the content of their rights database, and in their reputation and connection with gamers and publishers.

Re: New Steam beta replaces Trident/IE with WebKit

#32

Post by jsolson » Wed, Feb 24, 2010, 12:25 PM UTC

jpcx01 wrote: post #3

About time! I always wondered how such a successful product could lag so behind in polish. That embedded IE control steam uses is an absolute pain in the ass.

Precisely because they had such a successful product. Initially that product wasn't Steam, but Half-Life 2. Once other studious picked up on it as a distribution model (because who doesn't want to take advantage of the entire HL2 install-base to market their game?), they were golden.

Also, despite its lack of overall polish, occasional crashiness, and the inconsistent and slow UI, for the most part Steam works exactly as advertised. It lets me install my games anywhere as many times as I like for free, I can play them offline if they're single player, and online I get a lovely Xbox-Live style server browser and social management right in the client.

The worst I can say about it is that I'd be a little happier with it if it were more polished, and I'd kill a man for a Mac port (including, obviously, the games I care about).

Re: New Steam beta replaces Trident/IE with WebKit

#33

Post by Flow » Wed, Feb 24, 2010, 4:19 PM UTC

CoryOndrejka wrote: post #27

Flow wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll send a big bunch of flowers to the good peeps at Valve if they deliver Steam, TF2 and CSS for Mac OS X! I already bought these games, but wouldn't mind paying a bit more again just to cover the port costs.

FWIW, I use Wine via Code Weavers' Cross Over Games ( http://www.codeweavers.com/ ) to play my Steam games on a few different older Mac laptops I have. It works pretty well.

I have CrossOver Game 8.0. I used to play HaloPC a lot in it, despite horrible mouse lag.

In TF2 I noticed the performance was quite a lot worse than in Win7.

It works though.

Re: New Steam beta replaces Trident/IE with WebKit

#34

Post by mey » Wed, Feb 24, 2010, 10:22 PM UTC

grumpyfart wrote: post #23

mey wrote: post #6

I wonder if this a step towards multi-platform Steam...

It doesn't matter how Steam is cross-platform as soon as no one bothers to develop games for other platforms. BTW about 10 years later none-console gaming will be such a niche we'll see less and less games, and only lemonade tycoon quality :)

FreeBSD is dead

Re: New Steam beta replaces Trident/IE with WebKit

#35

Post by grumpyfart » Thu, Feb 25, 2010, 9:03 AM UTC

InclinedPlane wrote: post #25

grumpyfart wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't matter how Steam is cross-platform as soon as no one bothers to develop games for other platforms. BTW about 10 years later none-console gaming will be such a niche we'll see less and less games, and only lemonade tycoon quality :)

I guess you've never heard of World of Warcraft. Cue a post explaining in detail why that "doesn't count" in 3... 2... 1...

I guess you can't understand difference between hundred thousand games and a hundred games.

Re: New Steam beta replaces Trident/IE with WebKit

#36

Post by grumpyfart » Thu, Feb 25, 2010, 9:08 AM UTC

TeHCrAzY wrote: post #24

grumpyfart wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't matter how Steam is cross-platform as soon as no one bothers to develop games for other platforms. BTW about 10 years later none-console gaming will be such a niche we'll see less and less games, and only lemonade tycoon quality :)

Why do you think the PC gaming industry will die?

Many reasons:

Look at the sales of PC games and console games. It's clear that PC games are going down. Many companies don't even release PC versions any more.

PC gaming is more expensive, you got keep your hardware up to date and that's truly expensive. A good graphic card's price is more expensive than an XBOX 360.

Piracy is a big issue in gaming and piracy rate in console is much lower (none in PS3, although potentially next year we'll see PS3 as well).

Developing games for a fixed hardware is much easier unlike developing games for a platform such as PC or God forbid, Linux.

PC is going to a be only niche players complex MMORPGs, indie game developers, some RTSs.