So they are using an open OS foundation to build an OS that will allow them to effectively lock users into their store/environment? And geeks are happy?
SteamOS
501–510 of 532 posts
Re: SteamOS
#502Earlier quoted context omitted.
Gaming is one of the last legitimate refuges of Windows dominance. There are a lot of us who wouldn't care about (read: would be willing to switch) their OS if not for PC gaming.
Or people that dual boot and keep Windows around just to game.
I'm waiting a LoL for linux so i can uninstall windows.
Re: SteamOS
#503By the way, anyone who's sceptical of Linux gaming needs to get on Steam, and see what's available for Linux - right now. There are plenty of AAA quality titles already, with many more to come.
Or, for anyone with an Nvidia card and the Nvidia drivers, just download a Unigine demo...
Re: SteamOS
#504So they are using an open OS foundation to build an OS that will allow them to effectively lock users into their store/environment? And geeks are happy?
Still an improvement over the other consoles which are completely proprietary and locked down. I think it's great that Linux is gaining a wider audience regardless of whether it's due to commercial, technical or ideological reasons. Some people will never be happy...
Re: SteamOS
#505Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Traditional Linux userspace software" is an informal definition, but let's say something like X. Or your average window manager. Or, say, almost anything from GNOME. "Traditional Linux users" is another informal definition, but if you use a distro, you're probably a traditional Linux user. Contrast this with an Android user. They run the Linux kernel but the software they interface with is an entirely different bree…
The closeness of the SteamOS experience to that of a typical desktop Linux distro is irrelevant. If it runs on the Steam Box, it will run on a Linux desktop of compatible architecture. Considering there is already Steam for Linux, its probable that Valve will ensure Linux games run on both platforms equally well. In any case, if there is no need for "all the trimmings", if Valve just wants to make an entertainment pi…
I think you misunderstood the point of my comment.
The context was whether or not "Linux users" will pay money for software. In this respect, the closeness is only relevant insofar as it is useful to discuss "Debian users" in the same breath as "SteamOS users."
Re: SteamOS
#506Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Traditional Linux userspace software" is an informal definition, but let's say something like X. Or your average window manager. Or, say, almost anything from GNOME. "Traditional Linux users" is another informal definition, but if you use a distro, you're probably a traditional Linux user. Contrast this with an Android user. They run the Linux kernel but the software they interface with is an entirely different bree…
> but let's say something like X. Or your average window manager. Or, say, almost anything from GNOME. This doesn't apply to embedded Linux, or Linux for servers, which could be argued to be just as "traditional" a use case as Linux for desktops. Additionally, for the desktop use case, nearly every distribution uses a different window manager anyway. There are such a wide variety of window managers, I wouldn't know h…
That's fine, but the context was whether "Linux users" will pay for software or not. I basically agree with you in terms of the facts, but speaking primarily in terms of user behavior, each of those platforms is manifestly different.
Re: SteamOS
#507This is effectively the software-only equivalent of a console launch. Is anyone else skeptical that they can motivate publishers to spend time/money porting their games to the Linux platform? Valve certainly has a better chance than most at pulling this off (and likely enough user/market data to make this seem like a valid investment) I am still super skeptical that these publishers are going to spend the time portin…
> Is anyone else skeptical that they can motivate publishers to spend time/money porting their games to the Linux platform? no. porting and refactoring tools are so good now you can even port a direct3d app to opengl in 2 days or less, you could use a d3d>opengl wrapper in a day of work. libraries are also so good at dual platform it requires minimal changes (usually just a new build system).. afaik the biggest chang…
I would merely make the point that if porting was as painfully simple as you suggest here, non-first-party publishers would be making their games available for every platform (in most cases) without a second thought.
Even though multi-plat development is infinitely easier today than it was even 5 years ago, I still think getting titles onto multiple platforms is much harder and time consuming than you are giving it credit.
Re: SteamOS
#508This is effectively the software-only equivalent of a console launch. Is anyone else skeptical that they can motivate publishers to spend time/money porting their games to the Linux platform? Valve certainly has a better chance than most at pulling this off (and likely enough user/market data to make this seem like a valid investment) I am still super skeptical that these publishers are going to spend the time portin…
> Is anyone else skeptical that they can motivate publishers to spend time/money porting their games to the Linux platform? All they have to do is heavily subsidize (or give away) the console they are undoubtedly working on. Right from the get-go you can stream your existing PC Steam games to your TV which everyone will jump on. When the installed base is large enough, publishers will follow.
This sounds an awfully lot like: "To be rich all you have to do is make a ton of money and then you can buy whatever you want" -- yes... I absolutely agree, but there is an ocean sized gap of potentially company-crippling decisions between "heavily subsidize/give away" and "large enough install base, publishers will follow" :)
Re: SteamOS
#509Earlier quoted context omitted.
>Gaming is one of the last legitimate refuges of Windows dominance. What about pretty much all larger businesses in the world? Windows sure dominate the corporate space.
The corporate space isn't dominated by Windows because there are no other options. The main reason for that dominance is change aversion. I'll put it a different way: When I buy a computer with an OS, I tend to pick Windows mainly because I intend to game on it. If I don't intend to game on it, then OS would stop being a major factor in my decision-making. I might spring for a Mac instead, or I might get a Linux box.…
Another big reason is Active Directory. It's very surprising to me that there isn't a full-featured FLOSS alternative to AD, because what it does is pretty simple, but it works pretty much out of the box, and it scales massively.
Two years ago I would have said another big reason was Outlook, because no other desktop calendaring app comes close (even though it sucks hairy balls as an email client), but nowadays web-based solutions, particularly Google Calendar, are as good if not better.
Re: SteamOS
#510Earlier quoted context omitted.
Remember: The PS4 and Xbox1 both are literally built on top of DirectX11, meaning that games for next-gen consoles (read: AAA) will be DirectX by DEFAULT but will certainly not be OpenGL by default. And OpenGL is a requirement for Linux support of these games. How Valve is strong arming manufacturers into writing the graphics code for their games in BOTH frameworks is beyond me. I'm not sure the major engines out the…
As other have pointed out, you are obviously wrong about Microsoft Direct X being available on Sony's Playstation 4. But you are also wrong in the larger picture. Direct3D and OpenGL are first and foremost abstraction layers to access the GPU. Since in a console the hardware is immutable, you can gain a lot of performance by skipping (or trimming the fat of) these abstractions. The XBox 360 version of DirectX is very…
So, dev tools for PS4 are still bad?