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Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

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Re: Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

#111

Post by ArcticCelt »

ajross wrote: post #15
trotsky wrote: post #3

I'm all for linux support, but clearly he's more worried about a future with microsoft taking their digital delivery business, not usability.

Or Apple, or Google, or Amazon. Steam is, really, just an app store. And that's becoming part of the platform in the modern world. Frankly I think the sanest option here would be for MS to simply buy Valve and turn them into the "Windows App Store". But I can't imagine that happening given all the internal churn that would be required to eliminate all their existing online purchase junk.

Valve is not a public company so there is no shareholders nor investors who can pressure Gabe to sell. There is also absolutely no insensitive to sell for him. Even if he gets tired of Valve he can simply start a new venture by using the insane cash-flow raining directly in his bank account.

Re: Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

#112

Post by Ralz »

throwaway64 wrote: post #72
Ralz wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also I am 90% sure that this only applies to metro apps, non metro apps will be featured in the store but users will be directed to a website (chosen by the application developer) to purchase/download the product from.

the windows appstore is metro only

You are wrong http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsstore/archive/2012/06/08/list...

Re: Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

#113

Post by ralfn »

Splenivore wrote: post #99
alt_ wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would be more afraid of Xbox Live than the app store. Buying is just a one time deal. Achievements and other social features of Xbox Live are constant and, if shared with the large Xbox network, will be very desirable for consumers.

Games for Windows Live was not warmly received. It’s unlikely that this will be a killer feature.

Microsoft does not allow competition on their OS this time around. So, Steam is no longer allowed to compete.

If there are no alternative, people may still hate it, but it will still be the killer feature.

Re: Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

#114

Post by ArcticCelt »

commandar wrote: post #14
megaman821 wrote: post #5

I don't understand this sentiment. If you don't like Metro, launch the desktop and forget it even exists. For rarely launched apps, hit the Win key and start typing the name and for frequently used apps, pin to your taskbar. Steam still works exactly the same on Windows 8.

>If you don't like Metro, launch the desktop and forget it even exists. Been using W8 on my desktop at work for about a month now. If only it were that easy. The big problem is that W8 is insanely inconsistent. Trying to change system settings can result in having to navigate a byzantine maze guiding you through new Metro interfaces with old-school control panel applets interspersed throughout. The Control Panel stil…

I also installed the preview to see how it works and after many frustrating experiences I now found the perfect way to use Windows 8 on my laptop.

When it boots I immediately launch a remote session to my windows 7 desktop.

Re: Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

#115

Post by ralfn »

ajross wrote: post #15
trotsky wrote: post #3

I'm all for linux support, but clearly he's more worried about a future with microsoft taking their digital delivery business, not usability.

Or Apple, or Google, or Amazon. Steam is, really, just an app store. And that's becoming part of the platform in the modern world. Frankly I think the sanest option here would be for MS to simply buy Valve and turn them into the "Windows App Store". But I can't imagine that happening given all the internal churn that would be required to eliminate all their existing online purchase junk.

Why would MS pay 3 billion dollar for Valve, if they can just abuse their position and disallow Steam on Win8, and then just steal the market.

Which is exactly what they are doing, with the win8 store policy, metro sandbox, and pricing strategy for the x86/classic-desktop version.

Re: Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

#116

Post by macspoofing »

jmcqk6 wrote: post #91
Donito wrote: post #9

The title should be: "Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe' [for steam]". Steam is, from a user perspective, a video game marketplace on PC. In Win8, they will have to compete with the built-in windows marketplace, where most games will published directly. In other words, Win8 is a catastrophe for them as it's endangering their business.

I don't think most games can be published in the windows 8 app store. They have very strict guidelines about the types of apps that will be listed. Specifically, only metro-style, full screen apps that use a specific subset of the .NET framework. I don't know of any games right now that would fit that requirement, certainly not the types of games that make steam popular. Especially when you consider the most popular…

They can change that

Re: Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

#117

Post by Xuzz »

james4k wrote: post #97
recoiledsnake wrote: post #12

I think the headline of the article is pretty misleading as he means that Windows 8 is a catastrophe for Steam because of the Windows 8 app store. Looks like everyone's upvoting the article because they seem to think that Gabe meant that Windows 8 will be a failure. Instead of having to go through Steam's distribution, games will have the option of going directly to the Windows 8 app store and get featured there, not…

Steam's cut is 30%. However, for that 30% you get to update your game whenever you want, and virtually as often as you want. By that I mean they don't impose any direct limits on how often you update, but the general rule is no more than once a week aside from hotfixes and the like. I'm not aware of any digital marketplace that gives you this much control, especially as video game updates will often be hundreds of me…

Apple's app stores, on both iOS and Mac, both host games and allow unlimited free updates to them.

Re: Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

#118

Post by Ralz »

recoiledsnake wrote: post #12

I think the headline of the article is pretty misleading as he means that Windows 8 is a catastrophe for Steam because of the Windows 8 app store. Looks like everyone's upvoting the article because they seem to think that Gabe meant that Windows 8 will be a failure. Instead of having to go through Steam's distribution, games will have the option of going directly to the Windows 8 app store and get featured there, not…

Unless the video game developer is creating a game only for metro then the Windows Store will not cause any harm to Valve. Although it is possible to list a non metro application in the store (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsstore/archive/2012/06/08/list...) users will not be able to purchase or directly download those applications from the store and MS does not take a cut of non metro apps.

You bring up a good point about the WinRT ARM devices. These devises are very closed off similar to the IPad, the only option for WinRT tablet users will be to go to the Windows Store but I don't think Valve even cares about this market too much ( I don't think you can download games directly to your iPhone from the steam app, can you?). Steam in my opinion is geared towards the PC desktop gamer not the (ARM) tablet* user, so Valve has nothing to worry about.

*x86 tablets will most likely be able to download steam.

Re: Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

#119

Post by zanny »

huggyface wrote: post #8
megaman821 wrote: post #5

I don't understand this sentiment. If you don't like Metro, launch the desktop and forget it even exists. For rarely launched apps, hit the Win key and start typing the name and for frequently used apps, pin to your taskbar. Steam still works exactly the same on Windows 8.

I'm not sure of his reasoning, but he is not saying that Windows 8 is a catastrophe for users directly. I think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space. I think we'll lose some of the top-tier PC/OEMs, who will exit the market. I think margins will be destroyed for a bunch of people. Sounds more like all it is a problem for all of the many players in the Windows space. Now of course Microsoft can do w…

They won't be able to just jump 2,500 DirectX and DirectSound titles off the Windows API onto Wine. Maybe if they spend a few million dollars working on bringing Wine up to date with DX11, and then they have to deal with all the development houses not switching off Visual Studio and DX12 in the coming years, because they won't want to make the jump off the M$ platform.

Re: Gabe Newell Wants to Support Linux, Because Windows 8 is a 'Catastrophe'

#120

Post by zanny »

Zr40 wrote: post #19
summerdown2 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Am I the only one who likes having a gorgeous desktop wallpaper, with icons arranged in clusters according to usability? Or to have overlapping windows? Everything I've heard about Metro suggests limited customisation of the desktop and apps that insist on being full-screen or some guaranteed fraction. All of this feels like evolution in reverse to me. I've never used Windows 8, but the stories coming out make me nev…

Nothing is forcing you to use Metro. In fact, only apps that have an UI designed specifically for Metro will use the Metro environment. Everything else will run in windows outside of Metro, just like they do in Windows 7. Only the new start screen (which replaces the start menu) will expose you to Metro. But in my experience with the Release Preview, this start screen is pleasant to use and still allows for keyboard…

Nobody is forcing anyone to use Windows 8 either. And a significant portion of people are taking the opportunity not to.
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