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Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

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141–150 of 153 posts

Re: Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

#141
post #139
post #25

Shows how much of a bubble I live in, most of my friends who play Steam are doing so on Linux with either a Steam Deck or just installing something like ChimeraOS on a desktop and plugging that into the TV. I've been so entrenched in the Unixey space for like 13 years that going back to Windows would be a pretty substantial productivity drain in the short term, but I'm not sure I'd want to anyway, simply because gami…

I'm approaching a year of exclusively gaming on Linux with very few hiccups. Most of it being on Steam Deck, but also switched to Bazzite on desktop.

Yeah I don't own a Windows computer anymore, all my gaming is on Linux now, and I haven't had any major issues.

Granted, I don't really play new AAA games. Most of the stuff I play is either 10+ years old, or an indie game. Proton seems to be able to rock those just fine.

Re: Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

#142
post #46

I tried moving to Windows 11, discovered that pinning folders in Explorer was bugged to hell, and moved back to 10. All of the features I care to use in windows have been in since Windows 7; moving to 11 broke one of the very few moving parts in my workflow. Horrible experience! Combine that with some of the smartest people I know at microsoft telling me that their current task is to add one iframe to the UI to injec…

> smartest people I know at microsoft telling me that their current task is to add one iframe to the UI to inject more advertising (and that it had taken six months)

This is so sad. A good senior dev can accomplish a lot of good for the customer in 6 months, but instead they're adding ads to an operating system so some Principal Program Manager can get another promo for making his VP's ad revenue go slightly up.

Re: Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

#143
post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First they have to convince studios to target Linux instead of translating Windows APIs.

Why, though? If the Windows subsystem for Linux can provide many people an adequate environment for dev work, why can't the equivalent Linux subsystem for Windows provide an adequate gaming platform?

Don't build castles in other people's kingdoms.

Even Microsoft learnt that with WSL, hence why WSL 2.0 is a plain VM, hardly any different from Virtual Box or VMware Workstation, other than is already on the box and doesn't cost extra.

Re: Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

#144
post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft made Windows XP free for any OEM that wanted to use it for netbooks, no license at all, and also made some changes to improve its use on limited devices. That coupled with the usual non-technical resistance to anything that is unfamiliar, meant that in about two years time, all those custom distros for netbooks were for all practical purposes gone from the market. All netbooks on shopping malls were using W…

> Nowadays it hardly matters, because the netboook market audience nowadays rather use Android and iPadOS. How did Microsoft deal with that?

With Surface devices, which ironically predate iPadOS and Android/iPad window modes, pluggable keyboards, but they messed up delivery, to the point higher ups responsible for Surface product line have left Microsoft for Amazon, unhappy with Microsoft's management decisions.

Re: Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

#145
post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The licenses are the same -- you can install Win10 media using a Win11 license key. Too great a risk if you ask me.

Risk of what?

Getting some "special" license key that doesn't work like that.

When you custom build and you're in the EU where reselling unused keys from volume licenses for cheap is legal, at least...

Re: Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

#146
post #38
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well 2 years ago when I built a new desktop i took great care to order hardware that works on windows 11. Then I read the stories saying 11 has even more telemetry that you can't disable, ads on the start menu, Edge that you can't get rid of... and when I got around to setting up Windows on it I ordered a Win 10 license. They're still available even now, I think. Win 10 does try to trick me into upgrading to 11 rando…

Was it possible to build a PC with new components that wouldn't be compatible with Windows 11? I mean I find it pretty hard to understand what are the actual requirements besides TPM 2.0 but all >= 8th gen Intel CPUs should support that?

The TPM is on the motherboard as far as i know? I remember the mobos were specifying if they run windows 11 in descriptions when I ordered.

Besides I bought AMD. Needed the thing for parallel builds and I was getting more cores for my money. Plus actually usable integrated graphics. Plus less power consumption.

Re: Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

#147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Steam Decks seem to be selling pretty well, and people don't seem to mind the SteamOS part of it. I think part of that is because of its form factor already limiting the device. Like how Android and iOS are fine on a phone or tablet, but I doubt most people would want it on a desktop computer. Not talking about the Linux part, but the real test with the Deck is whether or not it'll stay a target platform with its l…

I think the Deck might occupy a similar spot as the Nintendo Switch, in that it's not the most powerful console out there, but it's portable and nice, and it's a good enough target. I think especially for indie games, which are typically less demanding than the big new AAA shoot-at-stuff games, the Steam Deck might be an "unofficial standard" for quite awhile. Though I don't work in the games industry, so I'm talking…

I don't disagree about its spot, but I think the "unofficial standard" will still be the Switch because it has sold 150 million units. Valve haven't released sales numbers on the Deck.

Like you say, indie games are less demanding, so even the Deck can be overkill. I remember the Vita being the indie target before the Switch. So many good indie games got ports to the Vita.

Re: Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

#148
post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn’t nag you incessantly to upgrade to Windows 11

Turn off TPM in your BIOS and it will quite nagging you. Windows 11 won't install without TPM 2.0.

My computer is not compatible and I still get nagged about the need to upgrade and support ending soon.

Re: Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

#149
post #93
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sacrilegious. The best motivator for paying for Windows 11 is continuing to give money to a megalithic, parasitic corporation.

Paying? I believe my Windows 10 got upgraded to Windows 11 for free. IIRC this OS install that I'm using originally started as a Windows 8 and I didn't have to pay to upgrade it even once, but may be misremembering...

The amount of ads in the start menu, the browser, and Microsoft product auto-installed still makes me feel I'm being milked for money.

Re: Nearly half of Steam's users are still using Windows 10

#150

Steam users are more likely to be on win 10 than others because they often spend more money on gaming rigs than people buying web browser machine. With the hardware requirements of win 11 (tpm, others) many gamers will not want to throw out their working machines to satisfy Microsoft's hardware demand.

That doesn't make sense, Windows 11 was released in 2021. People who spend more money on their hardware are probably not using a 4+ year old machine at this point.
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