Valve Starts Promoting Steam For Linux To Windows Users 474
An anonymous reader writes "Steam is now being used by thousands of gamers running a Linux OS, and Valve has got to the point where they are happy to start urging Windows users to make the switch. Proof of that comes from a 'Join the Beta' promotion on the homepage of Steam suggesting you try Steam for Linux. There's even a download link to get Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, which removes yet another barrier to entry. With Gabe Newell's clear hatred of Windows 8, this shouldn't be a surprising move. We aren't going to see another version of Windows appear for a few years, so in Valve's eyes pushing Linux to gamers makes a lot of sense."
Re:Why? (Score:5, Informative)
Well, for one, if you build your own PC's and don't want to pirate software, then Linux is free. Saving the cost of an OS is big for me. You also have a system that is FAR less likely to be affected by malware.
Also, once you get good on Linux the power of having a Unix command line available really becomes a boon. It took me a good year to 18 months of primary use on Linux, but at this point I truly feel more comfortable and efficient in Linux than in Windows. I use a 2nd computer on a KVM switch that runs Windows for playing games, but that's literally the only thing I do on that system - I genuinely dislike using Windows beyond that. If the games were available for Linux then I'd have little reason to keep a Windows machine/install at all.
Re:Why? (Score:2, Informative)
Doubtful. Apache is more popular than IIS and still people target IIS for malware. IE6-8 just had yet another remote exploit days/weeks ago.
Re:Compatibility (Score:2, Informative)
Don't discount Wine ( winehq.org ), it continues to get better and better :)
My experience on ubuntu 12.04 (Score:5, Informative)
go to www.steampowered.com in firefox.
click 'install steam'.
click 'install steam now'
choose 'open with' from the firefox popup
Error: Cannot install 'libcurl3-gnutls:i386'.
Typical linux. Good luck to Valve - they'll need it.
Re:I'd like to get on this team action. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:annual windows (Score:2, Informative)
Microsoft always take some two or four years more to deliver Windows than they promissed. Will this time really be different?
(If so, when is the release date?)
Re:Compatibility (Score:4, Informative)
Clearly tuxracer is all the thrill he can handle.
I'm a Mac user stuck with the little puzzle thing where you slide the tiles. I would love to have access to the gaming awesomeness that is Tux Racer.
Seriously? Try again. [steampowered.com]
Re:Compatibility (Score:4, Informative)
1. What does MS have for package management? anything that compares to even slackware's primative system? They have still easy to hack web app updates. Linux systems have GPG signed packages. You can even add third party repos to make all packages on the system update together.
Don'e get me started on microsoft's C++ redistributables. GLIBC has been ABI stable since 4.1 which was like what, EONs ago?
If you need packages in linux, they are pulled, from a central repo, which is managed and supported, not installed by your shitty app. Only one set of libraries.
2. inconsistant buggy desktop enviroments??? you mean like windows 8. Here is a fuc
3. Drivers. laughable. Linux had USB 3 drivers 3 years before windows. There is right now a giant glitch with windows USB3 drivers, where linux has rock solid USB3 support. Hands down. Most drivers are baked into the kernel. If they are modules, most systems will autoprobe them at boot.
Windows has to carefully manage drivers. Linux is so idiot proof, the concept of a "Live OS", is viable. One OS installed on a CD or USB stick will work on virtually all desktops, no driver installs needed.
I've used linux live OSs on many many many machines. rarely do you find unsupported hardware. I can probably name them. the old broadcom 43xx series wireless chips need firmware which is license restricted, but otherwise work well with the b43. They haven't been made for years. (superceded by b44xxx, which works as intended), and a few intel cards which need easy to include non-kernel drivers.'
4. buggy desktop - read any review of windows 8. read the feature list and it sounds like gnome 3, released 3 years ago.
only diffrence, people can un-install gnome3 and use other desktops.
which believe it or not, are compatibly thanks to freedesktop.org standards. My desktop from XFCE works in KDE. So do my settings. And all the desktop managers will recognize and list the major DMs, and even enlightenment.
So don't believe the FUD. the only people who write horribly unsupported crappy software is MS, its because for years there was the illusision that you had not other choice, and FUD like the above comment.
The only real problem with linux is the lack of AAA games, and big name software titles, much of that has to do with Windows relentless campaign of FUD dirrected at GNU, Linux, and associated projects, and community as a whole.
Steam is the beginning of the end. There might be a few titles on Linux to start, but there will be more, and it will convince more companies to target linux.
Once this happens, people are going to ask why they give a shit about windows in the first place.