Valve Announces Linux-Based SteamOS 510
Today Valve Software announced SteamOS, a Linux-based gaming operating system designed for, as Valve puts it, "living room machines." They say, "In SteamOS, we have achieved significant performance increases in graphics processing, and we're now targeting audio performance and reductions in input latency at the operating system level. Game developers are already taking advantage of these gains as they target SteamOS for their new releases." One major feature they're touting is the ability to use the SteamOS machine to stream video games from other Windows and Mac computers in the house to your TV. They mention media streaming as well, but without much detail. "With SteamOS, 'openness' means that the hardware industry can iterate in the living room at a much faster pace than they've been able to. Content creators can connect directly to their customers. Users can alter or replace any part of the software or hardware they want. Gamers are empowered to join in the creation of the games they love. SteamOS will continue to evolve, but will remain an environment designed to foster these kinds of innovation."
Re:Compatibility (Score:5, Informative)
Odds are they don't make your games... so no.
Actually, they are already compatible or at least playable via the home streaming feature. "In-home Streaming
You can play all your Windows and Mac games on your SteamOS machine, too. Just turn on your existing computer and run Steam as you always have - then your SteamOS machine can stream those games over your home network straight to your TV!"
How good that experience will be remains to be seen :)
Re:Compatibility (Score:5, Informative)
"Hundreds of great games are already running natively on SteamOS. Watch for announcements in the coming weeks about all the AAA titles coming natively to SteamOS in 2014. Access the full Steam catalog of over nearly 3000 games and desktop software titles via in-home streaming."
"You can play all your Windows and Mac games on your SteamOS machine, too. Just turn on your existing computer and run Steam as you always have - then your SteamOS machine can stream those games over your home network straight to your TV!"
If you notice... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:This is straight from Microsoft's playbook (Score:3, Informative)
It just needs to work well enough to be more of a hassle than simply buying the legal copy on Steam.
And given the ease of paying on steam, as well as the low cost, you don't need to have much of a barrier for it to be effective.
Re:Compatibility (Score:3, Informative)
There is no semantic difference. You will be able to play your games using whatever inputs and outputs are plugged into your SteamOS system.
Re:Amazing (Score:3, Informative)
No operating system will enjoy mainstream adoption these days if mucking about in a CLI is ever a necessity. Sad but true.
Agreed. But since this isn't 2005, and no modern Linux distro ever requires you to see a CLI, much less use one, that's not really an issue.
It's still there, it's still useful as hell to do things quickly and efficiently, but you don't HAVE to use it. It's like popping the windows powershell open. If you're a power user, you want to have that option. My parents have been running Linux (Ubuntu) for years, without problems. They only stumbled when gnome 2 got replaced by Unity and they had to learn something new. But as much as I hate the damn thing, they were fine with it after 2 weeks or so.
Re:This is straight from Microsoft's playbook (Score:2, Informative)
This is very unfair for you to say.
A.) From the website: "Users can alter or replace any part of the software or hardware they want." If you didn't read this part, then I forgive you. If you did, and still say this, then you also accuse them of lying. That's pretty harsh since Valve, of all companies, deserves better. The CEO personally apologizes when bad things happen on accident. There is accountability to the consumer of his product you don't see from any other company in software today. It's not buried under the rug of some corporate vice president that can be scapegoated and fired. Gabe gets up and says "I will make this right", and then does.
B.) This is nothing like extend embrace extinguish. MS was facing existential threat to Windows with a theoretical OS being loaded from the cloud through a webpage and java, and responded by taking control, as much they could, the future of that platform. Valve faces nothing of the sort. They are not trying to destroy Linux. They will be using Linux much like Google is with Android, but instead of targeting your hand held, they target your TV and a PC compatible. If successful, they certainly will have a seat at the table to discuss and participate in the future of Linux, and will have earned that seat.
Re:This is straight from Microsoft's playbook (Score:4, Informative)
Certainly it would be nice if more games were open source; there are numerous consumer benefits to it, but it is not that big of a deal.
Re:Amazing (Score:2, Informative)
Not sure if serious, but you *sound* like an idiot.
Hit Win + type "not" and hit Enter. Same as on every Windows version since Vista. If you are (or were) still navigating a menu to launch programs, you're an idiot. I can bring up a program faster than the Start animation (fade in or slide in, depending on Windows version) completes.