SteamOS released

[Skorpionss]

An OS has to start somewhere, Windows has always been the majority holder in PC gaming, and has been for many years. You might ask, then what's the point. There are multiple reasons imo why. You save, that always shitty fee when building a new PC of having to factor in Windows, also helps the sale of gaming specific PCs, they might drop in price a little and get more people into PC gaming.

All you need is that 1 big company to full take on Linux, and others will follow. We are already seeing this due to valves efforts.

http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/12/48...field-director

About this time is a great time for this too. The whole Battlefield 4 runs better on Win 8 then Win 7 (proven btw) has pissed a lot of people off, because people now they feel they must buy Win 8 to get the best performance, and at the start it fixed a lot of stuttering issues and crashes, while it's only 1 example, it only takes a few for people to get pissed off enough to try something like Linux. (if it's available).

I will never use Linux for gaming no matter how many games come compatible with it... there are far too many older games that don't work on it and that I still play from time to time... Unless Linux gets some exclusives like Mass Effect there is 0 chance of me ever using it... and I reckon most people that only game are like me...

[Deleted]

The installing instructions at

http://store.steampowered.com/steamos/buildyourown

are rather intimidating. There is a big red-framed warning stating

• WARNING: Both installation methods will erase all content on the target computer

I have installed many different linux distributions but I know of no one which will only give you the option of wiping your entire hard drive(s). Why should one be forced to remove windows to install SteamOS. My guess is that their installer does allow you to keep windows and install SteamOS in its own partition(s) -- still the warning above appears to be crafted so to scare as many potentials users as possible.

Further, after the system is installed, the user is pointed to accessing the OS with default credentials (which is OK), and then open a terminal windows and manually run a script. Why should a user mess with that? I would have no problem doing that, but why Steam did not write a simple GUI or even at least put an icon on the desktop to launch that script? Ideally, the script should have been run during installation.

Also: no support for AMD/Intel video cards, at the moment (!)

Conclusion: SteamOS appears to be quite unpolished. I hope they can do better that this in future OS releases.

[Deleted]

Furlong, it does indeed wipe a whole hard drive. Wasn't that script only required for the custom install?

Anyway it isn't intended to be an OS used with a desktop, but something to put on your living room PC.

[Deleted]

Conclusion: SteamOS appears to be quite unpolished. I hope they can do better that this in future OS releases.

This is BETA release. It is NOT meant to be used by masses, it is only for testing for enthusiasts. If you are not one and do not have Linux experience DO NOT install it. Also since it is BETA it is by definition not finished and not polished, there will be issues and it IS NOT representative of final product.

Srsly when will people re-learn what BETA means.

[Deleted]

Srsly when will people re-learn what BETA means.

Probably when companies stop misusing the term beta (I'm looking at you, Blizzard).

[Deleted]

Probably when companies stop misusing the term beta (I'm looking at you, Blizzard).

How is blizz misusing the term? It's people misunderstanding it...

Blizzard gives beta access to somewhat limited audience for simple reason - it is hard to impossible to thoroughly test mmo(wow) or multi strategy(HS) game with inside testers only. But people treat it as demo ...

[Deleted]

For example the Diablo III beta wasn't a real beta, but a demo. It was a polished product ready to be released with limited content. Aka. a demo.

[Simca]

I like that they're going with UEFI as an essential, even if temporary.

[Sithalos]

I wish people would understand it's not meant to be a replacement to Windows.

[Deleted]

I like that they're going with UEFI as an essential, even if temporary.

Why would you like that? There is a workaround like I mentioned in the first post, but it makes it bit of a hassle for me to try out, for example. I got plenty of horsepower, but the UEFI requirement rules my PC out (i7 920, X58 Platinum, 660 Ti).

And I surely aren't the only one still sporting an early core i7 setup.

- - - Updated - - -

I wish people would understand it's not meant to be a replacement to Windows.

It is almost identical to Steam Big Picture with Linux client, which I've had for quite a while now. And that is what people who want to replace windows should go for. SteamOS is just a way to make it more accessible, and something vendors can slam on steam boxes. This really is a competitor for consoles, indeed. But as an open system there's a lot of tinkering end users can do, and that to me is brilliant. And if it takes off it will make Linux gaming a viable option as a whole, not only through SteamOS.

But since it isn't exactly accessible at this stage either, people are eager to bash it.

[teddytous]

Hmmmm so I'm confused, can this play 100% of steam games?

No dual boot options? Would be cool for trying it...

And 500GB required Oo thats odd...

[Deleted]

Dual boot is possible, but not really recommended for users not experienced with Linux. The 500GB is more of a guideline than a limitation, the OS itself doesn't take up much space.

It can only play Linux games from steam. Link.

[Ghostpanther]

I wish people would understand it's not meant to be a replacement to Windows.

Exactly. Which is why I have no interest in using it. I am comfortable and pleased with how well Windows 8.1 works.

[Djinni]

Now I'm all for switching to Linux and supporting the Free community... but Debian based or not... what's the point in "releasing" your "own OS" if it doesn't support the majority of games your target audience is looking for...

(And yes, I do choose to use Crunchbang Debian) on my work laptop, because that's the environment I prefer to work with. But at home I am one of those who does like to mix work and games and be able to change between them with a simple alt+tab, for which Win 8.1 works perfectly fine.
Some games really need to work on their full-screen mode though to support other applications wanting to use the screen too... Finally had a chance to play through Dues Ex this month and got really annoying when the screen went blank every time I got a notification from TeamViewer or Skype, even though both were usually open on the 2nd screen.

Back to the SteamOS... this is a great idea, and I've never been one to like Steam (I still don't, maybe because I'm used to it forcing its way into everything and taking over the computer, or the way so any games wont work if you don't have an internet connection. But there is something much easier about content delivery and updates.) but like I said before... if most of the content you are delivering won't work with "your own OS" doesn't that defeat the point?
Forcing developers to support your customized OS, is only going to re-enforce the stigma that so many people like me have had toward the application for so many years before now and are just now starting to peel away from.

[Paladin885]

I never understood why people liked Steam so much. I personally think it's the most retarded thing in the world.

I used to be in that same boat. Then a summer sale attracted my attention and I started to like it. Its a nice way to take peer2peer, gaming, and online retail of digital copies and put it in one small package. And when its community driven it means profit for them and the developers, and benefits for us gamers; a win-win. A lot of indie developers got their start because of steam's handy lil feature called green lighting which is basically steams way of saying "you want it, so here it is."