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It's a bit of a shame that Valve pretty much abandoned their Steam OS/Steam Machine endeavor, even if focusing on just one component (Proton) is arguably better

It's a bit of a shame that Valve pretty much abandoned their Steam OS/Steam Machine endeavor, even if focusing on just one component (Proton) is arguably better than just having to deal with an entire distribution. That said, I'm routinely amazed at how good Proton has gotten at running Windows games. I've still got dual boot for some stubborn stragglers, but the vast majority of my library runs just fine on Linux.

rPlayer6554 6y ago
I would not count steam machines out just yet. I wouldn't be surprised if the number one complaint about Steam Machines/OS was the limited library of games. Maybe they decided to just take some time and focus on Proton and then consider reviving the Steam Machines.
- kevincox 6y ago
  Yup. Valve is putting serious effort into Proton and there are a number of reasons I can think of including Valve loves Linux, Valve thinks that the Linux market is/can be profitable, Valve wants to keep its non-Windows options available if only to threaten Microsoft. However a next generation of Steam machines definitely seems like it would be present on that list.
  - CoolGuySteve 6y ago
    I think a streaming service with a Linux backend is more likely than another Steam machine push. One of the biggest problems with Stadia and the like is that you have to buy another copy of the game whereas Steam already knows what you own and will let you play it locally.
    - ascagnel_ 6y ago
      Strictly speaking, Stadia is "a streaming service with a Linux backend", but I think Steam could do it better than how Google's gone about it. The issue would be that Valve would need to renegotiate it's distribution deals to include streaming rights in addition to providing user downloads, and many publishers would drag their feet on allowing that, based on how publishers made noise and opted out of nVidia's Windows-based offering. But a service that offers my Steam library via cloud streaming would be a very tempting offering.
      - throwaway3699 6y ago
        FWIW: https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/cloudgaming https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/cloudgaming
        ascagnel_ 6y ago
        Interesting. I wonder if Valve is building this so third parties can do the capital-intensive work of building up/out hardware (given that they're listing GeForce NOW as the only supported client), or if they're also intending to enter the market themselves.
SteveNuts 6y ago
I think SteamOS was mostly a political play, at the time microsoft looked like it was turning windows into a walled garden platform.
- tempest_ 6y ago
  I think that was a large reason. Additionally the OUYA had some mind share and Valve was pushing Steam Machines and their Steam link so a non windows OS to run on them made sense. On reflection perhaps the Steam Machines and link were a response to the Windows Store as well but I cant remember the timelines that well.
  - AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
    SteamOS, Steam Machines, and Steam Link all occurred at about the same time and they were definitely a response to the perceived threat of Microsoft locking Windows down to only Windows Store applications. Good news is that didn't happen and Valve continued to improve gaming on Linux for everyone for free anyways.
    - kemonocode 6y ago
      Epic would be a bigger threat to Valve's market dominance these days. If only they (Epic) decided to support Linux in a similar fashion...
  - Zhyl 6y ago
    It was mostly in response to the Windows 8 store. Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18996377 https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18996377
yepthatsreality 6y ago
SteamOS development was only contracted-out by Valve and while many like the notion of it, SteamOS is barely different than building a Linux machine and setting Big Picture Mode to execute on startup.
- throwaway3699 6y ago
  Really? I thought it was developed in-house. From what I understand much of their company was focused around Linux at the time (Steam, SteamOS, Hardware, Source engine port, L4D2, etc...).
  - yepthatsreality 6y ago
    Yes, really.
    - account42 6y ago
      [citation needed] SteamOS kernel with commits from Valve devs: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steamos_kernel/commits/brewmaster-4.11 https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steamos_kernel/commits/brew... SteamOS compositor with commits from Valve devs: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steamos-compositor/commits/master https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steamos-compositor/commits/... I'm sure they also have/had contractors working on it like they do for the other Linux gaming effors but a claim that it was "was only contracted-out by Valve" needs something to back it up.

rPlayer6554 6y ago

I would not count steam machines out just yet. I wouldn't be surprised if the number one complaint about Steam Machines/OS was the limited library of games. Maybe they decided to just take some time and focus on Proton and then consider reviving the Steam Machines.

kevincox 6y ago
Yup. Valve is putting serious effort into Proton and there are a number of reasons I can think of including Valve loves Linux, Valve thinks that the Linux market is/can be profitable, Valve wants to keep its non-Windows options available if only to threaten Microsoft. However a next generation of Steam machines definitely seems like it would be present on that list.
- CoolGuySteve 6y ago
  I think a streaming service with a Linux backend is more likely than another Steam machine push. One of the biggest problems with Stadia and the like is that you have to buy another copy of the game whereas Steam already knows what you own and will let you play it locally.
  - ascagnel_ 6y ago
    Strictly speaking, Stadia is "a streaming service with a Linux backend", but I think Steam could do it better than how Google's gone about it. The issue would be that Valve would need to renegotiate it's distribution deals to include streaming rights in addition to providing user downloads, and many publishers would drag their feet on allowing that, based on how publishers made noise and opted out of nVidia's Windows-based offering. But a service that offers my Steam library via cloud streaming would be a very tempting offering.
    - throwaway3699 6y ago
      FWIW: https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/cloudgaming https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/cloudgaming
      - ascagnel_ 6y ago
        Interesting. I wonder if Valve is building this so third parties can do the capital-intensive work of building up/out hardware (given that they're listing GeForce NOW as the only supported client), or if they're also intending to enter the market themselves.

SteveNuts 6y ago

I think SteamOS was mostly a political play, at the time microsoft looked like it was turning windows into a walled garden platform.

tempest_ 6y ago
I think that was a large reason. Additionally the OUYA had some mind share and Valve was pushing Steam Machines and their Steam link so a non windows OS to run on them made sense. On reflection perhaps the Steam Machines and link were a response to the Windows Store as well but I cant remember the timelines that well.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
  SteamOS, Steam Machines, and Steam Link all occurred at about the same time and they were definitely a response to the perceived threat of Microsoft locking Windows down to only Windows Store applications. Good news is that didn't happen and Valve continued to improve gaming on Linux for everyone for free anyways.
  - kemonocode 6y ago
    Epic would be a bigger threat to Valve's market dominance these days. If only they (Epic) decided to support Linux in a similar fashion...
- Zhyl 6y ago
  It was mostly in response to the Windows 8 store. Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18996377 https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18996377

yepthatsreality 6y ago

SteamOS development was only contracted-out by Valve and while many like the notion of it, SteamOS is barely different than building a Linux machine and setting Big Picture Mode to execute on startup.

throwaway3699 6y ago
Really? I thought it was developed in-house. From what I understand much of their company was focused around Linux at the time (Steam, SteamOS, Hardware, Source engine port, L4D2, etc...).
- yepthatsreality 6y ago
  Yes, really.
  - account42 6y ago
    [citation needed] SteamOS kernel with commits from Valve devs: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steamos_kernel/commits/brewmaster-4.11 https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steamos_kernel/commits/brew... SteamOS compositor with commits from Valve devs: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steamos-compositor/commits/master https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steamos-compositor/commits/... I'm sure they also have/had contractors working on it like they do for the other Linux gaming effors but a claim that it was "was only contracted-out by Valve" needs something to back it up.