Valve doesn't want the Linux desktop to become mainstream. They want a viable Linux gaming ecosystem. That's a different task than ensuring that Linux is a viab

Valve doesn't want the Linux desktop to become mainstream. They want a viable Linux gaming ecosystem. That's a different task than ensuring that Linux is a viable alternative to Windows for the millions of HP/Dell/Lenovo laptops that people buy each year. As for what's wrong with Gnome pursuing "the masses", I'd have far less animosity towards Gnome if they pursued the masses without actively spitting on their existing users. However, they seem incapable of doing that.