5 ms·

While I applaud what they're doing, it's a bit weird how that post keeps throwing around open-source rhetoric when neither Steam nor any of Valve's games are op

by Ralith 14y ago

While I applaud what they're doing, it's a bit weird how that post keeps throwing around open-source rhetoric when neither Steam nor any of Valve's games are open source. The only regard in which this has anything to do with open source software at all is that the platform happens to be predominately GPL-licensed, and may conceivably become an indeterminate amount more popular if more games than L4D2 get ported.

sswezey 14y ago
What 'open-source rhetoric'? It isn't a Valve Open-source blog, it's a Valve linux blog - open source is not really relevant at all to this post.
- jpgg 14y ago
  It's mentioned three times in the article, including: "We want this to be a community of open source game developers, communicating with each other and talking about current efforts and future efforts in a powerfully creative environment."
  - Danieru 14y ago
    And the most damning: >After all, isn’t that what open source is all about – the idea that collaboration and teamwork achieve amazing things?
    - slurgfest 14y ago
      Damning in the sense that a game company wishes to sell games commercially? God forbid that they do such a thing! Yes, I suppose it is better for Linux if nobody attempts to sell commercial software which could work with Linux, ever.
      - Ralith 14y ago
        He means that a closed source platform isn't exactly conventional open source collaboration. Sure, it might be a boon anyway, but that doesn't make the rhetoric accurate.
      - lsh 14y ago
        Don't be melodramatic. Damning in the sense that open source, the idea, is not what they are interested in but are riding it's coattails in order to encourage developers who are interested. This thread is a little overblown and it's too early to point fingers and thump chests - lets see what they put on offer first.
        weego 14y ago
        Unfortunately it's never too early for the Linux union to go big on the blame and drama. Sometimes the product doesn't even have to be out before someone starts the bile because they can't see the source.
        slurgfest 14y ago
        It is ridiculous to begin talking about things as "damning" when a company is doing nothing but dedicating resources to the cultivation of Linux as a platform for video game development and (yes) the sale and consumption of commercial games. The word "damning" should not even arise. Don't lecture me about thumping chests and waiting to see what they put on offer, I am responding to inflamed language being applied to a company for no reason other than that they sell software.
        Ralith 14y ago
        Relax, it was just bad word choice.
        Danieru 14y ago
        I meant damning in the 'Valve has been accused of miss-using the term open source' and here is perfect evidence, sense. I love what Valve is doing and I want to encourage them. Still, their usage is just a bit, 'missing the point'.
- ergo14 14y ago
  It is, since they recently hired SDL developer - and it appears he will be working on it full time, same goes for darkplaces engine creator. So this is direct help to open source libraries.
  - steauengeglase 14y ago
    That is awesome news. Always glad to hear positive bits on the SDL front. http://lists.libsdl.org/pipermail/sdl-libsdl.org/2012-July/085112.html http://lists.libsdl.org/pipermail/sdl-libsdl.org/2012-July/0...
  - Ralith 14y ago
    They've been hired to work on their respective libraries and publish the code openly? What's Valve getting out of that?
    - baq 14y ago
      these guys know linux graphics and audio stacks from the inside out. having such people around the office which you can come to, ask pretty much any question and get a meaningful answer is practically priceless IMHO.
    - ergo14 14y ago
      Their libraries (especially SDL) are used when games get ported.
gcb 14y ago
What if they open source it? I'd love to have a community scrutinized game to prevent cheaters
nacs 14y ago
I'm sure as they work on the Steam client and as they port L4D2 to Linux, they'll start finding and fixing issues in the kernel/OS/related projects, thus contributing to opensource.
- baq 14y ago
  they already found at least one bug in the kernel: https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/6/22/338 https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/6/22/338
InclinedPlane 14y ago
Is there something unclear about this? "Our mission is to strengthen the gaming scene on Linux, both for players and developers. This includes Linux ports of Steam and Valve games, as well as partner games. We are also investigating open source initiatives that could benefit the community and game developers."

by Ralith 14y ago

sswezey 14y ago

What 'open-source rhetoric'? It isn't a Valve Open-source blog, it's a Valve linux blog - open source is not really relevant at all to this post.

jpgg 14y ago
It's mentioned three times in the article, including: "We want this to be a community of open source game developers, communicating with each other and talking about current efforts and future efforts in a powerfully creative environment."
- Danieru 14y ago
  And the most damning: >After all, isn’t that what open source is all about – the idea that collaboration and teamwork achieve amazing things?
  - slurgfest 14y ago
    Damning in the sense that a game company wishes to sell games commercially? God forbid that they do such a thing! Yes, I suppose it is better for Linux if nobody attempts to sell commercial software which could work with Linux, ever.
    - Ralith 14y ago
      He means that a closed source platform isn't exactly conventional open source collaboration. Sure, it might be a boon anyway, but that doesn't make the rhetoric accurate.
    - lsh 14y ago
      Don't be melodramatic. Damning in the sense that open source, the idea, is not what they are interested in but are riding it's coattails in order to encourage developers who are interested. This thread is a little overblown and it's too early to point fingers and thump chests - lets see what they put on offer first.
      - weego 14y ago
        Unfortunately it's never too early for the Linux union to go big on the blame and drama. Sometimes the product doesn't even have to be out before someone starts the bile because they can't see the source.
      - slurgfest 14y ago
        It is ridiculous to begin talking about things as "damning" when a company is doing nothing but dedicating resources to the cultivation of Linux as a platform for video game development and (yes) the sale and consumption of commercial games. The word "damning" should not even arise. Don't lecture me about thumping chests and waiting to see what they put on offer, I am responding to inflamed language being applied to a company for no reason other than that they sell software.
        Ralith 14y ago
        Relax, it was just bad word choice.
        Danieru 14y ago
        I meant damning in the 'Valve has been accused of miss-using the term open source' and here is perfect evidence, sense. I love what Valve is doing and I want to encourage them. Still, their usage is just a bit, 'missing the point'.
ergo14 14y ago
It is, since they recently hired SDL developer - and it appears he will be working on it full time, same goes for darkplaces engine creator. So this is direct help to open source libraries.
- steauengeglase 14y ago
  That is awesome news. Always glad to hear positive bits on the SDL front. http://lists.libsdl.org/pipermail/sdl-libsdl.org/2012-July/085112.html http://lists.libsdl.org/pipermail/sdl-libsdl.org/2012-July/0...
- Ralith 14y ago
  They've been hired to work on their respective libraries and publish the code openly? What's Valve getting out of that?
  - baq 14y ago
    these guys know linux graphics and audio stacks from the inside out. having such people around the office which you can come to, ask pretty much any question and get a meaningful answer is practically priceless IMHO.
  - ergo14 14y ago
    Their libraries (especially SDL) are used when games get ported.

gcb 14y ago

What if they open source it? I'd love to have a community scrutinized game to prevent cheaters

nacs 14y ago

I'm sure as they work on the Steam client and as they port L4D2 to Linux, they'll start finding and fixing issues in the kernel/OS/related projects, thus contributing to opensource.

baq 14y ago
they already found at least one bug in the kernel: https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/6/22/338 https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/6/22/338

InclinedPlane 14y ago

Is there something unclear about this? "Our mission is to strengthen the gaming scene on Linux, both for players and developers. This includes Linux ports of Steam and Valve games, as well as partner games. We are also investigating open source initiatives that could benefit the community and game developers."