5 ms·

I don't think that Valve is at danger at all. The types of games on Steam are COMPLETELY different from what is on app stores, and so are the prices and consume

I don't think that Valve is at danger at all. The types of games on Steam are COMPLETELY different from what is on app stores, and so are the prices and consumer behavior. People will pay large sums of money on Steam, in a way they won't in a mobile app store. And you can trust that you're getting a quality game.

chongli 14y ago
They are in danger should Microsoft ever gain a significant foothold with the Windows Store. Microsoft can turn off "side-loading" of software in Windows and lock everyone into their walled garden. If Valve hasn't successfully migrated away from Windows by that point they will be completely screwed.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
  - Simucal 14y ago
    This is how OSX is by default now. I'm relatively new to Macs but I was pretty surprised when I had to go into my preferences to enable the ability to run software downloaded from the internet (not from the Mac App Store).
    - jmhain 14y ago
      As long as they provide the option to enable it, I actually don't see what's wrong with this. If someone can't figure out how to change that preference, then they are exactly the type of person who shouldn't be running random executables off the Internet.
    - lloeki 14y ago
      > I had to go into my preferences to enable the ability to run software downloaded from the internet Wrong, the default Gatekeeper setting is set so that: - you don't have to if the software is recent and signed by the developer. - you don't have to either for unsigned code: as explained in the dialog that pops up, you can right click instead and choose open, which will pop up a similar dialog alllowing you to whitelist this app only. Threfore, don't ever turn off Gatekeeper in Preferences.
      - Simucal 14y ago
        Thanks for the clarification. I hadn't noticed the right-click to whitelist option before. I'll have to go change the preference back. I don't know if the software I was using was just old or if signing isn't common place yet, but I felt like I got prompted while trying to use some fairly popular software.
    - gizmo686 14y ago
      It's been a while since I've touched windows, but I think it has a similar system (although the option to run was presented as soon as you tried). Linux is actually the worst in terms of easily running software downloaded from the internet. If you try running an executable with out the executable bit set, it will fail. Nautilus (a major file browser) gives the standard error for when you try opening a file-type that does not have a program associated with it. And, unlike your description of OSX, you can only enable execution on a per-file basis.
- w1ntermute 14y ago
  Given the importance of backwards compatibility for corporate Windows users and the history Microsoft has with the Justice Department, I find such a situation very hard to fathom. Microsoft is not Apple - they cannot use the Reality Distortion Field to get away scot-free with imposing draconian restrictions on their user base.
  - chongli 14y ago
    They'll just turn on signed side-loading in the high-end corporate version of the OS; with Microsoft providing the (revokable) signing keys as part of the corporate site license. As for the Justice Department intervention? I wouldn't hold my breath.
    - notimetorelax 14y ago
      If pain deploying applications on Windows becomes greater than pain of switching to Linux (porting applications and training personnel) then Microsoft might have a problem.
    - w1ntermute 14y ago
      That doesn't sound backwards compatible to me. Businesses will just refuse to upgrade in such a scenario. And Microsoft made the mistake last time around of ignoring the Justice Department. They won't this time.
- JonnieCache 14y ago
  > Microsoft can turn off "side-loading" of software in Windows and lock everyone into their walled garden. I think the EU might have something to say about that.
  - keithpeter 14y ago
    Not to mention corporate customers with inhouse business applications. Perhaps WindowsRT will become the consumer OS and Windows (x86) will be the 'professional' OS
  - Aissen 14y ago
    Yeah, just like they had something to say about the iOS walled garden. Also, I'm sure the bankruptcy courts will wait for a policy change before allowing Valve's (or any of those walled garden competitors) dismemberment.
  - Joeri 14y ago
    The EU didn't force apple to open up iOS, and this is with a near monopoly in the tablet space. Microsoft doesn't have to close down windows, they just need to make windows rt the default option for consumers wanting to get a machine that runs office and some games.
    - davidpardo 14y ago
      EU antitrust laws aren't against monopolys per se, but against using the power of a monopoly to gain an advantage in a new market. So, Microsoft wasn't fined for having a 95% of the PC market, but for trying to leverage that share to force its competition in the internet field out of the market. Apple tablets were born with the app store and conquered (created?) the tablet market, so, no problem.It'd have been different if they allowed people to install apps from anywhere and afterwards restricted them to the app store. So, I think microsoft would be in big trouble in the EU if they tried to shut Steam out of the market by disabling third party software on windows.
- Already__Taken 14y ago
  MS would never be able to pull that one with an existing install base, so that's something we'd have to not buy in the first place, perhaps winRT 2.0 might look locked down like that. The other scenario would be if windows moved to a rolling distribution type model, perhaps even for free. They could pull that move then.

chongli 14y ago

They are in danger should Microsoft ever gain a significant foothold with the Windows Store. Microsoft can turn off "side-loading" of software in Windows and lock everyone into their walled garden. If Valve hasn't successfully migrated away from Windows by that point they will be completely screwed.

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
- Simucal 14y ago
  This is how OSX is by default now. I'm relatively new to Macs but I was pretty surprised when I had to go into my preferences to enable the ability to run software downloaded from the internet (not from the Mac App Store).
  - jmhain 14y ago
    As long as they provide the option to enable it, I actually don't see what's wrong with this. If someone can't figure out how to change that preference, then they are exactly the type of person who shouldn't be running random executables off the Internet.
  - lloeki 14y ago
    > I had to go into my preferences to enable the ability to run software downloaded from the internet Wrong, the default Gatekeeper setting is set so that: - you don't have to if the software is recent and signed by the developer. - you don't have to either for unsigned code: as explained in the dialog that pops up, you can right click instead and choose open, which will pop up a similar dialog alllowing you to whitelist this app only. Threfore, don't ever turn off Gatekeeper in Preferences.
    - Simucal 14y ago
      Thanks for the clarification. I hadn't noticed the right-click to whitelist option before. I'll have to go change the preference back. I don't know if the software I was using was just old or if signing isn't common place yet, but I felt like I got prompted while trying to use some fairly popular software.
  - gizmo686 14y ago
    It's been a while since I've touched windows, but I think it has a similar system (although the option to run was presented as soon as you tried). Linux is actually the worst in terms of easily running software downloaded from the internet. If you try running an executable with out the executable bit set, it will fail. Nautilus (a major file browser) gives the standard error for when you try opening a file-type that does not have a program associated with it. And, unlike your description of OSX, you can only enable execution on a per-file basis.
w1ntermute 14y ago
Given the importance of backwards compatibility for corporate Windows users and the history Microsoft has with the Justice Department, I find such a situation very hard to fathom. Microsoft is not Apple - they cannot use the Reality Distortion Field to get away scot-free with imposing draconian restrictions on their user base.
- chongli 14y ago
  They'll just turn on signed side-loading in the high-end corporate version of the OS; with Microsoft providing the (revokable) signing keys as part of the corporate site license. As for the Justice Department intervention? I wouldn't hold my breath.
  - notimetorelax 14y ago
    If pain deploying applications on Windows becomes greater than pain of switching to Linux (porting applications and training personnel) then Microsoft might have a problem.
  - w1ntermute 14y ago
    That doesn't sound backwards compatible to me. Businesses will just refuse to upgrade in such a scenario. And Microsoft made the mistake last time around of ignoring the Justice Department. They won't this time.
JonnieCache 14y ago
> Microsoft can turn off "side-loading" of software in Windows and lock everyone into their walled garden. I think the EU might have something to say about that.
- keithpeter 14y ago
  Not to mention corporate customers with inhouse business applications. Perhaps WindowsRT will become the consumer OS and Windows (x86) will be the 'professional' OS
- Aissen 14y ago
  Yeah, just like they had something to say about the iOS walled garden. Also, I'm sure the bankruptcy courts will wait for a policy change before allowing Valve's (or any of those walled garden competitors) dismemberment.
- Joeri 14y ago
  The EU didn't force apple to open up iOS, and this is with a near monopoly in the tablet space. Microsoft doesn't have to close down windows, they just need to make windows rt the default option for consumers wanting to get a machine that runs office and some games.
  - davidpardo 14y ago
    EU antitrust laws aren't against monopolys per se, but against using the power of a monopoly to gain an advantage in a new market. So, Microsoft wasn't fined for having a 95% of the PC market, but for trying to leverage that share to force its competition in the internet field out of the market. Apple tablets were born with the app store and conquered (created?) the tablet market, so, no problem.It'd have been different if they allowed people to install apps from anywhere and afterwards restricted them to the app store. So, I think microsoft would be in big trouble in the EU if they tried to shut Steam out of the market by disabling third party software on windows.
Already__Taken 14y ago
MS would never be able to pull that one with an existing install base, so that's something we'd have to not buy in the first place, perhaps winRT 2.0 might look locked down like that. The other scenario would be if windows moved to a rolling distribution type model, perhaps even for free. They could pull that move then.