Steam OS.

[Shunjoss]

Hi !
I wonder if there is someone who tried Steam OS here? Well this is still beta, but the first public release will be in november 2015 i think.
I've question about it : -Do you think there is a real benefit over other distro for gaming?
-Can we install software or usual apps like libre office and so on...
-How many space disk steam os take ?
-can we install a real DE like cinnamon? (i like cinnamon)
Can we compare it to linux mint 17.2 ?

For now there is nothing to help me think this a better distribution for gaming.
I've Linux mint 17.1 for stuff and windows 8.1 for gaming, i might upgrade to windows 10 (on public release). I think steam os could be a really good thing :
If they can ally the stability of linux and the "credential" of windows for hardware and game.
They really can make the distro all-in-one. I think this can be positive and you ?

I will really be glad to do everything with Linux, and to have only one os on my computer! Do you think we can do the same we another distro without trouble ? Is this worth it to try out steam os and use it ?

[English Invader]

I think it might make a difference, but it depends if the Steam machines take off. If they stand a chance of replacing the PS4s and XBox Ones in front of the family TVs, that might encourage more mainstream software companies to develop for Linux. Batman: Arkham Knight is a very big win for the Linux community.

But, at the same time, success for the Steam console doesn't necessarily mean that the Linux desktop will benefit much from it in the long run. Once Valve have got their machine in the family home, Mint and Ubuntu will have served their purpose and they won't need us any more.

[xenopeek]

SteamOS is Debian based and runs on top of GNOME. You can access Gnome Shell to get to the full operating system and yes you can install other applications.

As for disk space used by SteamOS that's insignificant compared to the amount of disk space average games take these days

The real benefit over other distros would be if it takes off as a gamer platform. Likely it will get the best support from games developers. Valve has staff working on graphics card drivers which could be another benefit.

I have zero interest for games that don't run on Linux, so I don't know what I'm "missing". I regularly back games on Kickstarter that come with Steam keys, and there are more there for Linux than I can afford Same for Steam, where now about 1 in 3 games is available on Linux (over a 1,000 titles).

Latest estimate I read is that there are 150 million gamers using Steam, which put the number of Linux gamers on 1.5 million. The numbers of Linux gamers has grown on equal footing with other platforms (doubling over the past few years).

[Shunjoss]

Ty, for the answer I've more interest in steam os now.
I think i will put a eye on it.
Well i like valve's games like dota 2 and half life series, but ubisoft has no game on linux and i like far cry and assassin's creed series.
I've not a lot of games but i like it.
I think i will buy a 500 Go HDD again. I thought a 120Go ssd was enough i was terribbly wrong.
Windows has done a good diet though, but as long as one game is 25Go lol.
[quote=English Invader]
But, at the same time, success for the Steam console doesn't necessarily mean that the Linux desktop will benefit much from it in the long run. Once Valve have got their machine in the family home, Mint and Ubuntu will have served their purpose and they won't need us any more.
[/quote]
Well i'm not sure of it Mint has differents goals, and Ubuntu i don't like canonical too much... I think that new steam os distro will not have a great impact on how people choose their distro. it is more about new comer. Their is no threat from steam os to linux world because people will be free to choose what they want (except if you buy a steam machine of course) but i assume that linux user build their own pc in general or at least choose their hardware.

[xenopeek]

but ubisoft has no game on linux

So don't buy Ubisoft games till they start supporting Linux. Don't support those that don't support you.

[English Invader]

Well i'm not sure of it Mint has differents goals, and Ubuntu i don't like canonical too much... I think that new steam os distro will not have a great impact on how people choose their distro. it is more about new comer. Their is no threat from steam os to linux world because people will be free to choose what they want (except if you buy a steam machine of course) but i assume that linux user build their own pc in general or at least choose their hardware.

The point is that once Valve have an established market for their Steam Machines it would be very easy for them to drop support for other Linux distros and make all the top titles exclusive to their Steam Machines.

[xenopeek]

How would they drop support for other distros? Steam is already only supported on Ubuntu LTS. You're seeing things that aren't there. BTW, Steam machines will either run Steam or SteamOS. That can be with Windows. PC manufacturers are the ones building Steam machines, according to specs provided by Valve. Valve doesn't have a monopoly on Steam machines.

[Shunjoss]

but ubisoft has no game on linux

So don't buy Ubisoft games till they start supporting Linux. Don't support those that don't support you.

You are right, but this is still good game unfortunately.
Well we always pro and cons, i will be glad do dish windows but i have a printer who work only with windows 7 (not with linux and not with windows 8 too) it is a good printer.
And on my laptop i've freeze with long video using adobe flash (or with deezer too) that i've not in windows (adobe don't support linux or so).
I've no problem with linux, this is more about compatibility with hardware i bought before knowing Linux (mint).

I just want all my stuff to work fine, with no headaches. I'm a basic user, and i want everything ready, stable and more or less up-to-date with no compromise with stability or compatibility with not so old hardware.
Well my laptop is a 4 year old acer but this is enough to browse the net and multimedia stuff, and so is my printer.
This is a basic i5 and intel hd 3000.

So this is a good point to not buy products with no support on Linux but I have some I had before using Linux that I can't go without.

[xenopeek]

So this is a good point to not buy products with no support on Linux but I have some I had before using Linux that I can't go without.

That's a common enough situation, and most of us start out that way. Considering it for your next purchase will eventually make you flexible to use whichever OS you want

[Shunjoss]

This is the plan
I choose my rig on my desktop pc especially for both world (about one year ago), I think I have done a good choice, I'm more a Nvidia-Intel guy ^^.
With common hardware (GTX 760 + I5-4670K).
And i've no problem with windows 8.1 or linux 17.1 (except a keyboard problem in-game with dota 2 qwerty instead of azerty i wonder where was the problem maybe this come from valve )

[coder123]

How would they drop support for other distros? Steam is already only supported on Ubuntu LTS. You're seeing things that aren't there. BTW, Steam machines will either run Steam or SteamOS. That can be with Windows. PC manufacturers are the ones building Steam machines, according to specs provided by Valve. Valve doesn't have a monopoly on Steam machines.

I partially disagree. If a Steam Machine is built and preloaded with windows it shouldn't be called a steam machine (even if the steam client comes preloaded with the windows install) IMO all Steam Machines should be preloaded with SteamOS as the host and only OS.


Also has anyone on here used SteamOS beta? If so, can you tell me whether it can do anything besides gaming. (do VLC and firefox run on it?) I can't get it to run via virtual machine but that's all I want to know.