Notch: SteamOS is "Saving the Entire Gaming World"

[JediMB]

Why does it feel like everything Notch says becomes a news post on this site?

Great, he's a guy, and he has opinions, But we didn't need his input. What I'd like is more details on the actual OS.

Yeah, if I want to know what Notch thinks, I'll read my Twitter feed.

The guy himself has even expressed that he doesn't want sites to turn his tweets into news.

 

[Vivi22]

Why is Valve "Saving the Entire Gaming World"? Because they made an operating system that... locks down everything to the Steam Store... that takes 30% of all sales from every software purchase in the Operating System.

Stupid. Double Standard. Microsoft's scenario isn't even -real-, and he's concerned about it. Valve's OS is committing the very act that he is/was concerned about, and he doesn't care, and in fact loves it in the same sentence that he is condemning Microsoft.

Pretty funny since it doesn't really do that at all as far as we know. Quite the irony given your complaints about people worried about a "ficticious" Windows 8 scenario. Not quite as unlikely as it would seem either considering the sheer stupidity demonstrated by Microsoft with the XBone, and which has stupidity built into its bureaucratic DNA.

And the reason this is great for gaming is because there may finally be a serious competitor to Windows in the gaming space.

 

[Strazdas]

Can't say I'm terribly excited. Sounds like it will turn out similar to steam; lots of decent features but runs like complete shit.
I'll probably stick to the current consoles until this or the ps4/xbone gets a decent price and proves to be worth getting.

so instead of lots of good features and running like shit youll stick to no good features and running like shit?

>format c: /s
problem solved.

Not really. Read up on Secure Boot. As explained in my last post (which critisized the poster you're quoting), it's not very prudent to talk about things you have very little understanding.

With a UEFI-bios, making a drive bootable isn't enough. The BIOS/UEFI has to allow booting into the OS, and if the OS isn't signed, you need to disable Secure Boot to make it work.

Fair enough, i did gloss over the "Secure boot" DRM part as all PCs i met had this disabled. Even then though you would need to set things in BIOS to disable this and that isnt that hard to do. at least not as hard as this person makes it out to be.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

Can't say I'm terribly excited. Sounds like it will turn out similar to steam; lots of decent features but runs like complete shit.
I'll probably stick to the current consoles until this or the ps4/xbone gets a decent price and proves to be worth getting.

so instead of lots of good features and running like shit youll stick to no good features and running like shit?

Don't know why I'm replying to such obvious bait but at least the current Xbox runs all Xbox games without question.
And it doesn't require online to play games.
Unless you are rich and stupid enough to drop a grand on a gaming rig, a fair chunk of games can't be played on a normal laptop. I don't come home with a brand new xbox game to find out I need a $400 graphics card to play it.

Not even going to bother with the features. You have either never seen an Xbox, or are just being an idiot if you think it has no good features.

 

[Strazdas]

Can't say I'm terribly excited. Sounds like it will turn out similar to steam; lots of decent features but runs like complete shit.
I'll probably stick to the current consoles until this or the ps4/xbone gets a decent price and proves to be worth getting.

so instead of lots of good features and running like shit youll stick to no good features and running like shit?

Don't know why I'm replying to such obvious bait but at least the current Xbox runs all Xbox games without question.
And it doesn't require online to play games.
Unless you are rich and stupid enough to drop a grand on a gaming rig, a fair chunk of games can't be played on a normal laptop. I don't come home with a brand new xbox game to find out I need a $400 graphics card to play it.

Not even going to bother with the features. You have either never seen an Xbox, or are just being an idiot if you think it has no good features.

Ah, the common mistake of "expensive pc".
you dont need an expensive PC to play videogames. The games we have now can run with a moderate powerful PC. and while this will likely change with new consoles, well you got to buy that 500 dollar console anyway.
Yes, PC is initially a more expensive investment, however it makes up in game price very fast. If you buy more than a game per 2 months you will win in terms of economic perspective.
Your xbox runs games without question. My PC runs games without question. I guess its not so shit after all is it?

 

[Clovus]

I'm a PC gamer with a library (not just on Steam) of over 300 games that only run on Windows. I can't play mot of those on SteamOS, but I'm pretty excited about this news.

First, I hate paying the "Microsoft Tax" when I build a new computer. I'm especially worried about future iterations of Windows moving to a restrictive "app store". Handing 30% to MS is annoying, but getting "controversial" stuff completely blocked really would be a disaster (see Apple's App Store). I'd rather be running something open like Linux. Otherwise I think Windows is great. I don't hate MS.

So, I'm not going to be playing the majority of my current games through SteamOS. However, if something like The Witcher 3 is available and runs better on SteamOS, I'll be dual-booting from then on. Also, either buying a SteamBox or building my own for the living room sounds great to me. I keep meaning to make some kind of PC for the living room. Something that focuses on gaming and can handle local streaming would be perfect.

Really, the most important thing about SteamOS is that a very, very large gaming corporation is throwing a huge amount of weight behind Linux gaming. If we start to see AAA games getting SteamOS/Linux builds alongside their Windows builds, I can look forward to a Microsoft-less future. This should also benefit anyone using other versions of Linux. I'll always have a Win7 box somewhere to play my older games, but I really hope when I build my next main gaming PC in a couple years that it will run SteamOS (Or some fork of it).

I just can't see how this isn't going to be an interesting and exciting next few years in PC gaming. Worst case scenario, there's more Linux gaming. Best case: PC gaming no longer requires Microsoft. Ok, best case is actually that PC gaming doesn't require Microsoft OR Valve. I hope Valve really does make this as open as possible. If EA wants Origin on SteamOS, bring it on.

 

[zumbledum]

Um...

Notch needs to pull his head out of his butt.

Why does Windows 8 worry him? Because people have this weird, bizarre, fictitious scenario in their heads where they lock down everything to the Windows store and take 30% of all sales from every software purchase in the Operating System, thus committing company-wide suicide in the process very likely.

Why is Valve "Saving the Entire Gaming World"? Because they made an operating system that... locks down everything to the Steam Store... that takes 30% of all sales from every software purchase in the Operating System.

Stupid. Double Standard. Microsoft's scenario isn't even -real-, and he's concerned about it. Valve's OS is committing the very act that he is/was concerned about, and he doesn't care, and in fact loves it in the same sentence that he is condemning Microsoft.

Can we please stop paying attention to this idiot now?

the problem with your first point is apple. they already did what were worried MS will do , was that suicidal? or is apple doing ok?

the problem with the second is its FYA , From Your Ass. the point of going with linux is its open if they wanted to lock it down they would or made a propriety OS rather than using an open source one they dont have any rights over. and no one knows what the OS is going to do or be like as we havent seen it. so its just wild speculation on your part.

and ofc notch is worried about , im worried about it , anyone that knows MS is worried about it , anyone with a bit of forethought is worried about it. waiting for the train to hit you before you move off the tracks is pants on head retarded and too late. the time to be worried is Before the incident. waiting for it to be -real- is waiting for it to be too late and thats for idiots.

and you call others stupid?

 

[llamastorm.games]

Stupid. Double Standard. Microsoft's scenario isn't even -real-, and he's concerned about it. Valve's OS is committing the very act that he is/was concerned about, and he doesn't care, and in fact loves it in the same sentence that he is condemning Microsoft.

Can we please stop paying attention to this idiot now?

The biggest difference would be that even if the steam OS did everything that windows 8 has done that we hate, if I install it to my PC I can opt out of it and simply install a new operating system. It was free and it had no strings attached. If I want to buy a computer, unless I build it myself or are very fortunate in buying one already made, it's probably going to have windows 8 and I don't have the option to switch operating systems at all (unless I buy a more expansive version of windows 8 I think. Don't quote me on that.). No matter what Steam does, it's my choice whether I use it or not. I don't have that level of choice if I use windows 8.

Since SteamOS is free can't you just replace Windows 8 with it?

Technically yes but the process you'd need to go through involves tampering with the system in some unintended ways. It's difficult and grueling. Microsoft threw up as many obstacles as they could in order to make it as difficult as possible to downgrade unless you have the Pro version of windows 8 which is obviously more expensive. It involves tampering with the operating system in ways that microsoft didn't intend. They mostly hope that it will either be too expensive or be such a pain in the ass that people will decide not to go through the trouble and just stick with windows 8.

It's not that hard. Format hard drive using gparted (or something similar) from GPT to MBR partition table and install windows 7...

 

[Nocturnus]

Um...

Notch needs to pull his head out of his butt.

Why does Windows 8 worry him? Because people have this weird, bizarre, fictitious scenario in their heads where they lock down everything to the Windows store and take 30% of all sales from every software purchase in the Operating System, thus committing company-wide suicide in the process very likely.

Why is Valve "Saving the Entire Gaming World"? Because they made an operating system that... locks down everything to the Steam Store... that takes 30% of all sales from every software purchase in the Operating System.

Stupid. Double Standard. Microsoft's scenario isn't even -real-, and he's concerned about it. Valve's OS is committing the very act that he is/was concerned about, and he doesn't care, and in fact loves it in the same sentence that he is condemning Microsoft.

Can we please stop paying attention to this idiot now?

the problem with your first point is apple. they already did what were worried MS will do , was that suicidal? or is apple doing ok?

the problem with the second is its FYA , From Your Ass. the point of going with linux is its open if they wanted to lock it down they would or made a propriety OS rather than using an open source one they dont have any rights over. and no one knows what the OS is going to do or be like as we havent seen it. so its just wild speculation on your part.

and ofc notch is worried about , im worried about it , anyone that knows MS is worried about it , anyone with a bit of forethought is worried about it. waiting for the train to hit you before you move off the tracks is pants on head retarded and too late. the time to be worried is Before the incident. waiting for it to be -real- is waiting for it to be too late and thats for idiots.

and you call others stupid?

It's not from my ass. Valve already does this with Steam. Every steam purchase that happens gives 30% of every sale to Valve. It's the backbone of their business, and one of the reasons why Newell ended up on one of Forbes new list of Billionaires.

And people think that SteamOS is magically going to reverse this policy? There's a reason the operating system is free. They're counting on people installing it and continuing to buy from Steam, thus giving them that 30%.

The weird bizarre scenario is not fictitious. that was the plan during the win 8 announcement untill they backpedaled into it. It went something like "you will have to verify every program via our support service to make sure you dont install viruses or programs we dont like". But the outrage made them do a 180 before the Xbox 180 was out.

They already do this. It's called SmartScreen, and it can be turned off. Oh, and by the way... it's also on Windows 7, it's just called something different. It's a security feature that simply checks the programs certification against Microsoft's installed list of certs, and giving you the option of saying "No" if it doesn't trust it. Want to install anyway? Just click Yes. Oh, and by the way, it can be disabled relatively easy.

There is also no "Profit" to be made from it. Microsoft doesn't take 30% of every program sale that is installed and filtered through SmartScreen, and you'd better believe that Valve is really raring to increase the amount of people that are dipping into that catalogue and giving them the money associated with those purchases.

I don't see an issue with Steam doing this. I never have. But for Notch to claim that Valve is the next coming of Christ while calling out Microsoft for something they haven't done and aren't doing? In this case, the fictitious assumption that Windows might in some fantasy world lock down their Operating System to just install from the Windows Store to take a 30% cut of program installs? While Valve -does that- and has -done that- for years? Making enough money to skyrocket Gabe Newell to Billionaire Status? Yes. That's what we call a double standard.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

They are making a steam box so you can play your games "streamed" from your PC? This means the users that wants to use this are one of the minority of people that can afford "Big Picture" (that includes a HDTV which is not cheap at all) and they have to be primarily PC gamers (having a big PC game library).

I still don't understand what Big Picture does that isn't just connecting a PC to a TV with an HDMI cable.

 

[stabnex]

I love Steam, but I hate linking my credit card to ANYTHING that's not my actual bank. Don't get me wrong, I have tons of games in my Steam Library, but I've since made a habit of changing credit card numbers every six months out of sheer Arkham Asylum [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Network_outage] even once because it's glitched beyond repair and Batman glides forever into the great abyss under the games ground.

OT: Oh who am I kidding? I'm going to buy 20 Steam Boxes and gift them to everyone on my friends list no matter how many copies they already have.

 

[Sanunes]

I need to know more then just that Valve is going to be releasing a streaming service called SteamOS, before I get excited I need to feel that I won't experience the problems I did when trying Ubuntu a couple years ago. If they can make it so eventually I don't need a Windows computer and a SteamOS computer to play most of my archive or that there is good driver support I will definitely give it a try, but until then I don't think I will have a desire to try it.

 

[Robert Marrs]

Here's a question, and I mean it as a legitimate one:

Do you think Valve will allow Origin on this OS, or do you think EA might try and make their own?

Until Origin has a linux client I don't think it will work on SteamOS ever, unless when we get more details about the streaming it streams the entire computer instead of just the steam game you're trying to play. Having it run natively however is up to EA

Even if It did work considering the open source nature I seriously doubt origin would ever make an appearance. The whole purpose to this thing seems to be more freedom which is the exact opposite of what ea wants gamers to have.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

I love that Notch is famous enough that his being a Valve fanboy and immediately heralding this decision, with details unknown, as the saving grace of PC gaming is news. Anyone else would be told to calm their rumble spheres, and at least wait for the rest of the week's announcements.

 

[Nocturnus]

Secondly, why does he care about VALVe? No, wait... I see it now. This has to be sarcasm. His actions make no sense, releasing a modified version of creative for the 360, working closely with Microsoft, and doing nothing to work with VALVe. Sure, he's got a hat in TF2, but from a business standpoint, I just don't get it. He's made no push to VALVe, and VALVe has not extended their hand to him. What's the purpose? I'll admit, I'm a fanboy too, but I wouldn't say they're the grace of gaming, even if my project weaseled it's way into Steam. (Though, I probably would if I was given a team and permitted to keep my IP's.)

Third up... Windows. Yes, the whipping boy. It's coy little app-store. All it does is gather dust. Every Win8 user I've spoken to doesn't use apps. The API is unused, and Win8 has done nothing to harm compatibility. Infact, I'm having an easier time with my 16bit legacy shit than I did on 7. So there's that. Gabe predicted Win8 would be a problem. I sat down, used it for 8 seconds, and predicted that Win8 can only improve how we use the modern computer. I'm right, he's wrong. Get over it. Win8 finds a way to make things easier to get to important locations "under the hood" so that the standard user can troubleshoot, and not fuck shit up. But we can't have that, because that would demean people who actually know what they're doing.

Let me see if I can sum it up

Microsoft is eyeing Apple greedily and is working its way towards a "closed-off" ecosystem: http://windowsitpro.com/windows-8/windows-desktop-death

I'm sorry, but you can't site an editorial (A piece of opinion writing) and call it proof of the fact that Windows is moving toward a "Closed-Off" ecosystem. The guy even uses Windows 8.1 as a reference to why they are trying to move toward removing the Desktop as an option entirely, when in 8.1, they are bringing the desktop back as a boot-to option, and disabling quite a few of the Metro Aspects like the Hot Corners and Start Screen.

 

[zumbledum]

It's not from my ass. Valve already does this with Steam. Every steam purchase that happens gives 30% of every sale to Valve. It's the backbone of their business, and one of the reasons why Newell ended up on one of Forbes new list of Billionaires.

And people think that SteamOS is magically going to reverse this policy? There's a reason the operating system is free. They're counting on people installing it and continuing to buy from Steam, thus giving them that 30%.


There is also no "Profit" to be made from it. Microsoft doesn't take 30% of every program sale that is installed and filtered through SmartScreen, and you'd better believe that Valve is really raring to increase the amount of people that are dipping into that catalogue and giving them the money associated with those purchases.

I don't see an issue with Steam doing this. I never have. But for Notch to claim that Valve is the next coming of Christ while calling out Microsoft for something they haven't done and aren't doing? In this case, the fictitious assumption that Windows might in some fantasy world lock down their Operating System to just install from the Windows Store to take a 30% cut of program installs? While Valve -does that- and has -done that- for years? Making enough money to skyrocket Gabe Newell to Billionaire Status? Yes. That's what we call a double standard.

Steam is not an OS its an application. ofc they charge for their services, so do amazon or any other distributor but compare their charge to whatever sony/MS charge in their closed system OS's there's a reason why it costs 20+ more $ to buy a console game than a pc one , that's because your paying that extra 20 in a direct drm licence tax.
and who knows haw many times worse it is for the poor console devs. if we didn't have game stop keeping digital sales of PC games artificially high at launch.

and you are making my point on the rest of it. there is no charge on windows 7 or 8 because they are still open like valve's linux based upcoming OS.

there is a charge on apple because its a closed off OS. and its clear that microsoft want to go that route to. why? because they arent idiots. they see the bank apple makes and they want a slice. its silly to think they wouldn't want to go that way. its not fantasy to assume a company will act its in own best interests.
Microsoft don't want us gaming on our pc's they want us gaming on their closed platform xbox series, so they can charge a huge licence fee take a massive percentage and charge 40k to let people patch games.
so why havent they? its only just got to the point where it would be worth it and they have the position to do it. and simply put before apple did it no one considered it. the PC OS market used to a competitive place and its not now.

 

[EstrogenicMuscle]

Seriously, can we not discuss anything around here without falling into hyperbole and personal attacks? It's like this place is becoming 4chan.

We don't want to be like 4Chan, do we?

Hey, at least ethnic slurs aren't a part of our common vocabulary.
...
Or heterosexist slurs, or sexist slurs, or ableist slurs. Or any slur.

 

[Vigormortis]

Seriously, can we not discuss anything around here without falling into hyperbole and personal attacks? It's like this place is becoming 4chan.

We don't want to be like 4Chan, do we?

Hey, at least ethnic slurs aren't a part of our common vocabulary.
...
Or heterosexist slurs, or sexist slurs, or ableist slurs. Or any slur.

True. But I can't help but feel that the primary, if only, reason they're not used is because doing so, in any context, is sure to get the poster a swift warning or ban.

Maybe it's just me, but the forum has felt increasingly hostile and confrontational over the past two years. Certainly far more than it was when I joined six years ago.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

Ah, the common mistake of "expensive pc".
you dont need an expensive PC to play videogames. The games we have now can run with a moderate powerful PC. and while this will likely change with new consoles, well you got to buy that 500 dollar console anyway.
Yes, PC is initially a more expensive investment, however it makes up in game price very fast. If you buy more than a game per 2 months you will win in terms of economic perspective.
Your xbox runs games without question. My PC runs games without question. I guess its not so shit after all is it?

Don't know where you get your pc, but I got my laptop 2 years or so ago at around $700 and it can't handle WoW, Cod, Saints row, or any recent game. Even on low graphics it overheats within half an hour. My xbox was $300, came with 2 games and hasn't had a single problem since I got it at launch.
Also unless you count some generally horrible pc exclusive indies all the games are the same price across platforms over here.
Also before you say something about using a laptop, I live between two houses and moving a desktop wouldn't be worth it.

 

[Strazdas]

Ah, the common mistake of "expensive pc".
you dont need an expensive PC to play videogames. The games we have now can run with a moderate powerful PC. and while this will likely change with new consoles, well you got to buy that 500 dollar console anyway.
Yes, PC is initially a more expensive investment, however it makes up in game price very fast. If you buy more than a game per 2 months you will win in terms of economic perspective.
Your xbox runs games without question. My PC runs games without question. I guess its not so shit after all is it?

Don't know where you get your pc, but I got my laptop 2 years or so ago at around $700 and it can't handle WoW, Cod, Saints row, or any recent game. Even on low graphics it overheats within half an hour. My xbox was $300, came with 2 games and hasn't had a single problem since I got it at launch.
Also unless you count some generally horrible pc exclusive indies all the games are the same price across platforms over here.
Also before you say something about using a laptop, I live between two houses and moving a desktop wouldn't be worth it.

my 5 year old laptop can handle wow! you should definatelly see where the problem is.
secondly you have to realize, im not talking about a laptop, but a tower. to have same power on a laptop will cost you double the price. and if your buying it for gaming, its money wasted. and as you mention yourself, they have a tendency to overheat. Gaming laptop is a myth propagated by people that want to sell you overpriced hardware for twice its worth.
moving a PC tower is similar to moving a console. you need to move the box, the controllers (keyboard and mouse) and if you use external speakers, that. im asusuming you got TV in both locations, either way you got to move TV/monitor (there really is no reason to buy TV now. for same price you can get a better TV, just it will be labeled "monitor"). as far as moving around its similar, altrough i admit most cases are slightly bigger.