Something that has bugged me for some time now is the use of the term PC to describe Windows, in the time we live in PC is such an insanely broad term why do developers still say PC?
Wikipedia describes the term PC as:
So if you take that into consideration if someone says "PC" should it not work on any general-purpose computer? This is why when I see "Available on PC" my heart fills with dread. It would be like saying "available for Playstation", well which one?
We have Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, and let's face it Ubuntu Linux mainly even though people of other distro's don't like to admit it and will probably jump down my throat for even stating it, but Ubuntu is the single most popular distro around, it is the only distro Steam officially supports for a reason. That's a whole 'nother argument altogether though so try not to focus on that too much.
These are the three main desktop operating systems yet a lot of developers are still keen to say things like "Available for PC & Mac". Every time this comes up I think to myself "what PC" or "what Mac version?". It can be quite bad for Mac too, Mac describes all of Apple's Mac computers so it requires you to dig further, going back again to the "available on Playstation" thing. Well which version of Mac?
Now when they say "Available for PC, Mac & Linux" that is moving further away into insanity, is a Mac not a personal computer? Is Linux on your desktop PC somehow not a PC either? Pretty sure my Nexus 4 phone is PC.
I ask you the community, how can we get developers to start at least saying "Windows, Mac & Linux", the term PC has stood for too long, it's time to get it retired. It's not a correct way to list platforms and a lot of us already know it. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Wikipedia describes the term PC as:
QuoteA personal computer (PC) is a general-purpose computer.
So if you take that into consideration if someone says "PC" should it not work on any general-purpose computer? This is why when I see "Available on PC" my heart fills with dread. It would be like saying "available for Playstation", well which one?
We have Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, and let's face it Ubuntu Linux mainly even though people of other distro's don't like to admit it and will probably jump down my throat for even stating it, but Ubuntu is the single most popular distro around, it is the only distro Steam officially supports for a reason. That's a whole 'nother argument altogether though so try not to focus on that too much.
These are the three main desktop operating systems yet a lot of developers are still keen to say things like "Available for PC & Mac". Every time this comes up I think to myself "what PC" or "what Mac version?". It can be quite bad for Mac too, Mac describes all of Apple's Mac computers so it requires you to dig further, going back again to the "available on Playstation" thing. Well which version of Mac?
Now when they say "Available for PC, Mac & Linux" that is moving further away into insanity, is a Mac not a personal computer? Is Linux on your desktop PC somehow not a PC either? Pretty sure my Nexus 4 phone is PC.
I ask you the community, how can we get developers to start at least saying "Windows, Mac & Linux", the term PC has stood for too long, it's time to get it retired. It's not a correct way to list platforms and a lot of us already know it. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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i think a better comparison would be "available on console"
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I upped my pledge for Road Redemption specifically because of this. Their platform listing said "PC (Windows/Mac/Linux)". It's actually a pretty big factor in how much I'll pledge on kickstarter, because I'm adamant that I won't pledge to games that use "PC" to mean "Windows". Road Redemption got quite a bit extra from me, because they actually managed to insult people who _do_ use "PC" to mean "Windows" by blatantly using "PC" in the correct way. The only thing I'm iffy on there is that "Mac" is technically not an OS (in much the same way that "PC" is not an OS), but meh. I was still happy.
So I guess I'm voting for correct terminology with my wallet using kickstarter. I'm not creative enough to think of a better way to do it.
So I guess I'm voting for correct terminology with my wallet using kickstarter. I'm not creative enough to think of a better way to do it.
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Wikipedia isn't always the best source there is a historical reason for the Mac/PC distinction that doesn't apply any more. Originally PC referred quite literally to the IBM PC*. Then you got PC clones compatible with the IBM one. Eventually PC came to mean the IBM PC + compatible machines from competitors(and later successors by IBM as well), in that light the Macs of the day most assuredly were not PCs since they didn't use the X86 architecture and therefore couldn't run PC code natively. However using this definition both Linux and the Mac OSX of today are PC operating systems.
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Spoiler, click me
I have no idea if the broader, more literal definition may have been in use prior to the IBM PC, but that usage is way to broad too be taken seriously when talking about platform support
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I know all about that, but like you said it doesn't apply any more and hasn't for a long long time.
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Quoting: Quote from liamdaweI know all about that, but like you said it doesn't apply any more and hasn't for a long long time.
Either way it is a too broad term really to used for marketing platform support. If developers start using PC to mean Windows, Mac OSX and Linux then the BSD folks may start complaining about that since those OSes support X86 as well. No reasons really not to be more specific, if you support Windows, Xbox 360 and PS3 then say that. If you support Windows, Mac OSX and Linux then say that.
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The word PC has been around forever.
Also taken from Wikipedia
Also taken from Wikipedia
QuoteAlongside "[microcomputer](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcomputer)" and "[home computer](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_computer)", the term "[personal computer](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computer)" was already in use before 1981. It was used as early as 1972 to characterize [Xerox PARC](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerox_PARC)'s [Alto](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerox_Alto). However, because of the success of the IBM Personal Computer, the term PC came to mean more specifically a microcomputer compatible with IBM's PC products
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That pisses me off too. But you'll find it's the more ignorant developers, the ones in Microsoft's pocket that are doing it.
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Quoting: Quote from n30p1r4t3One word: Apple.To be fair, those apple ads don't actually mention Windows. They could be refering to all PC operating systems. Even though we know those things don't apply to Linux.
"Hi I'm a mac," "and I'm a PC."
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I agree that PC is too generic and not inclusive by nature but this has been going on since the 80s (apple, IBM compats, amigas) were all called PC's. Just like IOS and android both have "Mobile apps" but aren't compatible. I think we're stuck with the terms.
"We have Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, and let's face it Ubuntu Linux..."
Sigh... "Windows" isn't a singular operating system, not all of them are supported and those that are can be vastly different in capabilities.
It's a pretty moot point how popular Ubuntu is or isn't. Steam OS is going to decide the future of Linux gaming.
"We have Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, and let's face it Ubuntu Linux..."
Sigh... "Windows" isn't a singular operating system, not all of them are supported and those that are can be vastly different in capabilities.
It's a pretty moot point how popular Ubuntu is or isn't. Steam OS is going to decide the future of Linux gaming.
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