November's Steam Survey shows another uptick for Linux thanks to Steam Deck

Quoting: utxIsn't counting the steam deck kind of cheating since its the hardware and not users using the desktop mode of it?

From the perspective of a Linux Gamer... no, while using the Steam Deck they are Linux gamers. More Linux gamers means more support regardless if they use the desktop or not.

Quoting: CatKillerHopefully the growth of Linux will continue to outpace the shipments of the Deck as more and more people get the opportunity to say, "wow, I had no idea Linux was this good."

For that, Valve does need to work on the Desktop Mode interaction. The on-screen keyboard isn't great, and the interface is too desktop-oriented to work well with the touchscreen. Another option would be an accessory keyboard/stand. Preferably one made/sold/promoted by Valve so that a) it's well integrated/supported and b) it's much more in your face that the Deck is very much usable as a regular computer.

Soon the world isn't enough for Valve. They must expand their business into the space!

Quoting: CatKiller

Quoting: pleasereadthemanualIn the end, most manufacturers of the ill-fated netbook switched over to Windows. Predominantly because Microsoft offered Windows licenses for less than they do on more powerful devices.

Microsoft made Windows free for those OEMs (while forcing an insipid specs list that would ensure netbooks lost out to tablets), and had a concerted FUD campaign about customer hostility to Linux.

I'm pretty new to the free software scene, and I certainly wasn't there at the time, so I can only rely on sources I could find after the fact. Hadn't Microsoft mostly stopped its campaigning against Linux by the end of the 2000s?

I don't think regular users of GNU/Linux distributions at the time needed Microsoft to tell them that they were bewildered by the operating system at the time: Ubuntu vs. College Freshman

I'm happy to be corrected, and if you could direct me to some more sources, as I'm mostly going off the Wikipedia page for Netbooks, that would be appreciated. The article I link reported that Microsoft offered licenses cheaply, not free of charge.

Quoting: pleasereadthemanualHadn't Microsoft mostly stopped its campaigning against Linux by the end of the 2000s?

God, no. The end of the 2000s was the SCO case, and Microsoft's FUD campaigns were in full swing. See... essentially everything on Groklaw. But for netbooks in particular, maybe here.

(As an aside, it's interesting that you didn't notice that your linked video is part of a FUD campaign: "person has trouble with their computer" isn't actually inherently newsworthy)

QuoteI'm happy to be corrected, and if you could direct me to some more sources, as I'm mostly going off the Wikipedia page for Netbooks, that would be appreciated. The article I link reported that Microsoft offered licenses cheaply, not free of charge.

You're right, actually. I'd misremembered. The XP for netbooks was just very cheap. The free Windows came a bit later, with "Windows 8.1 With Bing" to try to compete against Chromebooks.


Last edited by CatKiller on 4 December 2022 at 7:33 am UTC

Quoting: pleasereadthemanualMicrosoft mostly stopped its campaigning against Linux by the end of the 2000s?

They never stopped. They are doing their ... stuff behind the curtains.

Quoting: CatKiller

Quoting: pleasereadthemanualIn the end, most manufacturers of the ill-fated netbook switched over to Windows. Predominantly because Microsoft offered Windows licenses for less than they do on more powerful devices.

Microsoft made Windows free for those OEMs (while forcing an insipid specs list that would ensure netbooks lost out to tablets), and had a concerted FUD campaign about customer hostility to Linux.

The bottom line is, netbooks with Linux on were a strong success until Microsoft stepped in to change the situation. And I have no doubt that behind the scenes it took a bit of stick along with the carrots. If Microsoft had, or even was perceived to have, less power to do that, something like them could be a success again, especially since Linux is a lot stronger now in quite a few ways (eg it will play games).

Meanwhile, ChromeOS is very user-friendly if you only want to do the very few things ChromeOS lets you do--which actually fits the use case of quite a few people. But far from everyone, even in terms of people you wouldn't really consider "power users" much less programmers. ChromeOS is limited as hell, by design. It's kind of like a MacOS with no app store. Forget walled garden, it's more like a walled planter. So I think there could be serious reasons to put real Linux on a lightweight computer instead of ChromeOS . . . serious reasons which could lead to sales if done right. There are also dumber reasons to prefer a real Linux, like it's easier to tweak the appearance for your "branding" (although it's also easy for users to un-brand it, but by that time they've bought the thing so whatever).

But for manufacturers to consider doing something like that, or other things using Linux that I have not thought of, generally requires a bit of momentum, an example showing the possibilities that gives them the confidence that this isn't an insane doomed idea. The Steam Deck represents that example and momentum, so I think it creates a moment where doing Linux stuff on specialized computers is significantly more business-possible. Consider the way, before the Deck came out, even here on GoL lots of people were saying well, all the users will rip Linux out and install Windows. It didn't happen, like at all, and now that idea as a general piece of "what happens when you sell devices with Linux on them" lore is significantly weakened.


Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 3 December 2022 at 6:28 pm UTC

Quoting: mr-victory

Quoting: pleasereadthemanualMicrosoft mostly stopped its campaigning against Linux by the end of the 2000s?

They never stopped. They are doing their ... stuff behind the curtains.

See Munich... I can't believe no one was indicted for that.

Quoting: lvlark

Quoting: CatKillerHopefully the growth of Linux will continue to outpace the shipments of the Deck as more and more people get the opportunity to say, "wow, I had no idea Linux was this good."

For that, Valve does need to work on the Desktop Mode interaction. The on-screen keyboard isn't great, and the interface is too desktop-oriented to work well with the touchscreen. Another option would be an accessory keyboard/stand. Preferably one made/sold/promoted by Valve so that a) it's well integrated/supported and b) it's much more in your face that the Deck is very much usable as a regular computer.

I think KDE is working on their Desktop on small touchscreens out of their own interest (and Valve may still put some money in)
I really like touchpad typing, yet the keyboard could certainly be better. Wished valve would just make it OpenSource or at least documented and switchable.
SteamOS 3.4 is already heaps away from 3.3. I modded Trombone champ yesterday and KDE connect integration alone is a game changer for such things.


Last edited by const on 4 December 2022 at 5:01 pm UTC

When Valve first integrated Proton into Steam I predicted it would be about five years before we overtake Apple. I didn't expect it to require the Steam Deck to do it, but I'll take it.