Need something similar to SteamOS for your desktop or handhelds like the Steam Deck? The latest release of Bazzite with version 2.2 sounds like it just keeps getting better.
Technically not a Linux distribution, and they don't call Bazzite a Linux distro. It's more of a community-rebuild based on Fedora Linux using ublue-os/main and ublue-os/nvidia with lots of extras included. It's still not yet something for beginners, with their install experience gradually improving. But for people who love to tinker, this could be a bit of fun.
The 2.2 release includes some big changes like a new modified fsync kernel with enhanced hardware support, HDR and more. You also get Nintendo HID support, a Webapp Manager, Pods as a default feature which is great for managing distrobox/containers, improvements to Steam Deck support, patches to Gamescope pulled in from ChimeraOS and tons of tweaks to both the GNOME and KDE desktop environments available. Plus lots of bug fixes.
So why use this? As they explain:
Bazzite started as a project to resolve some of the issues that plague SteamOS, mainly out of date packages (despite an Arch base) and the lack of a functional package manager.
Despite this project also being image-based, you are able to install any Fedora package straight from the command line. These packages will persist across updates (So go ahead and install that obscure VPN software you spent an hour trying to get working in SteamOS). Additionally, Bazzite is updated multiple times a week with packages from upstream Fedora, giving you the best possible performance and latest features - all on a stable base.
Bazzite ships with the latest Linux kernel and SELinux enabled by default with full support for secure boot (Run ujust enroll-secure-boot-key and enter the password ublue-os if prompted to enroll our key) and disk encryption, making this a sensible solution for general computing. (Yes, you can print from Bazzite)
More is explained in their full FAQ.
See more on the GitHub page.
Quoting: RonDamonSo, did you notice that you're commenting on an article about an external small distro people can use instead of the everything-works-out-of-the-box SteamOS? I'm not sure what your point is here.Quoting: Purple Library Guy"Tinkerers" are a niche in OSs, that's why Mac and Windows are dominant. Linux will only be popular if everything works out of the box without tinkering, and people that want that will have it in niche external and small distros.Quoting: rustybroomhandleThese "issues that plague SteamOS" are not issues at all, they're such by design to provide a stable OS for use on appliance-like hardware.Well, I suppose if you want to both own a Steam Deck and be a tinkerer, they become issues. One use-case's feature is another use-case's bug.
Quoting: Purple Library GuyAnd? Most people that use Bazzite want it due to Valve not yet releasing SteamOS for PCs. SteamOS at its core it is a out of the box experience.Quoting: RonDamonSo, did you notice that you're commenting on an article about an external small distro people can use instead of the everything-works-out-of-the-box SteamOS? I'm not sure what your point is here.Quoting: Purple Library Guy"Tinkerers" are a niche in OSs, that's why Mac and Windows are dominant. Linux will only be popular if everything works out of the box without tinkering, and people that want that will have it in niche external and small distros.Quoting: rustybroomhandleThese "issues that plague SteamOS" are not issues at all, they're such by design to provide a stable OS for use on appliance-like hardware.Well, I suppose if you want to both own a Steam Deck and be a tinkerer, they become issues. One use-case's feature is another use-case's bug.
Quoting: RonDamonWhat?! Why would they want that? SteamOS isn't designed to be a general-use PC operating system. Using it that way would require quite a bit of tinkering. If you want an "out of the box" experience on PC, use Mint.Quoting: Purple Library GuyAnd? Most people that use Bazzite want it due to Valve not yet releasing SteamOS for PCs. SteamOS at its core it is a out of the box experience.Quoting: RonDamonSo, did you notice that you're commenting on an article about an external small distro people can use instead of the everything-works-out-of-the-box SteamOS? I'm not sure what your point is here.Quoting: Purple Library Guy"Tinkerers" are a niche in OSs, that's why Mac and Windows are dominant. Linux will only be popular if everything works out of the box without tinkering, and people that want that will have it in niche external and small distros.Quoting: rustybroomhandleThese "issues that plague SteamOS" are not issues at all, they're such by design to provide a stable OS for use on appliance-like hardware.Well, I suppose if you want to both own a Steam Deck and be a tinkerer, they become issues. One use-case's feature is another use-case's bug.
Quoting: Purple Library GuyOf course it is. It has everything that 90% of people needs and want on a gaming focused scenario. It is a out of the box experience, like people have on a console.Quoting: RonDamonWhat?! Why would they want that? SteamOS isn't designed to be a general-use PC operating system. Using it that way would require quite a bit of tinkering. If you want an "out of the box" experience on PC, use Mint.Quoting: Purple Library GuyAnd? Most people that use Bazzite want it due to Valve not yet releasing SteamOS for PCs. SteamOS at its core it is a out of the box experience.Quoting: RonDamonSo, did you notice that you're commenting on an article about an external small distro people can use instead of the everything-works-out-of-the-box SteamOS? I'm not sure what your point is here.Quoting: Purple Library Guy"Tinkerers" are a niche in OSs, that's why Mac and Windows are dominant. Linux will only be popular if everything works out of the box without tinkering, and people that want that will have it in niche external and small distros.Quoting: rustybroomhandleThese "issues that plague SteamOS" are not issues at all, they're such by design to provide a stable OS for use on appliance-like hardware.Well, I suppose if you want to both own a Steam Deck and be a tinkerer, they become issues. One use-case's feature is another use-case's bug.
Quoting: RonDamonQuoting: Purple Library GuyWhat?! Why would they want that? SteamOS isn't designed to be a general-use PC operating system. Using it that way would require quite a bit of tinkering. If you want an "out of the box" experience on PC, use Mint.Of course it is. It has everything that 90% of people needs and want on a gaming focused scenario. It is a out of the box experience...
... on Steam Deck.
Quoting: EikeYes. And people that are asking for the SteamOS for PC want the same experience on... PC. Valve themselves said that.Quoting: RonDamonQuoting: Purple Library GuyWhat?! Why would they want that? SteamOS isn't designed to be a general-use PC operating system. Using it that way would require quite a bit of tinkering. If you want an "out of the box" experience on PC, use Mint.Of course it is. It has everything that 90% of people needs and want on a gaming focused scenario. It is a out of the box experience...
... on Steam Deck.
Quoting: RonDamonQuoting: EikeYes. And people that are asking for the SteamOS for PC want the same experience on... PC. Valve themselves said that.Quoting: RonDamonQuoting: Purple Library GuyWhat?! Why would they want that? SteamOS isn't designed to be a general-use PC operating system. Using it that way would require quite a bit of tinkering. If you want an "out of the box" experience on PC, use Mint.Of course it is. It has everything that 90% of people needs and want on a gaming focused scenario. It is a out of the box experience...
... on Steam Deck.
This is way, way harder to do for a lot of different PCs. Well, I guess this expectation is the reason for them not to release.
Quoting: EikeYep. Too much hardware variety. If they want one day launch a SteamOS for PC like they promised, they have to work with both Nvidia and AMD, because waiting for official drivers is gonna take a long time.Quoting: RonDamonQuoting: EikeYes. And people that are asking for the SteamOS for PC want the same experience on... PC. Valve themselves said that.Quoting: RonDamonQuoting: Purple Library GuyWhat?! Why would they want that? SteamOS isn't designed to be a general-use PC operating system. Using it that way would require quite a bit of tinkering. If you want an "out of the box" experience on PC, use Mint.Of course it is. It has everything that 90% of people needs and want on a gaming focused scenario. It is a out of the box experience...
... on Steam Deck.
This is way, way harder to do for a lot of different PCs. Well, I guess this expectation is the reason for them not to release.
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