SteamOS

[Ack]

So...an operating system built from Lynux that somehow interfaces with my television? But no anouncements yet as to what machine is supposed to be running this device that is apparently not a PC, yet it can be hooked up to a television to play Steam games, just like a PC...

What?

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this announcement.

[dsheinem]

we already have a thread for this: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=40235

[fastbilly1]

Based on what has been said it looks like itll be a two fold release:
1. OS for gaming PCs
2. A thinclient or htpc box for gaming

All I know is that once they drop specs for the OS, I am in. Heck Ive got a box that should be ready for it. Now if they give me a cheap box, well I might grab one of those too.

[noiseredux]

1. OS for gaming PCs

this is the part I find a bit confusing. I mean, if you have to use the OS to use Steam going forward, that might put off a lot of folks who also buy games from places other than Steam.

I mean I suppose you could have a partition with 2 OS's on your PC, but that seems to be creating some extra work.

Or, will the OS be optional and you can you SteamOS or regular WinSteam?

tl;dr: I don't really get it either, Ack.

[fastbilly1]

1. OS for gaming PCs

this is the part I find a bit confusing. I mean, if you have to use the OS to use Steam going forward, that might put off a lot of folks who also buy games from places other than Steam.

Atleast for the near future it would be optional. Since most games do not run on linux.

[isiolia]

this is the part I find a bit confusing. I mean, if you have to use the OS to use Steam going forward, that might put off a lot of folks who also buy games from places other than Steam.

I don't think it's meant to be a replacement for desktop OSes. Valve is saying "living room", so it's more taking Steam head to head with the next round of consoles.

The game streaming features still assume you're running the Steam client elsewhere on your network. So, I don't see those going away anytime soon. Even in the long term I'd just see the focus shift to the Linux Steam client for desktop use.

[noiseredux]

it's a fine idea for living rooms if it means lopping $100 off the cost of gaming at your TV thanks to no Win license. But that said, I'd want to ensure that if I'm sitting at my desk playing Steam games I can still do so via Windows.

[GSZX1337]

I really wish I had said this on the forum, but hopefully you'll all believe me when I say: "Called it."

[Hatta]

It's pretty obvious. A computer can't do anything without an OS. If Valve is shipping a SteamBox they need a SteamOS to go on that box. Just like if Sony ships the PS3, they need system software to go with it. Since they have the OS, and it's built on Linux which supports just about any combination of PC hardware you want, it's not a whole lot of work to just publish their own OS.

Now the question is why I would want SteamOS on my HTPC instead of just running the Steam client on my existing Linux install.

[Ack]

It's pretty obvious. A computer can't do anything without an OS. If Valve is shipping a SteamBox they need a SteamOS to go on that box. Just like if Sony ships the PS3, they need system software to go with it. Since they have the OS, and it's built on Linux which supports just about any combination of PC hardware you want, it's not a whole lot of work to just publish their own OS.

Now the question is why I would want SteamOS on my HTPC instead of just running the Steam client on my existing Linux install.

Actually, I was wondering why they announced the OS before the box, if that is what they are doing.