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Ah the good old [citation needed] as a cover up for lack of basic research. Allow me point you to the SteamOS announcement page.

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/

Where you will see under the (corny named) header 'Cooperating System' the line.

Users can alter or replace any part of the software or hardware they want. Gamers are empowered to join in the creation of the games they love. SteamOS will continue to evolve, but will remain an environment designed to foster these kinds of innovation.

As Richard Stallman has been pointing out for at least 2 years now in his talks; proprietors have not given up on DRM. Spotify (audio) has digital restrictions management (DRM) in it. The FSF's Defective by Design campaign reminds us of many examples where DRM is up and running: "In 2009, Amazon remotely deleted copies of George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984, that were distributed through the Kindle store. This chilling example of potentially malicious behavior would have never been possible without DRM.". Netflix uses DRM and Netflix is a proponent of HTML5's Encrypted Media Extensions, the name for the mechanism by which DRM is standardized through the W3C. Steam won't let users sell their games or share games with a friend after playing them and if one tries to do so anyhow, Steam will disable one's account, thus taking all of that user's Steam games away.

I would hesitate to call this "[winning] the DRM wars" and I would not want to know what losing looks like. This state of affairs is why Defective by Design campaigns to educate users on what DRM is, how DRM hurts users, and to politically organize to fight DRM.

As Richard Stallman has been pointing out for at least 2 years now in his talks; proprietors have not given up on DRM. Spotify (audio) has digital restrictions management (DRM) in it. The FSF's Defective by Design campaign reminds us of many examples where DRM is up and running: "In 2009, Amazon remotely deleted copies of George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984, that were distributed through the Kindle store. This chilling example of potentially malicious behavior would have never been possible without DRM.". Netflix uses DRM and Netflix is a proponent of HTML5's Encrypted Media Extensions, the name for the mechanism by which DRM is standardized through the W3C. Steam won't let users sell their games or share games with a friend after playing them and if one tries to do so anyhow, Steam will disable one's account, thus taking all of that user's Steam games away.

I would hesitate to call this "[winning] the DRM wars" and I would not want to know what losing looks like. This state of affairs is why Defective by Design campaigns to educate users on what DRM is, how DRM hurts users, and to politically organize to fight DRM.

This is the reason I'm kind of interested in this: I have I think ~180 steam games, very few of which run on linux natively. Hypothetically I could take my really low end laptop I bought in 2010 for $300, connect it to my TV via HDMI and play all that whole library of games (with valves new super-special gamepad) via the stream-over-network feature. Based on the promo materials/FAQs I've read I've been lead to believe this is an achievable scenario. So silent low end laptop in gaming room, noisy high end gaming PC is different room. Sounds good to me...?

If I bought a PS4 or Xbone I would have to start over buying new games/rebuild the frineds list (I assume). With SteamOS, again making assumptions, I've got my whole existing library that won't be obsoleted witch each iteration. Does that answer the question?

Here are some links/more info:
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamMachines/

This is the reason I'm kind of interested in this: I have I think ~180 steam games, very few of which run on linux natively. Hypothetically I could take my really low end laptop I bought in 2010 for $300, connect it to my TV via HDMI and play all that whole library of games (with valves new super-special gamepad) via the stream-over-network feature. Based on the promo materials/FAQs I've read I've been lead to believe this is an achievable scenario. So silent low end laptop in gaming room, noisy high end gaming PC is different room. Sounds good to me...?

If I bought a PS4 or Xbone I would have to start over buying new games/rebuild the frineds list (I assume). With SteamOS, again making assumptions, I've got my whole existing library that won't be obsoleted witch each iteration. Does that answer the question?

Here are some links/more info:
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamMachines/

This is the reason I'm kind of interested in this: I have I think ~180 steam games, very few of which run on linux natively. Hypothetically I could take my really low end laptop I bought in 2010 for $300, connect it to my TV via HDMI and play all that whole library of games (with valves new super-special gamepad) via the stream-over-network feature. Based on the promo materials/FAQs I've read I've been lead to believe this is an achievable scenario. So silent low end laptop in gaming room, noisy high end gaming PC is different room. Sounds good to me...?

If I bought a PS4 or Xbone I would have to start over buying new games/rebuild the frineds list (I assume). With SteamOS, again making assumptions, I've got my whole existing library that won't be obsoleted witch each iteration. Does that answer the question?

Here are some links/more info:
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamMachines/

Valve stated that SteamOS will be open source.

I've looked, and found no reference for this. On their SteamOS page, they hint at it but it's nebulous:

"Cooperating system

Steam is not a one-way content broadcast channel, it's a collaborative many-to-many entertainment platform, in which each participant is a multiplier of the experience for everyone else. With SteamOS, "openness" means that the hardware industry can iterate in the living room at a much faster pace than they've been able to. Content creators can connect directly to their customers. Users can alter or replace any part of the software or hardware they want. Gamers are empowered to join in the creation of the games they love. SteamOS will continue to evolve, but will remain an environment designed to foster these kinds of innovation."

Wikimedia's traffic stats and Steam's Hardware Survey show Ubuntu way ahead of other desktop distributions.

I thought they were working on a feature that allows you do this...again like in the good old days, kind of.

http://store.steampowered.com/sharing/

That only really gives access to your account to someone else without giving them your password.

While they're using it, someone else can't log into the same library. And if you log into your account, the other guy's game ends.

It's all or nothing, unlike say what was the original proposal for the Xbox One. (Funny how that was so derided...).

I thought they were working on a feature that allows you do this...again like in the good old days, kind of.

http://store.steampowered.com/sharing/

Yes. And yes.

Steam boxes are just prebuilt PCs running the not yet released, but promised to be "free" SteamOS. The same page says it can be licensed to companies too, so I can't speak to exactly how gratis it is.

It seems the only real source of information is Valve's Living Room page and subpages, but this techradar article digests it pretty well.

Yes. And yes.

Steam boxes are just prebuilt PCs running the not yet released, but promised to be "free" SteamOS. The same page says it can be licensed to companies too, so I can't speak to exactly how gratis it is.

It seems the only real source of information is Valve's Living Room page and subpages, but this techradar article digests it pretty well.

Old curmudgeons like me who want to play video games offline and without needing a network connection won't want this.

Steam Offline Mode
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-agcb-2555

>I'm not convinced by the controller design since it seems to lack the haptic feedback of twin stick

I thought that one of teh things Valve was pitching was much-improved haptic feedback. From http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/ :
"Haptics
Trackpads, by their nature, are less physical than thumbsticks. By themselves, they are “light touch” devices and don’t offer the kind of visceral feedback that players get from pushing joysticks around. As we investigated trackpad-based input devices, it became clear through testing that we had to find ways to add more physicality to the experience. It also became clear that “rumble”, as it has been traditionally implemented (a lopsided weight spun around a single axis), was not going to be enough. Not even close.

The Steam Controller is built around a new generation of super-precise haptic feedback, employing dual linear resonant actuators. These small, strong, weighted electro-magnets are attached to each of the dual trackpads. They are capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing precise control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement.

This haptic capability provides a vital channel of information to the player - delivering in-game information about speed, boundaries, thresholds, textures, action confirmations, or any other events about which game designers want players to be aware. It is a higher-bandwidth haptic information channel than exists in any other consumer product that we know of. As a parlour trick they can even play audio waveforms and function as speakers."

Sounds great to me.

Consoles have digital restrictions management too, as they use cryptography to ensure that there's no endorsed way to load a game that hasn't been greenlit by the console maker. True, the major console makers have eased up on their developer qualifications for this eighth generation in the face of competition from OUYA and Apple's App Store and Google Play Store. But as I understand the SteamOS reveal, you'll still be able to add games that haven't been greenlit by Valve to your library.

I guess this is your lucky day! Though, I guess it won't work with the new account per game situation you created...

No need for third-party involvement there:

"Buttons

Every button and input zone has been placed based on frequency of use, precision required and ergonomic comfort. There are a total of sixteen buttons on the Steam Controller. Half of them are accessible to the player without requiring thumbs to be lifted from the trackpads, including two on the back. All controls and buttons have been placed symmetrically, making left or right handedness switchable via a software config checkbox."

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/

Hammerwatch (also recently released on Steam) actually does support exactly that. Its an indie title though and I expect most larger game publishing firms demand that you do not build in features to the game that allow you to buy less copies per person.

Well, it is a practical way to overcome the relative dearth of Linux games on Steam. But it probably won't endear this device to the hardcore Linux crowd, who were no doubt hoping for the Steambox to be a boon for Linux games (especially in light of a lot of recent pro-Linux talk by Valve).

http://store.steampowered.com/browse/linux/

With the help of the Indie Bundle and Steam's increasingly large library of games on Linux, it's been over a year since I bought a game that doesn't have a Linux native version, and I'm buying a fairly large number of games.

I have exactly 1 game I still play that actually requires Windows to play, and this would allow me to play that on a Linux system as well, as it's a Steam title.

You can't enforce DRM effectively until you lock down the device completely.

Counterexample

The original page on steam has two more icons to light up and a new countdown ending 2 days hence. Apparently there are two more announcements to go.

Doesn't an Android HDMI TV dongle or CD-sized media player like the Minix Neo already have access to literally thousands of games simply by having Google Play installed? You get practically the whole range of games available for a dedicated console minus the graphics quality, which shouldn't be an issue for most people who aren't die-hard console gamers.

Interesting opinion.

I haven't played games for a while and as such haven't really been updated in the graphics apartment but I've watched some indie games and I've watched comparisons for the same game in different direct X versions.

I kinda get what you're saying, from a game play perspective.

But then again this is Civ V:
http://cdn3.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/16870/ss_3eb44fdd0980ea7bc76821224f5d133a149a136d.1920x1080.jpg?t=1378340287
(I wonder if that link will work, if not click here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/16870/)

That's far from new and the screenshot isn't even the full 1920x1080 but at least have quite some detail. If I where to play Civilization even if it's the same game the more details would likely be preferable and offer a little more to the game. I kinda feel the same for all other games which has some in newer versions but where you can get the older ones to. With a limited amount of time do you really want to play them when you've got fresher stuff around?

Anyway, back to the indie titles:
(2 days left for Humble Indie Bundle 9: https://www.humblebundle.com/)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyWJhOh7w00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m109lvkEPFk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfRWwLcckNs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6_VGRKPRAI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB9N4XTfE1w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1UnoyKqeMs

So, maybe they was poor examples, some of them aren't super heavy in the graphics department. But most of them actually require somewhat I'd consider pretty decent (which may be five years old and a geforce 8800 or something such but still..)

All that detail TO ME make the environment (well, it's very dark environments in many of those titles) more interesting and draw me into the game than something from the NES era.
(Yeah, how relevant.)

I kinda don't want to play this game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh4Q9UnHqw8
But if I did wanted to play such a game I'd totally opt for the more beautiful one.

I find FEZ disturbingly ugly for no obvious reason:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfDYTuf6M_w

Alastair John Jack (http://alastairjohnjack.com/) have made at least two interesting games:
Arvoesine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0z-CtSggu0
Totally classic game play, looks and music, but FREE! Super hardcore game :)
Angvik: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKGytUEQZIE
Very beautiful classic game play there to.

I don't really know what my point is. Somewhere it was that it's good to be able to play new stuff, new stuff can still have classic game play, new stuff can look better, better hardware can play older titles (but in this case there was also a software layer which will mess with that.)

Anyway, bunch of Android games will likely not be made for a controller, some will likely

Doesn't an Android HDMI TV dongle or CD-sized media player like the Minix Neo already have access to literally thousands of games simply by having Google Play installed? You get practically the whole range of games available for a dedicated console minus the graphics quality, which shouldn't be an issue for most people who aren't die-hard console gamers.

Interesting opinion.

I haven't played games for a while and as such haven't really been updated in the graphics apartment but I've watched some indie games and I've watched comparisons for the same game in different direct X versions.

I kinda get what you're saying, from a game play perspective.

But then again this is Civ V:
http://cdn3.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/16870/ss_3eb44fdd0980ea7bc76821224f5d133a149a136d.1920x1080.jpg?t=1378340287
(I wonder if that link will work, if not click here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/16870/)

That's far from new and the screenshot isn't even the full 1920x1080 but at least have quite some detail. If I where to play Civilization even if it's the same game the more details would likely be preferable and offer a little more to the game. I kinda feel the same for all other games which has some in newer versions but where you can get the older ones to. With a limited amount of time do you really want to play them when you've got fresher stuff around?

Anyway, back to the indie titles:
(2 days left for Humble Indie Bundle 9: https://www.humblebundle.com/)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyWJhOh7w00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m109lvkEPFk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfRWwLcckNs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6_VGRKPRAI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB9N4XTfE1w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1UnoyKqeMs

So, maybe they was poor examples, some of them aren't super heavy in the graphics department. But most of them actually require somewhat I'd consider pretty decent (which may be five years old and a geforce 8800 or something such but still..)

All that detail TO ME make the environment (well, it's very dark environments in many of those titles) more interesting and draw me into the game than something from the NES era.
(Yeah, how relevant.)

I kinda don't want to play this game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh4Q9UnHqw8
But if I did wanted to play such a game I'd totally opt for the more beautiful one.

I find FEZ disturbingly ugly for no obvious reason:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfDYTuf6M_w

Alastair John Jack (http://alastairjohnjack.com/) have made at least two interesting games:
Arvoesine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0z-CtSggu0
Totally classic game play, looks and music, but FREE! Super hardcore game :)
Angvik: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKGytUEQZIE
Very beautiful classic game play there to.

I don't really know what my point is. Somewhere it was that it's good to be able to play new stuff, new stuff can still have classic game play, new stuff can look better, better hardware can play older titles (but in this case there was also a software layer which will mess with that.)

Anyway, bunch of Android games will likely not be made for a controller, some will likely

This is what the recent announcment of Steam Family Sharing is meant to address.

Each person in the household makes their own steam account. Games can be shared between accounts. If you're borrowing a game, and the owner starts playing, you get booted after a few minutes warning (so you can save or whatever). Presumably, only one person can borrow a game at a time, and can't do so in offline mode (so the limits can actually be enforced), but that's just speculation on my part.

Actually, the number of games is 174. Your search includes videos, mods and demos, among other things.

Sharing and frugality are incongruent with such a system so we'll see much more pushback if the sharing trend picks up steam.

Actually, its the other way around; Steam is picking up the trend:

Steam Family Sharing

Almost no one runs 8.

Almost no one? The most recent Steam Hardware Survey for August 2013 shows the following:

Windows 7 64 bit 51.95% (-0.49%)
Windows 8 64 bit 14.01% (+0.76%)
Windows 7 32 bit 12.70% (+0.02%)
Windows XP 32 bit 6.83% (-0.31%)

I'm recently upgraded to Windows 8. I love it. The question is: will you continue trolling as Windows 8 adoption climbs?

complete list of valve linux games on steam

How did the parent get to +5 Informative? The GP said...

almost all their newer games like Portal 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive weren't available on Linux

...which is two of Valve's five most recent games, and they're not on this list.

When the only recent games a company releases on a platform are a free-to-play game and a sequel, I think it's safe to say said company isn't taking the platform seriously.

List of all steam linux games, not just those by Valve: 409 results.

So these must be mirages:

Left 4 Dead 2
Half Life 2
Half Life 2: Episode One
Half Life 2: Episode Two

So these must be mirages:

Left 4 Dead 2
Half Life 2
Half Life 2: Episode One
Half Life 2: Episode Two

So these must be mirages:

Left 4 Dead 2
Half Life 2
Half Life 2: Episode One
Half Life 2: Episode Two

So these must be mirages:

Left 4 Dead 2
Half Life 2
Half Life 2: Episode One
Half Life 2: Episode Two

complete list of valve linux games on steam

i must correct you.

only when you attempt to play the game they are currently play are they then booted from the game.

And I must correct you...read the FAQ: http://store.steampowered.com/sharing

Can I share specific games, or do I have to share my whole library?
Libraries are shared and borrowed in their entirety.

Can a friend and I share a library and both play at the same time?
No, a shared library may only be accessed by one user at a time.

When I authorize a device to lend my library to others, do I limit my own ability to access and play my games?
As the lender, you may always access and play your games at any time. If you decide to start playing when a friend is already playing one of your games, he/she will be given a few minutes to either purchase the game or quit playing.

Go to Steam or GoG and look for PC games. Then try to convince me that they are dying.

To be less snarky, PC game sales have moved almost entirely to the digital download model. It should help piracy rates too because Steam and GoG make games cheap enough that they aren't worth pirating for most people. It's simply not worth the hassle to pirate a game when you can get a 6 month old game for $20 or less on Steam.

But RHEL is pretty good.

Unless you want to use something that uses GLIBC features added in the last two and half year... RHEL is stuck on 2.12 released in December 2010.

Which, incidentally, includes Valve's Steam games (and possible Steam itself) which are compiled against GLIBC 2.15.

And since this is primarly a server OS, I'll also note that Valve's game servers have been compiled against newer GLIBCs as well, including the ones for older games like Counter-Strike 1.6.

There's something wrong when another distribution* makes Debian Stable look modern... although Debian Stable is still stuck at GLIBC 2.13 itself. Clearly RHEL can change GLIBC versions between minor versions because when 6.0 released, GLIBC 2.11 was the latest GLIBC version... and 6.4 is using GLBIC 2.12.

Incidentally, Fedora doesn't have this problem.

* Two distributions actually, since CentOS is a clone of RHEL.

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey
Gee, I wonder why they've stopped showing DirectX / OS numbers? Everything else loads fine, but anything that might indicate operating system choice is suspiciously absent. Real talk: Linux + Steam has exactly fuckall users because exactly fuckall games run on it. Gaben may have made it a personal mission to make sure all their recent and upcoming games run on Linux, but none of the other publishers ever will. It's assloads more work and they don't see any benefit.

Valve owns Steam. They lose 0% when listing a game on Steam. They lose 30% when listing a game on the Windows 8 store (or whatever they call it). Valve would rather not do that, but if consumers get used to the Windows 8 store (as they have gotten used to Apple's, Google's, and Amazon's), Valve will be seeing a hit to their bottom line if they don't.

For any other publisher who doesn't run their own store, it's 30% to be listed on Steam, the Windows 8 store, Origin, whatever, so there's nothing lost by listing everywhere. Even retail has similar margins built in when you consider all costs. Unless you run your own store, you need your shit to be listed everywhere.

But getting your shit to run on Linux (or Mac) isn't worth the cost for the vast majority of developers. The instant MS announced their own store, Valve gained a major financial interest against Windows. Their recent, half-baked Linux push is a direct result of that financial interest. The truth is, however, that Linux isn't going to bring them additional revenue. If they actually want to fight against the Windows 8 store they could, you know, compete. Take a lower percentage of all sales. Charge less for game submission and updates. Get rid of the terrible, terrible submission process for "Indie" developers (are they still calling it Greenlight?). Or they could try something more antagonistic like fucking around with access to the Steam API, charging more/less based on where you list your game, etc. But so far all they've done is say "Boo Windows 8! Yay Linux! Here are a handful of games.".

I'd certainly be pleased if there were more decent games for Linux as I would then have more options. But their recent effort in that regard is nothing than a reaction to the Windows 8 store, and it's the wrong reaction. They should be taking a much lower cut of all sales, plain and simple. It's absurd that digital stores take the same cut as retail, and only competition can fix that.

Cities in Motion 2 is probably one of the best tycoon games available. Highly recommended.

Well I've got a 14 hour day time flight next week, so I'm tempted to buy a game for the first time in years.

Looks like I can buy it online at http://store.steampowered.com/app/225420, rather than find a store here in whatever city I'm in today.

This concerns me though:
Other Requirements: Broadband Internet connection

Obviously I don't have a Broadband Internet connection when I'm 40,000 foot above the indian ocean somewhere south-west of Australia.

Maybe 3 years ago this was true, but at this point I literally know zero gamers that still run Windows XP. And I know a lot of WoW players who haven't upgraded their PCs in years. Just look at the Steam hardware survey. Windows XP is sitting at ~8% when you combine 32 and 64 bit versions.

That said I am getting a great gaming experience using Linux...OpenGL...on an Intel Onboard.(and judging by Steam hardware survey I'm not alone).

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey?platform=pc Steam Hardware survey is a fun read...It list XP as Having over 8% marketshare of Gamers (Everyone gets about 20% XP Marketshare) http://gs.statcounter.com/#os-ww-monthly-201205-201305

You can't now that. There's no stats for Linux.

If you're buying the latest and greatest gaming cards, you're probably going to want DirectX 10 or 11, good multicore support, and an OS that can handle more than 3-ish GB of RAM.

XP had a 64-bit version and supported multi-core since service pack 2 :). That said I am getting a great gaming experience using Linux...OpenGL...on an Intel Onboard.(and judging by Steam hardware survey I'm not alone).

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey?platform=pc Steam Hardware survey is a fun read...It list XP as Having over 8% marketshare of Gamers (Everyone gets about 20% XP Marketshare) http://gs.statcounter.com/#os-ww-monthly-201205-201305

Original submitter here.

The game is now available in the Steam Store, here, with achievements and what-not.

However, so far, there's no Linux version as previously promised. Hmm.

"DRM is not supported anywhere."

Steam DRM
http://store.steampowered.com/

League of Legends (F2P)
http://na.leagueoflegends.com/

Mechwarrior online
http://mwomercs.com/

All MMO's are DRM (world of warcraft, Guildwars 1 + 2, etc).

And this is not a minority of people. More and more games are coming with online tethers/trojan horse.

AMD is currently devastating Nvidia in the high end gaming market. Every one of the 3 new consoles uses AMD/ATI tech for the graphics. EA (the massive games developer) has announced their own games engines will be optimised ONLY on AMD CPU and GPUs (on Xbone, PS4 and PC). Nvidia is falling out of the game.

where exactly are you getting the number for amd devastating nvidia? both titan and 780 are better than amd gpus, the steam hardware survey still shows a 52% for nvidia and 33% for amd. The ps4 and the xbone will use amd because having a combined cpu and gpu is more convenient for a console and intel gpus are not exactly good.

As for ea do you understand that they got paid by amd to do that? this is something that both nvidia and amd have done for years, all those games that have a "better with nvidia/amd" intros didn't put it there because the developers like them, for example one of the main guy behind frostbite(that as you just said will only be optimized for amd) just built a titan system https://twitter.com/repi/status/346335279751237633, why would he use nvidia instead of amd if amd is devastating nvidia?

both amd and nvidia have strengths and weaknesses but nobody is devastating anyone

Well companies like S3 also made successful headway with their own designs, but this didn't matter because they were way behind the competition at the time. It is NEVER a case of being better than you were before, but a question of being good enough to go up against the market leaders. Intel knows its progress means that internally its GPU team is being patted on the back and given more support, and yet this is a road to nowhere. Intel needs to bite the bullet, give up on its failed GPU projects, and buy in the best designs the market has to offer. Nvidia is this.

The Steam hardware survey seems to disagree, 14% of gamers are now happy running Intel chips so how many non-gamers do you think find them good enough? A GPU running as part of a CPU with a <100W total power budget is never going to compete with dual SLI/CF 200W+ discrete chips, both Intel and hardcore gamers know that. Intel just wants to be in mainstream products without AMD/nVidia getting discrete chip sales and they're succeeding, check any statistics for computers shipped with discrete graphics and they're in decline. Maybe it's an AMD APU, but most of the time it's an Intel.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-agcb-2555

Can't sell used games for a console, if no one buys the console. Anyone foolish enough to fall into this trap and buy one deserves what they get.

Seriously. It is doomed to failure.

Just in case you're not trolling, you may want to check:
http://store.steampowered.com/search/?os=linux&category1=998&snr=1_230_linux__202
Lots of Indie games, but also plenty of 0-2 year old kick-ass games.
More and more games immediately come with Linux versions upon their release.
Anyway, I'm off playing The Cave.
Also, fuck you.

I would be more than happy to be able to actually download movies from Netflix during non peak times to watch at some other time. This would allow spreading out the bandwidth over the course of a day instead of everyone streaming at peak times such as 7PM EST,CST,PST

Streaming services will continue to degrade our bandwidth unless we are given the ability to download movies\shows during off hours to watch later.

Impossible, it would never work. Oh, well, there's http://store.steampowered.com/, which does what you're thinking of... damn, there's money to be made in there somewhere...