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Valve Announces Linux-Based SteamOS

Today Valve Software announced SteamOS, a Linux-based gaming operating system designed for, as Valve puts it, "living room machines." They say, "In SteamOS, we have achieved significant performance increases in graphics processing, and we're now targeting audio performance and reductions in input latency at the operating system level. Game developers are already taking advantage of these gains as they target SteamOS for their new releases." One major feature they're touting is the ability to use the SteamOS machine to stream video games from other Windows and Mac computers in the house to your TV. They mention media streaming as well, but without much detail. "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."

4 of 510 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Compatibility by Thorizdin · · Score: 4, Informative

    Odds are they don't make your games... so no.

    Actually, they are already compatible or at least playable via the home streaming feature. "In-home Streaming
    You can play all your Windows and Mac games on your SteamOS machine, too. Just turn on your existing computer and run Steam as you always have - then your SteamOS machine can stream those games over your home network straight to your TV!"

    How good that experience will be remains to be seen :)

  2. Re:Compatibility by Chameleon+Man · · Score: 5, Informative

    Read TFA:

    "Hundreds of great games are already running natively on SteamOS. Watch for announcements in the coming weeks about all the AAA titles coming natively to SteamOS in 2014. Access the full Steam catalog of over nearly 3000 games and desktop software titles via in-home streaming."

    "You can play all your Windows and Mac games on your SteamOS machine, too. Just turn on your existing computer and run Steam as you always have - then your SteamOS machine can stream those games over your home network straight to your TV!"

  3. If you notice... by wbr1 · · Score: 4, Informative

    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.

    --
    Silence is a state of mime.
  4. Re:This is straight from Microsoft's playbook by blackiner · · Score: 4, Informative

    Personally, I don't see the problem with that. Stallman's main argument for libre software was that it allows you to know and control functional processes on your computer (software). Making the engine itself but not the art assets available in source form accomplishes that. You can study it, modify it, and fix bugs that crop up. Furthermore, I seem to recall him regarding games as art, and he does not consider artistic software as functional processes required to get things done on your computer, thus there is no worries about them not being libre software.

    Certainly it would be nice if more games were open source; there are numerous consumer benefits to it, but it is not that big of a deal.