SteamVR To Get Linux and Mac OSX Support Within 'a Few Months' (roadtovr.com)

Valve is planning to introduce beta versions of its SteamVR platform for Mac OSX and Linux users within a few months, RoadToVr reports citing an executive. From the report:One thing's for sure, if you're a PC user wanting to indulge in a spot of immersive entertainment right now, the choice of operating systems on which you can do so are mostly limited to just one. Windows dominates the VR PC landscape right now and that looks set to continue for a while longer. However, Valve will soon move to encourage a diminishing of that monopoly, as it plans to bring SteamVR -- the company's Steam-integrated VR platform -- to both Linux and Mac OSX platforms within the next few months. The initiative was revealed by Valve's Joe Ludwig during a talk at this year's developer-focused Steam Dev Days event in Seattle last month. During the talk, Ludwig outlined the company's view that VR should be as open to innovation as possible, touting the benefits for the long term evolution of virtual reality and how Valve, with OpenVR, are trying to keep what Ludwig calls platform "gatekeepers" from (as they see it) stifling progression in the VR space. Additionally, Ludwig stated that it's been listening to developer and user feedback during SteamVR's first year in consumer hands, and says that they've heard clearly that a version of SteamVR is wanted on other operating systems.

Comments

Can't wait to return to my home, Linux!

[MindPrison]

This has been a nightmare from start to so far. I'm a long time Linux user so I'm more experienced in Linux than I am on the windows platform.

The only reason I run windows 10 on my computer (and I have to admit, totally against my will) is for the HTC Vive and Steam VR games. Windows 10 has been nothing but a sorry experience of me, numerous security kernel crashes, freezes, lockups and whatnot. On the SAME computer I had NO freezes or lockups on the Mint Linux 17.3 platform.

The Minute I can run Steam VR and Anyland on Linux with my Htc Vive - bye bye windows 10, hope to never see you again.

Re:Can't wait to return to my home, Linux!

[mlw4428]

What are you doing that you're getting "security kernel"crashes? Are you using updated drivers? Are you sure you didn't get a virus (they're on a lot of pirated copies of Windows)? Are you sure your RAM is good? Linux does handle faulty memory better than Windows (it doesn't mean it's acceptable to use it). And while SteamVR may run on Linux, it doesn't mean that Anyland will. I've never had any major issues running Windows since like XP. I can tell you that whenever I had a self-proclaimed "Loonex expart" call in with a botched Windows machine, it was the end user each and every single time. They thought they could just play with the registry or start modifying system INIs or messing with DLLs.

Windows is meant to be a "set it and forget it" kind of OS. Not a "tinker until it does exactly what you want" OS. It's meant for the "just get crap done" crowd.

Is there even a Mac that meets minimum spec?

[Gojira Shipi-Taro]

There's not a single OSX running machine I'm aware of that meets minimum spec for Vive. I'm not sure why they're bothering with that...