Richard Stallman Comments On Valve For Linux

[figuerom]

The general consensus seems to be that non-free coming to Linux is good. I say it's the best thing that could happen. Games being ported onto a free platform is never bad. It's silly to expect free work out of anyone. It's amazing that Linux exists and i don't think Torvalds will bend to the DRM world. They'll bend in the way of market which will be our way. This might be the best way for Linux to directly compete with windows and get the push for FOSS drivers from AMD/Intel. Lastly, in Richard Cheese direction, software separate from the Kernel never has never hurt anyone. We choose to download it. Then it's ours to play with.

[randomizer]

He says he uses a lenovo laptop. It's probably got an Intel ethernet chip and an Intel wireless chip, both loaded with proprietary firmware.

Lemote, not Lenovo. It is FOSS right down to the BIOS.

[M1kkko]

I fully agree.

After years of testing, last year I changed my live System from M$ Windows to Linux.
There are still a few apps, which I have to run in a Windows-Box (VirtualBox).

I wouldn't mind paying for the apps I really want. And I already have purchase several apps.
Especially utilizing multi- / cross-platform apps. So I can use them on my Linux system, as well as on a Windows machine if necessary. (e.g. on client site.)

So I have the freedom to choose. I choose Linux as the OS and wished, more apps would be available on all platforms, even for sale.

For me free as in free beer is less important than free in term of freedom of choice.
Freedom of choice through multi-/cross-platform apps, utilizing of open standard file and data formats.

So that I can change apps and platforms when I desire to, without beeing locked in.

That is real freedom of choice for me.


Just a thought:
Imagine, the application you need is not available on the linux platform, because there is nobody, who wrote the app for free.
So you DON'T have the choice and are usually forced to use M$ or fruit (apple) OS! That is not what I want. That is not freedom!

"Free software" is not about avoiding paying for the apps you want. It's about you having freedom to use, modify, reuse and redistribute the software. Rights that you, as a consumer, should have.

I also think it's absolutely unethical to develop closed software, which only the developer can sell/modify. All the money earned goes directly into that developer's pocket, so they can keep advancing their proprietary software even further, leading to even more money for the developer.

This is what Microsoft has been doing for decades, and look where they are now. It seems to me that even their operating system product is finally starting to look like a decent OS, now that they've thrown billions of dollars (including taxpayers' money) at it. They now absolutely have more than the sufficient resources to develop the best operating system on the planet. And who will benefit from this at the end of the day? The people?

...

However, I'm going to have to take a pragmatic approach here as well, as I do realise free software doesn't fit in many a current developer's business model. I applaud Valve for bringing their games and content distribution platform to GNU/Linux. Perhaps many people will now be able to at least ditch the other operating system, which is already a huge step forward.

[birdie]

But there is also an indirect effect: what does the use of these games teach people in our community?

I subscribe to everything you say - it cannot be said better.

This just highlights how stupid this guy can be! Many of these games take substantial amounts of cash to develop and as such the developers have no chance of paying the bills if they don't use some sort of rights management. In fact if people tried to take Stalmans advice there wouldn't be a games industry at all.

In any event im happy that the concept of open source is wide enough that many license can fill a developers needs. Frankly I can not see any wisdom at all in offering software with a GPL license attached. One doesn't want to be associated with such lunacy.

[blackiwid]

what press filters or concentrates out of this:

golem.de big german site news header:

"DRM-Spiele nutzen Linux mehr als sie schaden"

translated:

"From DRM-Games Linux gains more than it harms it"

or something like that ^^

Thats a really fanatic closed-source-haters comment, rofl...

[disi]

what press filters or concentrates out of this:

golem.de big german site news header:

"DRM-Spiele nutzen Linux mehr als sie schaden"

translated:

"From DRM-Games Linux gains more than it harms it"

or something like that ^^

Thats a really fanatic closed-source-haters comment, rofl...

RMS told me its great my Kindle runs Debian GNU/Linux, but the drm bit on the books is not so good. Additionally he told his story about the prereleased book which got afterwards remotely removed from all Kindles (shouldn't have been released yet and they refunded the people who bought it).
So yeah, I could run other stuff on it... there should be an official guide on how to jailbreak them IMHO.

[blackout23]

Well as long as Steam doesn't take away any of the freedom we had I don't see harmful potential. On the upside
non-steam users will still benefit from the growing development of better driver for linux. It just doesn't add any extra
freedom no one has to install it. I'm a rather pragmatic linux user myself.

[kpedersen]

The only reason Valve wants to come to Linux is because it is a nice open platform. Unspoiled by greed and idiots!

They should eat their own dogfood and remain struggling in the Windows / Mac world of DRM and app stores!

Valve on Linux will not drive innovation. All you can do with Steam is buy things... And we have already been able to buy stuff perfectly since the Stone Age.

Linux users are generally quite savvy when it comes to DRM, so many will still boycott steam. Obviously the world will see this as "Linux users do not want games". Which would be a MASSIVE shame!

Valve and Steam can get f*cked!.

(btw, Hi. I have returned to these forums after a long, long time to comment on this article. (I remember Micheal helping me with my Radeon 9700 mobile on Fedora Core 4

[maldorordiscord]

I think we just don't know it because there was no hysterical example case.
Steam on Linux good or bad we just don't know it for sure.
The future will tell us the truth.

My point of view about steam on Linux is neutral so let the show begin then we will know what is it for real.

[rustybroomhandle]

Valve on Linux will not drive innovation. All you can do with Steam is buy things... And we have already been able to buy stuff perfectly since the Stone Age.

Linux users are generally quite savvy when it comes to DRM, so many will still boycott steam. Obviously the world will see this as "Linux users do not want games". Which would be a MASSIVE shame!

Valve and Steam can get f*cked!.

Charming, but you forget that part of Valve's efforts also involve getting as many as possible of the games being sold on their platform to get native Linux ports. This can only be good in the long run. Valve don't make developers sell exclusivity contracts like Microsoft does, so it's likely that devs will sell their newly-ported wares elsewhere too.

And you forget that Valve has been helping with the improvement of open-source video drivers.