SteamOS Compositor Details, Kernel Patches, Screenshots

[blackout23]

This is the reason I prefer syslinux over grub2. I can't stand bloated software.

No kidding. I don't understand why so many distros use GRUB2 as default and not syslinux which is 10^100 times more K.I.S.S. Just has one simple config file. Just type "grub" into terminal with GRUB2 installed and let it autocomplete. It ships with 20 grub commands. That damn thing is just supposed to boot a freaking kernel. WTF? It's the most bloated piece of shit I have ever seen.

[tomato]

No kidding. I don't understand why so many distros use GRUB2 as default and not syslinux which is 10^100 times more K.I.S.S. Just has one simple config file. Just type "grub" into terminal with GRUB2 installed and let it autocomplete. It ships with 20 grub commands. That damn thing is just supposed to boot a freaking kernel. WTF? It's the most bloated piece of shit I have ever seen.

because if everything is ok, then you don't see bootloader

but when something fucks up you don't have to boot to a live cd to fix it, not always possible when you're on the move...

[blackout23]

because if everything is ok, then you don't see bootloader

but when something fucks up you don't have to boot to a live cd to fix it, not always possible when you're on the move...

And what does that have to do with GRUB 2?

Some time ago I theorized here games should go better with RT kernels

Phoronix then made game benchmarks and did not notice significant differences but perhaps Valve did.

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag..._kernels&num=2

Gaming performance is more than just FPS...

[cynical]

I still don't see the newsworthiness of SteamOS.

So it's a Linux distribution that is utilizes a Debian Wheezy base with extensive modifications. That's no different with Microsoft using a modified Windows for the Xbox. Or Sony using modified FreeBSDs for the PlayStations.

Except the changes they make to the kernel/drivers will benefit all users of Linux rather than be tied to their custom proprietary OS.

[kraftman]

I still don't see the newsworthiness of SteamOS.

So it's a Linux distribution that is utilizes a Debian Wheezy base with extensive modifications. That's no different with Microsoft using a modified Windows for the Xbox. Or Sony using modified FreeBSDs for the PlayStations.

It's much different, because those optimization can be applied to the mainline kernel or distributions kernels anytime. I doubt Sony uses freebsd kernel. It's probably just bunch of user space, but who really knows? It's closed trash using OS which comes with stupid license that allows them to close it.

[xehpuk]

how to do benchmarks

It seems they optimize for low latency. That makes sense there is so much more to gaming performance than FPS (Frames per second).

It would be so fun to see what difference it make. But how to measure?

I thought for a while and came up with this:
How about someone with a high speed camera could set two computers next to each other. Let the two players stand next to each other in a FPS (first person shooter) looking at the same direction. Then let a third player
show up and see:
1) who can see the third player first
2) move mouse react and aim
3) let them simultaneously fire to check who gets the kill.

If this is feasible or not I don't know. What do you others here think?

[mrugiero]

No kidding. I don't understand why so many distros use GRUB2 as default and not syslinux which is 10^100 times more K.I.S.S. Just has one simple config file. Just type "grub" into terminal with GRUB2 installed and let it autocomplete. It ships with 20 grub commands. That damn thing is just supposed to boot a freaking kernel. WTF? It's the most bloated piece of shit I have ever seen.

No, for general use, you need it to be able to boot a large variety of OSes. If it can't boot Windows or Mac OSX, it doesn't fit the role it needs to fit. Having said this, note that I have no idea if syslinux is able to boot other OSes aside from Linux.

[directhex]

does anybody have a hint if these Steam-Boxes (though it is more a design principle that can be used by many builders) are going to support / make use of coreboot? (And thus avoid UEFI crap)

Here's your hint: SteamOS REQUIRES UEFI. The shipping beta does not support any other firmware. And thank fuck for the OEMs, since it means they can use conventional motherboards.

[asdfblah]

Here's your hint: SteamOS REQUIRES UEFI. The shipping beta does not support any other firmware. And thank fuck for the OEMs, since it means they can use conventional motherboards.

That's bullshit, linux is debian, and any competent debian/ubuntu user should be able to fix it (and also, the nvidia-only requirement): http://www.reddit.com/r/SteamOS/comm...teamos/ce1apdz
The thing is, steamos is lacking some packages and has some extra, unneeded ones.

But anyway, why am I feeding stupid, ignorant trolls...

[directhex]

That's bullshit, linux is debian, and any competent debian/ubuntu user should be able to fix it (and also, the nvidia-only requirement): http://www.reddit.com/r/SteamOS/comm...teamos/ce1apdz
The thing is, steamos is lacking some packages and has some extra, unneeded ones.

But anyway, why am I feeding stupid, ignorant trolls...

Those instructions are so bad. Making a real BIOS remix of the installer isn't hard, but nobody with the knowledge to do it has done so yet. I won't until the redistribution terms are made clearer