Steam Linux Usage Slipped In July According To Valve's Current Data

[skeevy420]

Another lame excuse.

Anecdotal, but I've never once received a Steam survey when using the beta client.

I have, however, received a few Steam surveys when not using the beta version.

7 years using Steam: no surveys with beta client; two surveys on Linux/stable; one survey on Windows/stable.

I'm also not the only one who has noticed that. Last year some other Phoronix poster, I forgot who, made post theorizing about stable/beta surveys so I switched over to stable and a month later I received my 2nd survey when running Linux. That's either one hell of a coincidence or there's some truth to Steam beta not getting surveys.

[nanonyme]

Anecdotal, but I've never once received a Steam survey when using the beta client.

I have, however, received a few Steam surveys when not using the beta version.

7 years using Steam: no surveys with beta client; two surveys on Linux/stable; one survey on Windows/stable.

I'm also not the only one who has noticed that. Last year some other Phoronix poster, I forgot who, made post theorizing about stable/beta surveys so I switched over to stable and a month later I received my 2nd survey when running Linux. That's either one hell of a coincidence or there's some truth to Steam beta not getting surveys.

All this actually makes me wonder whether there's something in EULA specifically allowing them to use your data automatically regardless of GDPR whereas with stable they'd be forced to ask consent before using your data. (hence surveys)

[Neraxa]

Ubuntu isn't helping with Linux adoption or Steam. Ubuntu apparently does not like it that people are using Ubuntu to play games. Ubuntu has been doing everything it can to punish people that want to use Ubuntu to play 32 bit games with Steam. Ubuntu has shown that they despise their desktop users and trying to shaft them by removing 32-bit support. This is intended by Ubuntu as a punishment for Steam and for Brother printer company for trying to make Linux more useable for desktop users. They decided they want Ubuntu to be a server OS only and that you will only be allowed to use expensive server hardware made within the last 4 years. No 32 bit computers or software allowed. No gamers, desktop publishing or printers allowed.

[Guest]

I'm assuming operating system usage is all over the place due to the fact that data for the survey is taken at one point, which might cause the results to be a bit flaky for people who dual boot. I also don't know what happens when someone runs the Steam client in Wine.

[AdamOne]

Pointless to discuss reduction in OS usage portions if the total amount of users is unknown. For all it matters there might even be an increase in Linux users, for that matter, because of the very fact the we dont know the total.

Whats the point?

[Dedale]

I recall a person at Paradox saying the sales on Linux were dwindling. In term of percentage AND absolute numbers.

[stormcrow]

Alternatively we can just admit it's next to zero and move one.

You cannot expect any discernible uplift in the market unless we have a desktop OS which we can call Linux. Right now we have dozens of incompatible distros which are not even compatible with themselves (e.g an application compiled in Ubuntu 19.04 will not run in Ubuntu 16.10).

While I agree with the original statement to an extent... Steam usage numbers are only relevant to Valve and perhaps those developing games for publishing on Steam, the latter is a false equivalence.

There's no OS on the planet that will guarantee backwards ABI compatibility at 100% without jumping through hoops. There's no guarantee that software developed on Windows 10 will work with Windows 7, especially where there are system call changes. That's why there are target settings for that in most Windows development IDEs. Likewise there's no guarantee that something developed depending on library functions from .NET 4 will work on a system that only has .NET 3 - in fact you're usually up a creek without a paddle in that case. Let's not even get into the dependency hell that is Java's VM. Similarly there's no guarantee that anything written with libraries from Ubuntu 18.04 will work without recompiling, or even a porting effort, on 16.04 and it's completely unreasonable to assume so.

If you do get something built entirely on Windows 10 to work on Windows 7 or 8 you're quite lucky. That's why developers build software targeted at the older platform first THEN test it for compatibility for the newer platform and adjust assumptions and code as needed. What you're suggesting is back assward.

[josh_walrath]

I love how each and every month the phoronix zealots feel obliged to come up with explanations including all kinds of theories, EXCEPT the obvious one: no one gives a rat's @ss about Linux gaming.

I do

[Scellow]

This is because Valve officially announced no plan for native linux gaming, instead they will rely on emulation with WINE

Plus linux distro seems to not care about UI/UX

Plus graphics stack on linux SUCKS

Plus people Canonical decided to go with Gnome, the shittiest DE ever

Plus linux sucks, it is only good for server because it can be MINIMALISTIC

[itoffshore]

With vfio performance being so good although I have Steam working in both Linux & inside a Windows 10 kvm I only play games inside the Windows vm (it is a lot less hassle than fiddling around with proton to get sound working - or trying to make Linux open a game on a specific screen).

Today I have been playing Prey on "very high" (ultra) on an FX 8370 / Rx 570 8gb @ 1080p. I have details of my libvirt settings here.

Today I got a Steam survey in Linux for the first time.