It's Official: Valve Releasing Steam, Source Engine For Linux!

[fenixkane]

Actually, you're wrong on this point. There are hacks around for the current Windows Steam Binary that DO let you download and play most of the games available through steam.

Well then, if thats true I stand corrected. However by dragonlords argument Valve should stop supporting Windows because 'of all the piracy'.
I guess the end of it should be: Pirates are not your customers. Pirates WILL pirate, customers will pay if they are not inconvenienced by draconian DRM and find the product worth the price. And if you look at the sales statistics of the humble indie bundle it shows that you have a lot of paying customers not served on Linux.

[fenixkane]

There's not much "proof" to say for either side.
Although there is the native Steam running in Linux, there are plenty of things to explain that.
The CEO has had personal opinions about Linux (and PS3 and Apple), and also the support page says there is no plans for a Linux client, probably to keep hype down if the other side is true.

There's not much to do except wait it out and not worry about it, and if it gets released soon, then use it if you want to. Just don't act like the lack of proof on one side proves the other side.

Most reasonable argument I've heard all day. +1

[fenixkane]

I don't think it's going to happen.
There's absolutely no motive for valve to release a linux steam client, even if they had it working.

1. There's no games for linux.

Who's going to drive a truck around selling nothing.
And why support extra platforms for no gain. Ask idSoftware how their Linux games went ?

2. 3. 4. See above. There. Is. No. Games.

5. Linux community is (sadly) ungrateful.

To add to Vincents response:
1, 2, 3, 4: See indie games community (lots of Linux support from indies)
5: See humble indie bundle (Linux users payed twice as much as windows users, if that's ungrateful...)

[V!NCENT]

Oh snap, I totaly forgot about EA games with their Medal of Honor port and 2k games with Serious Sam 1st encounter, 2nd encounter and Serious Sam 2.

Lol I think there are more legendary games for Linux than Mac...

[Dragonlord]

#3. You are a f***ing retard. You will defend your point to the death because you cannot comprehend that you could ever be wrong about a subject you clearly only have tertiary knowledge of at best.
The short version is that your argument sucks and you're a tosser.

Welcome to my ban list. Come back once you learn how to do arguments without insulting anybody left and right: RED CARD!

[Dragonlord]

You are assuming Steam is successful, Valve hasn't released any numbers and until they do, you are just talking out of your backside here. If you don't agree with fenixkane, good for you, but please try to keep your abuse of facts to a minimum.

Successful enough for lots of people to copy them. That said there has been an article once somewhere which stated how well Steam is for Valve in their line-up. I don't have that URL at hand but it's definitely not pulled out of my ass.

[Hit in the Head]

So, has anyone referenced this yet?

[mirv]

So, has anyone referenced this yet?

somewhere back in the thread, yes. It's old news, and is probably more about dedicated servers than anything else.

[tmpdir]

That's true that something like that requires a few mockups or prototypes to lead before the actual client starts off. It is though incorrect that it always has to cost money. Ever done some fiddling with some code in your spare time because it interest you? That's how mockups and prototypes tend to start their lives. These are though not necessarily ordered to by the business suits which leads to the next question.

Following your logic both our points are probable: developers could work in their free or work time on a poc/mockup.

It actually is if you think once from the position of a business suit. What risk would it pose to you if you launch steam on Linux and due to people hacking the binary (as they have proven to do without second thoughts) piracy goes rampage? If that's not a reason to pull the plug to not endanger your already good running windows steam world then you are a bad business suit.

To summarize your arguments:
- on valve's site was somekind of poc/mockup
- this software was either in free or work time developed
- de software was put on their website
- the binairies on their website have been altered to get it running better by some people (who probably own windows machines as well).
- Altering the software is a good reason to hold the linux release because its now 'proven' people will hack their software without a second though.

the last point is what I don't see (yet). I don't see why releasing a linux client would increase the risk compared to windows. Sure the linux code is open and a running binairy can be analysed better, but this is no different from any other binairies including the drivers from nvidia or ait, etc. There are way around this.

Besides the recent events, there's still is no reason to hold any planned releases. The original benefits should still be the same, while there are no new risks introduced (The software was not that exciting).

[Hit in the Head]

somewhere back in the thread, yes. It's old news, and is probably more about dedicated servers than anything else.

Sorry about that! I thought I searched well enough...

Apparently not. Well, here's to hoping!