Steam Linux Usage Drops During August

[matzipan]

The problem is Linux has always been used for companies using server's or general desktop use in the IT Industry - it has not originally been made for video gaming, true hard-core linux users wouldn't use steam and once a steam account is created it cannot be removed which would anger some users especially me. I started using linux only for a few years but I generally prefer it when companies like valve stop transferring propriatary content over to linux. Linux is open source and as such so should steam and valve's games if they want people to continue using the companies "product"....

Linux is all purpose. Put some modules in and take some out and you have a hypervisor host, smartphone kernel, fridge controller or car controller... Same with games. I'm not sure what hard-core linux users don't use steam... All the ones I know do use it. By the way, you're talking BS.

[RussianNeuroMancer]

The biggest problem is drivers. I, for example, have a laptop with an ATI hybrid graphics but I don't run the Catalyst driver because it kills the battery and I couldn't get to configure it properly. So now with a Sandy Bridge GPU games are pretty much unplayable.

What Radeon GPU do you have?

If we get proper drivers support and get it working out of the box, or at least easy to configure, usage will jump.

You are right. Hopefully DPM will be enabled in FOSS radeon driver soon and nVidia came up with decent Optimus solution (at least allow user switch GPU via GUI).

[V10lator]

The problem is Linux has always been used for companies using server's or general desktop use in the IT Industry - it has not originally been made for video gaming

It has been made for desktops, but never succeeded there. What's missing for gaming on a desktop OS?

I started using linux only for a few years but I generally prefer it when companies like valve stop transferring propriatary content over to linux.

Why? Are they forcing you to use their propritary content? Is freedom of choice (to use or not to use Steam on Linux) a bad thing now?

Linux is open source and as such so should steam and valve's games if they want people to continue using the companies "product"....

So they would get more consumers (read: Money) if they either open source everything or stay away from Linux? Doesn't sound logical.

//EDIT: Do I understand you correctly: You won't use it on Windows anymore cause they don't open source it for Linux?

[IanS]

I saw this coming months ago... read my backlog if you don't believe me

also: steambox will be DOA and a huge failure

"Hey kids don't buy ps4's or xbones what you really want is this here mini-pc running linux that you can connect to your TV to run old ass PC games in"

valve will go the way of the dodo, if they were smart they would pouring all their resources into making games like hl3 etc and porting them to all platforms

Do you honestly think that the Steam box and Linux ports are the only thing Valve are working on? That they aren't working on new games/sequels at the same time as their more publicized projects? Do you really think that they aren't planning to release their next big game on the new Souce engine with day one support for Linux in tandem with the release of their new console? And do you truely believe that Valve's real goal is the console market?

I find it humorous how clueless you are; Valve see Linux as an ideal stepping stone towards Android. Since Android devices are the most prolific consumer electronics on the planet and they run on Linux it is only natural that the big names in gaming will want to get in on that action. Porting games directly from Windows or consoles to Android is a bit of a nightmare, but porting games/engines to OpenGL and Linux in increments is far easier and opens them to an untapped market to boot. From there they can make sure that their games run on minimal, low-power Linux devices (Steam box and Nvidia Shield), which brings them even closer to their Android ambitions. Both the Linux ports and the Steam box give them a proving ground, extra revenues, and puts them in a prime position to move into the mobile space all while pulling sales away from the competition in the console markets.

Frankly, you are a fool if you think that Valve are alone in this interest and that other major companies that rely on Steam won't follow suit and tread down the same trail that Valve are currently blazing for them. With lackluster sales for Windows 8, disappointing next-gen consoles, and the continual explosion of Andriod publishers are starting to shift their sights to greener pastures and Linux stands to benefit from the windfalls.

[sarmad]

What Radeon GPU do you have?
You are right. Hopefully DPM will be enabled in FOSS radeon driver soon and nVidia came up with decent Optimus solution (at least allow user switch GPU via GUI).

I have AMD Radeon? HD6750M (it's a Samsung Series 7 laptop). I can install the Catalyst driver, but I want to allow switchable graphics so I can switch the Radeon off when I'm not running games.

[torsionbar28]

what ?
there is no reason for it not to run

try

http://linuxg.net/how-to-install-steam-on-fedora-19-18-17/

for packing

Huh? I don't think you understand how Linux software works. Yes there is a reason for it not to run. I spelled it out in my post. Read it again. Steam requires glibc 2.15 and RHEL uses 2.12. Steam flat out will not run on RHEL. Period. It has nothing to do with packaging.

As the first open source company to top $1 Billion in annual revenue, Red Hat is the biggest Linux vendor. It seems a foolish move on Valve's part to ignore such a large customer base. I'm curious how many percents of their Windows user statistics are actually Linux users running the Windows client via CrossOver (or wine).

[ninez]

Huh? I don't think you understand how software works. Yes there is a reason for it not to run. I spelled it out in my post. Read it again. Steam requires glibc 2.15 and RHEL uses 2.12. Steam flat out will not run on RHEL. Period. It has nothing to do with packaging.

As the first open source company to top $1 Billion in annual revenue, Red Hat is the biggest Linux vendor. It seems a foolish move on Valve's part to ignore such a large customer base. I'm curious how many percents of their Windows user statistics are actually Linux users running the Windows client via CrossOver (or wine).

You've full-well chosen a distribution for your Desktop that is known to be well-behind the development of most modern Distributions, which of course is on purpose - as RHEL is fairly conservative in bringing in new packages... Yes, Redhat is the biggest Linux vendor, but RHEL isn't used nearly as widely as some other distros are used on the Desktop, and their "large customer base" is more often than not, using RHEL professionally (workstations, servers, clusters, embedded, etc) ie: not for gaming ... You've made a choice to use older software, thus you shouldn't be expecting Valve to support you... If you really need Steam on RHEL; then you'll have to wait until they shipped a glibc that is compatible...

Your complaint is about the same as someone still using Ubuntu 10.10 coming in here and complaing about the same thing or a Windows XP user complaining that they can't run win8 apps, unfortunately (for you)...lol... So let me propose something "outragously wild" here; it could be that just maybe, RHEL isn't well-served for your needs - if it can't run the software that you want to run && isn't this really a complaint you should be making to Redhat? After all, it is RHEL that can't support Steam (currently). ie: your beef should be with them.

[IanS]

Huh? I don't think you understand how Linux software works. Yes there is a reason for it not to run. I spelled it out in my post. Read it again. Steam requires glibc 2.15 and RHEL uses 2.12. Steam flat out will not run on RHEL. Period. It has nothing to do with packaging.

As the first open source company to top $1 Billion in annual revenue, Red Hat is the biggest Linux vendor. It seems a foolish move on Valve's part to ignore such a large customer base. I'm curious how many percents of their Windows user statistics are actually Linux users running the Windows client via CrossOver (or wine).

Give it a rest, you got no one to blame but yourself. Redhat is an enterprise distro meant for businesses that prefer old and (questionably) more stable versions of packages. It isn't meant for a home computer/gaming rig, for that you should be on Fedora if you are looking to stay close to Redhat which has no issues matchings the pre-reqs and has a Steam package available.

[Zan Lynx]

Do you really have to upgrade the whole OS just to get the latest video driver?

This is a serious weakness if true.

Windows users had to upgrade to get DX11. Not much difference really. The kernel support got updated. The libraries on top of that needed updates. Really it is just easier to install all new software at that point.

If Ubuntu or Fedora or SUSE had Microsoft level resources they could backport the changes to older Linux distributions, but there isn't much demand for that.

[torsionbar28]

You've full-well chosen a distribution for your Desktop that is known to be well-behind the development of most modern Distributions, which of course is on purpose - as RHEL is fairly conservative in bringing in new packages... Yes, Redhat is the biggest Linux vendor, but RHEL isn't used nearly as widely as some other distros are used on the Desktop, and their "large customer base" is more often than not, using RHEL professionally (workstations, servers, clusters, embedded, etc) ie: not for gaming ... You've made a choice to use older software, thus you shouldn't be expecting Valve to support you... If you really need Steam on RHEL; then you'll have to wait until they shipped a glibc that is compatible...

Your complaint is about the same as someone still using Ubuntu 10.10 coming in here and complaing about the same thing or a Windows XP user complaining that they can't run win8 apps, unfortunately (for you)...lol... So let me propose something "outragously wild" here; it could be that just maybe, RHEL isn't well-served for your needs - if it can't run the software that you want to run && isn't this really a complaint you should be making to Redhat? After all, it is RHEL that can't support Steam (currently). ie: your beef should be with them.

Wrong wrong wrong. I'm running RHEL 6.4 which is the very latest and greatest version. I did not "make a choice to use older software" and it isn't at all like someone running Ubuntu 10.10. RHEL6 is current latest and greatest from Red Hat, not some outdated supersceded version.

It is not Red Hat that "can't support Steam". Steam wrote the app. It's their responsibility to write it to work on an OS. Even more so when that OS comes from the biggest vendor in the business.

At the very least, there ought to be a note or statement somewhere that clearly states "Steam doesn't run on RHEL because of -insert reason-", or maybe "Steam only runs on glibc 2.15 based distros". Instead, as you can clearly see in this thread, you have confused users all claiming they "disagree" with me and claiming "there's no reason it shouldn't work". How many people have wasted time trying to install it, because Valve has chosen to ignore the biggest player in the Linux business?

Give it a rest, you got no one to blame but yourself. Redhat is an enterprise distro meant for businesses that prefer old and (questionably) more stable versions of packages. It isn't meant for a home computer/gaming rig, for that you should be on Fedora if you are looking to stay close to Redhat which has no issues matchings the pre-reqs and has a Steam package available.

It has nothing to do with "old". What they are providing is a stable API. Glibc is at the core of the OS, like the kernel. Red Hat is the largest Linux vendor because they provide a stable product with excellent commercial support. Yes the majority of their sales are for servers, but what do you think all those RHEL server admins run when they get home from work? They run RHEL or CentOS. I know this, because my day job is as a RHEL server admin. Why should I bother learning a whole different distribution for at-home use? I use RHEL Server at work, and I use RHEL Workstation at home.

As for your "give it a rest" comment, my replies were all to people who were asserting that Steam *does* run on RHEL. Which is flat out wrong. My responses were to them.