On Mon, Jun 23, 2025 at 06:23:11PM -0400, Evan Leibovitch via Talk wrote:
I toss this out as a possible topic for a future GTALUG meeting, as well as hearing opinions about it here in the list.
This is a full-blown Linux distribution that has both a desktop mode and a gaming mode. The gaming mode makes a PC look just like a Steam Deck, The desktop mode seems to look like a conventional... PC desktop. Third party apps are all installed by flatpack from the looks of the video reviews.
Until recently, steamOS was simply an operating system for Valve's own hardware, but they've now made of it available generically for PCs.
To listen to some of the reviews I've seen on YouTube, SteamOS0 for PCs may be the best shot that desktop Linux has had taking on Microsoft in a long long time. While most people here who are comfortable with their Ubuntus and their Fedoras (not to mention the weird amongst you with your Archs) will probably find this too simple. I think the very point of this distribution being simple and somewhat more idiot proof may actually help it better in the mainstream.
Oh weird people, like Valve? After all SteamOS is Arch based these days. Not sure why they decided to switch to that from Debian. Of course given SteamOS 3.x seems to be only meant for the steam deck, unlike the previous versions, and no upgrade path exists, I guess it doesn't matter that they are completely unrelated. I have seen mentions that a SteamOS 3.x for generic PCs is being worked on, but has it actually happened yet? -- Len Sorensen