Is anyone interested in SteamOS?
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. Possibly in the same way it took Google to make Linux useful on a mobile phone with Android, maybe it takes a company like steam to make a version of Linux that casual users will be comfortable with. I can't say for sure, but I would be very interested in knowing more about it. Would anyone else be interested in this topic? And would anybody be interested in downloading steamos trying it on a PC and reporting on their experiences at one of our meetings? Or is this all just a bunch of overhyped nonsense? Evan Leibovitch, Toronto Canada @evanleibovitch / @el56
Excellent strategy! --dave On 6/23/25 18:23, 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.
Possibly in the same way it took Google to make Linux useful on a mobile phone with Android, maybe it takes a company like steam to make a version of Linux that casual users will be comfortable with. I can't say for sure, but I would be very interested in knowing more about it.
Would anyone else be interested in this topic? And would anybody be interested in downloading steamos trying it on a PC and reporting on their experiences at one of our meetings?
Or is this all just a bunch of overhyped nonsense?
Evan Leibovitch, Toronto Canada @evanleibovitch / @el56
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-- David Collier-Brown, | Always do right. This will gratify System Programmer and Author | some people and astonish the rest davecb@spamcop.net | -- Mark Twain
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
participants (3)
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David Collier-Brown -
Evan Leibovitch -
Lennart Sorensen