
The state of Linux gaming in the SteamOS era - AndrewDucker
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/02/the-state-of-linux-gaming-in-the-steamos-era/
======
andhof-mt
One of linux's biggest issues is that linux hasn't been developed with
consumers in mind for such a long time.

Thats why I opted to use mint for recording DevCasts:
[https://www.youtube.com/user/devfactor](https://www.youtube.com/user/devfactor)

other linux distros offer tons of tools for programmers, but are difficult to
beginning users or non-programmers to migrate over to.

In order for Linux to really catch on, they need to offer at least a basic
level of tools to attract regular (non-coding) consumers.

~~~
oliwarner
When did you last use Linux? 2003?

Linux [distributions] (because the Linux Kernel is fairly agnostic about use-
cases) are constantly being developed and redeveloped. KDE5, Unity8+Mir,
GNOME3, Cinnamon, MATE, etc... They're all aiming to be easy to use and
powerful. They all have some distance to go but so do Windows and OSX.

Then there's the actual consumer-device market that Linux all but owns. Things
like Tizen and Android and the dozens of frontends that the existing
infrastructure makes super-simple to create a custom interface.

There is constant churn, making Linux more and more user-friendly.

------
MollyR
I'm hopeful. The idea of SteamOS disrupting the windows stranglehold on games,
and possibly disrupting consoles as well. I personally hate the fact backwards
compatibility on consoles is dead. I would love a steambox I could upgrade or
buy new every few years, and still play my existing game library without
having the clutter of tons of consoles just to play a specific game.

------
Shish2k
2015: Year of linux on everything except the desktop?

~~~
Mikeb85
Linux is doing alright on the 'desktop'. Chromebooks, Dell is selling Ubuntu
laptops, you can buy Linux preloaded on a variety of hardware in some markets.
Raspberry Pi and Pi2s are out there, and apart from Linux desktops, open
source is getting to be huge.

The real difference is that nowadays, the 'desktop' doesn't matter. Most new
apps are either browser based, or built multi-platform from the start. There's
very little you 'need' Windows for today.

~~~
vezzy-fnord
With the exception of industrial and enterprise software, which remains a
significant chunk.

The problem with the Linux desktop is that the people developing it are
completely out of touch with how the average user thinks, and they assume that
introducing another opaque monolith daemon to handle an entire subsystem is
the only thing stopping all those Windows users from flocking to Fedora in an
instant. The result is that they alienate the people who actually care.

Ironically enough, the examples you list (Google and Canonical) are ones that
operate outside the general sphere of influence of the desktop developer
scene. Canonical in particular is reviled as all hell by the Red Hat
subculture.

~~~
Cuuugi
I'm not familiar with much Industrial software, but i am continuously amazed
with the amount of enterprise software available on Linux.

Support can be a little tricky, but it's absolutely out there.

------
dnautics
Kerbal Space Program is 64-bit only on linux, apparently due to a problem with
64-bit unity...

