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| [Jan 06, 2013, 2:24 pm ET] - Share - Viewing Comments |
The December 2012 Steam Hardware & Software Survey is online, offering an updated profile of the rigs being used by customers of Valve's online service. The interesting thing to note this time around is how 0.8% of the respondents are using Ubuntu in the first hardware survey since Valve added beta Linux support (thanks Ant via Slashdot). On a related note, NeoGAF has a translation of a German-language article saying that Valve engineer Ben Krasnow told conference attendees that Valve plans to "present" (according to the translation) a Linux based console system in 2013. Presuming this is accurate, it does not seem clear if this means they plan on releasing it or just demonstrating it. Thanks Joao.
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| 6. |
Re: Steam Linux Stats - Linux Console This Year? |
Jan 6, 2013, 14:42 |
Scottish Martial Arts |
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The Half Elf wrote on Jan 6, 2013, 13:35:
Question:
If you have never used Linux before (namely Ubuntu) and never used Windows 8 before, how likely is the average joe going to switch to it just for gaming?
The average user will not have any difficulty using a modern Linux distro to write email, use the internet, manage their finances, etc. In fact, for Grandma, Linux might be preferable in that she won't have to worry about "those computer viruses crashing my computer." Likewise, as long as you don't give her root access to the computer, and thus the ability to fuck things up, her computer will remain stable and speedy far longer than the average Windows installation tends to. On the other hand, Linux is much less commonly used, and Grandma won't find a How to Use Linux class at the senior center. So in that sense, it is a bit of trade off, but either way, there is nothing particularly hard about using the GUI of a modern Linux distro: if you can use Windows you can use Linux, and vice-versa.
Now for those who are more sophisticated computer users than Grandma or Average Joe, Linux comes with more challenges and more rewards. Most PC gamers obtain at least a passing familiarity with how a computer works, how to tweak settings, and how to troubleshoot problems; someone wanting to use Linux for more than web browsing absolutely MUST have those skills. With Linux, you are your own tech support. While there are copious resources on the web for working with Linux, and while nearly every problem you encounter will have a step by step solution just a google search away, it is incumbent upon you, the user, to find those resources and solutions and to implement them. With Linux, becoming comfortable with the command line really is essential, where as in Windows, even an intermediate power user can get away with only rarely using the command prompt. So what's the upside of this? I'd say Linux is more satisfying to use, more customizable, more powerful, and engages more of your intellect. Were my Steam and GOG catalog, plus DCS World, all to work on Linux, I probably would stop being a Windows user. |
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