The Steam Deck kicked off great however, I see people flocking to the Windows alternatives like the ASUS ROG Ally because they don’t want to deal with Linux or the Bash shell.
Edit; I don’t know why this is being downvoted, I haven’t touched SteamOS so I’m comparing it to Debian 12 where BASH knowledge is essential.
they don’t want to deal with Linux or the Bash shell
I’m a professional software developer that runs Linux on all on my devices. So I could “deal with the bash shell” if I needed to for sure. But im not interested in doing anything but running games I bought on steam.
Not once have I even opened desktop mode on my steam deck for anything other than checking it out.
It’s completely possible to stay 100% in the main SteamOS environment which is basically “Big picture mode”.
Normal users literally would have no idea they are using Linux. It operates exactly how you would expect a handheld game console to operate.
I’m not sure this is true. From a non-technical user perspective Linux is as visible on the steam deck as FreeBSD is on the PS5. Yah it’s there, but you don’t see it unless you try.
100%. If they used Linux they would actually have to contribute their improvements back. Because Sony went with FreeBSD they get to use all that community code and build their product on top of it. Win win for Sony as a corp. not so great for the rest of us.
Imagine if FreeBSD had all the graphics pipeline improvements that Sony undoubtedly have added in house.
Last time I checked Windows still dominates the market on personal desktop/laptop computers, most people don’t want to sit and read documentation on how to get specific software to work with their device, they just want it to work without hassle.
Multiple people have told you why what you’re saying is ridiculous.
How is what I said ridiculous? Is the market all of a sudden no longer Windows dominated?
I get it, SteamOS is essentially Steams Big Picture mode locked down however, the minute someone wants to mod one of their games using software made for Windows that they find on Nexus mods or Se7enSins they’ll run into issues or a novel of documentation for a workaround.
The vast majority of people don’t want to sit and troubleshoot for hours on end for a single mod, they want it to work out of the gate and that’s where SteamOS/Linux currently falls flat.
As someone else pointed out, you’re basically calling a PS5 difficult because it runs BSD and that must mean people need to tinker and use the terminal to make things work.
The Steam Deck kicked off great however, I see people flocking to the Windows alternatives like the ASUS ROG Ally because they don’t want to deal with Linux or the Bash shell.
Edit; I don’t know why this is being downvoted, I haven’t touched SteamOS so I’m comparing it to Debian 12 where BASH knowledge is essential.
I’m a professional software developer that runs Linux on all on my devices. So I could “deal with the bash shell” if I needed to for sure. But im not interested in doing anything but running games I bought on steam.
Not once have I even opened desktop mode on my steam deck for anything other than checking it out.
It’s completely possible to stay 100% in the main SteamOS environment which is basically “Big picture mode”.
Normal users literally would have no idea they are using Linux. It operates exactly how you would expect a handheld game console to operate.
I’m not sure this is true. From a non-technical user perspective Linux is as visible on the steam deck as FreeBSD is on the PS5. Yah it’s there, but you don’t see it unless you try.
It’s still crazy to me how since PS3 Sony has been using FreeBSD as their basis for an OS.
In my mind it’s always been this network traffic or datacentre thing.
It really is a full desktop os. Not a bad one either.
The main limitations is hardware / driver support and proprietary software support.
Neither of those things are really a problem when you use it in an embedded system like a console though.
I bet they used freeBSD over Linux for licensing reasons.
100%. If they used Linux they would actually have to contribute their improvements back. Because Sony went with FreeBSD they get to use all that community code and build their product on top of it. Win win for Sony as a corp. not so great for the rest of us.
Imagine if FreeBSD had all the graphics pipeline improvements that Sony undoubtedly have added in house.
Care to at all elaborate then?
Last time I checked Windows still dominates the market on personal desktop/laptop computers, most people don’t want to sit and read documentation on how to get specific software to work with their device, they just want it to work without hassle.
You just said you’ve never used a Steam Deck. Multiple people have told you why what you’re saying is ridiculous.
What more elaboration are you looking for?
Correct, have yet to touch SteamOS.
How is what I said ridiculous? Is the market all of a sudden no longer Windows dominated?
I get it, SteamOS is essentially Steams Big Picture mode locked down however, the minute someone wants to mod one of their games using software made for Windows that they find on Nexus mods or Se7enSins they’ll run into issues or a novel of documentation for a workaround.
The vast majority of people don’t want to sit and troubleshoot for hours on end for a single mod, they want it to work out of the gate and that’s where SteamOS/Linux currently falls flat.
As someone else pointed out, you’re basically calling a PS5 difficult because it runs BSD and that must mean people need to tinker and use the terminal to make things work.
Cool, when’s the last time you popped a terminal on your PS5 to mod Skyrim? Oh right, never—it just works. BSD isn’t the issue; forced tinkering is.
You’re forced to mod Skyrim to play it?
Who’s forcing you to tinker? Are they in the room with us right now?
Is the gun to your head invisible or just your comprehension? Modding requires workarounds—nobody forces you to breathe either, yet here you are.
I haven’t ever touched a steam deck either, but I would assume that games on the steam deck just work without any tinkering with the shell.