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Windows 10 S might alarm Valve into boosting SteamOS again

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You might have heard of Microsoft's latest plans (source) to keep people on their own store, with a locked down Windows 10 S mode to be available on all versions of Windows. This is easily a first step towards Windows 10 S being the first version of Windows that users see.

Windows 10 S is essentially a version of Windows 10 that's locked into the Windows Store with Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps, so you can't really run traditional applications like Steam and so on.

This goes directly back to how Gabe Newell of Valve and plenty of other developers felt about Windows 8. With Newell saying "I think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space.". There's also Croteam CTO Alen Ladavac who wasn't too pleased with it either, he's now tweeted about this latest issue from Microsoft to say " 'I told you so' doesn't quite cut it. :P". Ladavac also said in a reply "Think about it - if apps need to be adapted for UWP, it might be wiser to just adapt them for OSX/Linux instead.".

It makes sense too, if Microsoft is determined to make Windows more locked-down over time, that's not really good for anyone. Actually investing into Linux gaming, where you have far more control opens you up to many more opportunities.

Apparently, Windows 10 S can be upgraded to a "normal" version of Windows 10 Home for free, but the problem is that Microsoft has said around 60% don't even bother to do the upgrade keeping them locked into the Windows Store.

I hope Valve is keeping an eye on this, and it should certainly make Linux and SteamOS quite attractive again for them. There's good reasons why Valve has kept SteamOS around and plans like this from Microsoft (even if they fall through) will happen again and again. If Microsoft fail, they will wait a while and try it another way.

How long will it be until you have to pay to upgrade to Windows 10 Home, how long before the Home edition doesn't exist? Many questions—questions which should probably alarm people.

Thanks for the tip kellerkindt. Note: Article intro updated after publishing to better reflect my own point.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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124 comments
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Kuduzkehpan Feb 5, 2018
Linux is exist because of windows and it's philosphia. So Linux will be still exist no doubt about it. what about gaming?
No one wants to be chained to other company which can easly allow or disallow companies. And yea what about monthly subscription for developers :D.
Anyway windows trusting its userbase. But cooperatives becomes a good hand with linux gaming if linux friendly corps stands in same frontier. There is no problem acting for same goal. İf you dont like that cake make your own cake. (yea this is a bit divertive but diversion from windows is a good thing.)
Valve and alike corps should focus on how they could make Linux a better gaming platform. How the ecosystem could be created or redesigned around Linux. Just for example Steam+Source engine+Ubuntu+OpenGL SDL these made linux viable for most ms hatred peoples.
Now we have Vulkan better nvidia amd drivers better valve steam support. And at least some Linux distros.
actually many gaming industry workers corps can gettogether and create their "common gaming linux desktop os."
porters native developpers exlusive products. Need masses ? Start porting high userbase games. Pubg LoL we already have cs:go dota 2, TF2, bla bla. Bring the others. when we have masses start exlusives or so. and dont forget about driver developers. Dont forget the common linux os for gaming. actually that is a survival for all software and IT indistury. Windows is Nazi State of IT sector.
Else linux will be so far from the well deserved point. We cant stop people using windows until we offer them something better with positives. and without negatives especially about games. At least we need some top played games.
Also we gain no popularity for linux while telling negatives of windows without offerin something better to peoples.
for gaming we dont have a good offers. cs:go and dota 2 cant save the future.


Last edited by Kuduzkehpan on 5 February 2018 at 8:49 pm UTC
finaldest Feb 5, 2018
Its clear to me that many people are clearly in denial.

Microsoft WILL lock down windows with UWP and if users don't wake up there will be serious damage done to the entire PC and Gaming industry.

Microsoft will offer the non "S" variant until such a time that there is a sufficient user base. This will in turn force developers to develop for UWP. Once this occurs then Microsoft will pull the plug and force everyone onto UWP. They did this with Windows 10 forced upgrade and this is the very reason that I use Linux today. (A user for 2 years now)

Once this has occurred then forget about modding etc as all games will be sandboxed and under full control of Microsoft.

The only way to mitigate this is for the big publishers and Software houses to start porting to Linux and for users to start switching on mass.

The ball is now in our court.
Guest Feb 5, 2018
Quoting: julespetrikov-- and for that matter, I would happily not to build my stuff for Windows because they don't support my stuff to begin with. Let's see how that logic would help Microsoft in any industry. Nope.

What I didn't get was that they apparently plan to charge money for switching modes, not just for switching one of the old Windows S versions to a regular one...

Now I do understand why you call it stupid!
Just to be sure, for me it now seems they plan to sell 5 versions of Windows 10 to OEMs, based on the hardware of the device. OEMs get better prices if they preconfigure S mode. If they do, end users will eventually have to pay for mode switching.

Is that correct so far?
Philadelphus Feb 5, 2018
Quoting: KimyrielleWhich is why I don't understand why the rumors that MS is looking to buy Valve were dismissed so quickly by us.
Because the rumor was "Microsoft wants to buy Valve", not "Valve is considering selling to Microsoft." Big difference. :) I will bet you dollars to donuts that Microsoft has wanted to buy Valve since, ohh, soon after Steam came out. (If not before.) It's not like this is anything new, and I don't understand why people seem so surprised about it. Of course Microsoft wants to buy the infinite-money-printing machine, they'd be fools not to, the question is whether or not they can.

Gabe Newell already owns a never-ending stream of money, probably a majority share of Valve, and dislikes Microsoft. I'm not saying it could never happen, just that it's so far outside the ream of probability that I'm not going to be losing any sleep over it.

Also: https://hothardware.com/news/gabe-newell-responds-to-outrageous-rumors-that-microsoft-is-buying-valve
rapakiv Feb 5, 2018
went by 8 pages of replies and seen to much anger
I truly believe that Microsoft is about to close is system, and we all can see it, only the blind don't see it, the timing when it will happen only they know.
I love what valve has been doing for Linux and feel the community is getting strong the last two years.
But what stops others like blizzard, UBI(not saying EA because they are being bought by Microsoft) and many more to build there own SO!!!
For the casual Steam-OS it's a closed system and somewhat it's not different from W10 working module.
One way or another I feel the future is good and strong for Linux in general.
ElectricPrism Feb 5, 2018
Quoting: BlackBloodRumNext up: Monthly subscription for Windows 10!

It's only 9.99/mo what's the big deal -- it's not like it's 100 bucks a year or anything

/sarcasm

Quoting: chancho_zombiewhy does stupidity of windows users has to f*ck everyone else??

Stupidity has caused more harm to fellow humans than malicious intent. Let that one sink in.

As a world wide collective we are simply not very intelligent. The smart have suffered the stupid for millennia. And it's not humans did themselves a favor when large religions keep executing the intelligent who find fault -- the religions have eradicated anyone with descending articulate thinking because people who can think for themselves are more difficult to control.


Last edited by ElectricPrism on 5 February 2018 at 11:20 pm UTC
logge Feb 6, 2018
Apple did that. They were first. Microsoft will fail until they really release some shiny OS that iOS was at that times. Or they put looots of money into it.

All our hail and blessing lies in proprietary software.
In the "other" software its up to you.


Last edited by logge on 6 February 2018 at 12:09 am UTC
Grazen Feb 6, 2018
Quoting: chancho_zombie
Quoting: MohandevirIt's just a matter of time. Microsoft will GRADUALLY push Windows 10S wherever they can and when developpers will jump on board, users will get numbed enough to the UWP when they realize that they can do everything they want with the Windows 10S edition. We might even see users requiring Steam to be integrated to the UWP. At this point, it will become the defacto standard for all sold devices (desktop included). Once this is done, there will be no more upgrade paths. The argument will be something like: "Nobody uses the home edition of Windows anymore so we drop support."

Not saying it is going to happen, but I'm quite sure Microsft's strategy is not far from that. This plan started the day Microsoft released Windows 10S.
to clarify I'm in favour of Windows having it's store. But Steam games should be able to install games by itself without them being UWP, Android does that, an app may install another app. Not allowing trusted apps to install things might be an overkill.
Linux doesn't have an official store because it's a free/libre system, IOS, Mac OS, Android, have them. This isn't any surprise at all.

Understood, my point is just that the next version of Windows - now called Windows Core OS (not related to the Core OS that Red Hat just bought) - will be a massive upgrade similar to the upgrade to Windows NT 20 years ago. This will be a bigger threat than Windows 10 S - and Liam's article as a result is already dated. The threat however, is even bigger than the hyperbole in his article.
TheRiddick Feb 6, 2018
Valve GOG etc will just haft to pay Microsoft to get access to their user-base in the future. IT WILL HAPPEN, just a matter of when. Not like they can do anything about it, sure they could argue anti competitive behaviour but I don't think that would truly fly in court these days given what we have seen happen in other industries. Basically they can push their own platform however they like, just like how MacOS does, and Netflix etc etc......

Alternatives exist like SteamOS and Linux, unfortunately its hard to move people off Windows. For example I'm using it atm because I have Fallout 4 / SkyrimSE / Witcher 3 on windows, can't run them on Linux (wine) at 4K@60fps...


Last edited by TheRiddick on 6 February 2018 at 12:46 am UTC
pb Feb 6, 2018
You don't just go to sleep when the enemy regroups, you use that time to prepare. I hope Valve doesn't wake up with the short end of the stick...
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