Quoting: ArtenI don't think you're going to enjoy the new Linux miniseries from LTT.
And I don't think it's going to draw too many users to Linux. The first thing Linus did was break the DE in Pop_os! And he just installed Steam from the repositories.

Actually I have liked it. I saw clips from their WAN show. I enjoy hearing new users perspective, as long as they are sincere. Linus is sincere. There are issues with their Linux challenge but it's still a good thing. The two issues I have paid attention to is Linus's home setup is not a setup most people would have, and the fact they are taking the Linux challenge before Deck launch. I imagine Linux gaming mid to end of 2022 will be much better than in 2021. But they can make a updated video six months after. They have followed up with prior videos.

I also saw a clip from Hardware Unboxed, where Tim and Steve laughed about Linux lacking. Not in a bad way though. And I couldn't help smile along, as I know they are two awesome Youtubers, and just because they say Linux isn't for them doesn't mean I lose respect for them.

Who will Linux be for after Deck's launch (i.e when more anti cheat lands)? I think it will be good enough for couple percent of Window users. So let's say one to three percent of Window users. So imagine Linux having three percent market share by itself on desktop PCs. Add in Deck's market share, and you get five percent or more market share. With that high market share the platform will have made it and there is little that can ruin the momentum it has in such way regressions to lower market share will happen. As was said, at five percent there will be meaningful game and app supports coming in. Keep in mind also that Linux market share growth rate at five percent will be much better than growth rate when market share was 0.7%. Because at 5% the platform has likely improved so much that it will appeal to more people, where as 0.7% it would mostly appeal to Window users who have FOSS mindset and also like Linux.

With ARM on rise, It seems Linux gaming rising is guaranteed. Whether we want to or not, Linux is always in shadow of Microsoft. It is they who keep stifling the momentum that has kept Linux dwindling at low market share, their latest tech are among others DirectStorage, DXR and Android app support. Those attempts are becoming increasing less effective, as Valve keeps working around them. It very difficult to convince Window users that part of why Linux has not moved forward is because of Microsoft, it's as if you're a crazy person. But controlling game development standards allows you to exclude other OS platforms, which isn't any different from game exclusivity. Yet people seem oblivious to these tactics and is fine with, but as soon as Sony engages in exclusivity they react more fiercely. You exclude other OS platforms with D3D12 being key tech for game development, you cut off tons games from being playable.

Coming back to ARM, it seems Vulkan will play a big role in powering ARM PCs that aren't MACs. Perhaps that's why Microsoft contracted Collabora dev who worked on Zink (OpenGL to Vulkan) and has also made D3D_insert# on DX12? Perhaps they are making a Proton/Rosetta like compatibility layer for ARM transition of their PCs? If I am right it goes to show you how good they are at controlling or chasing control of standards. Because if they dont have a solution for ARM transition, people may use Vulkan no? And more Vulkan is used the sooner D3D12 falls as the standard, they lose power where they can stifle gaming on Linux through exclusivity. Basically I think Microsoft's tactics has affected market share growth rate of Linux, so it's not just because Linux has failed to meet gamers expectation.

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I would say at heart of this push is Proton. Consider this, without Proton both gaming on Deck (using SteamOS) and Linux desktop PCs would fail to meet people's expectations, even those who are willing to make a small to moderate compromise. Deck existing has made more people aware of Proton and Linux. With new hardware alot news are thrown around, people read and watch these news.

It keeps people talking about Linux, Deck and Proton. Content creators, who aren't familiar faces in Linux space, are making content about Linux and Proton. Marketing something helps but if what you are marketing isn't good then people will not bother. Linux gaming is marketable to a degree it has not been before. Lots games play fine and the platform isn't missing as much features as before. DLSS, FSR, RT and more is available.

LTT's video "Install Linux instead of Windows 11" [External Link] has been viewed 1.7M times. Other videos about Linux they have made has also gotten million views or more. How can more people use Linux if they haven't heard of it? With Deck so many people know of it, and Proton is making Linux viable for gaming.

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Quoting: MohandevirI just meant that PCGamer felt the need to correct Ramey's opinion... Making the buzz is probably exagerated, but it had echoes at PCGamer:

That's not what I am reacting to. Ramney said Pierre's statement was that Deck can handle almost any game from a hardware pov. Meaning that Proton (software side) isn't necessarily going to run 100% of your Steam library, which is such a ambiguous statement as it spreads FUD around Proton's compatibility..and we know it's really good, and going to be much better by time Deck launches.

Then PC gamer is combining an answer they got from Lawrence Yang when asking a question and combining that answer with what they got from podcast with Ramney to make a headline as if it's a direct statement from Valve. Valve never said "If Deck doesn't run your entire library we see it as a bug". PC gamer combined statements from two places into one! They are glancing over actual statements from Valve which is that Proton works with tons games and that they are working diligently towards making 100% of games compatible. Not a promise but a goal.

Quoting: whizseYeah, I think I mentioned this before, but it will be interesting to follow media reports. Going by ProtonDB* 82% of games tested work. That's pretty good. But if you focus on the top ten, only 50% work. Is the glass half full or half empty?

Most of the top ten games with problems are most likely issues with AC/DRM so hopefully more will work on launch day, but for most users and reviewers the success of the Deck might come down to how well it runs one particular game.

Interesting times ahead!

* Not the most reliable metric, I know.

It's not reliable, and Deck hasn't even launched and media is using ProtonDB as if it's accurate. It's not accurate. Deck has the same motherboard, CPU, PSU, ram etc across all SKUs. ProtonDB gets reports (and the reports can be faulty) from PC gamers with varying hardware and software. I think it's safe to derive that if a game's compatibility is silver on ProtonDB, it will likely be gold or better for Deck (with heavy work Valve is putting towards it). This is another thing that's glanced over, where ProtonDB is treated as if it's accurate for Deck's compatibility. It's not. And when they report on compatibility they barely mention actual issues, which Valve has made clear is anti cheat among others. Not a single word about anti cheat in that PC gamer article, and as we all know anti cheat is a huge compatibility blocker.

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I believe Valve will achieve a level of compatibility to make most of people's library playable, assuming anti-cheat support comes. They don't have to reach 100%, but the percentage treshold that is acceptable at launch. With developers entering the fray, Proton compatibility will accelerate much faster in 2022 than it has the years before. Media spreading FUD about compatibility isn't helping.

Quoting: MohandevirSeems Boiling Steam's Ramey interview is making the buzz...

https://www.pcgamer.com/if-the-steam-deck-doesnt-run-your-entire-library-at-launch-valve-sees-that-as-a-bug/ [External Link]

Seriously..?

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What's disappointing is how so few outside Linux community realizes what good Deck can bring to desktop OS platform. They see mostly a Switch competitor. And how they fail to understand why Steam machines failed, and why Deck won't fail (at the very least). Microsoft literally force upgraded people to Windows 10 i.e not a mistake but intentionally. Yet somehow people continue to defend Windows and it's exclusionary DX12 software. Everytime Microsoft with Phil Spencer improves gaming on Windows, to compete with other, they see it as some kind of "Microsoft good guy" thing. Or how in PC community they frown upon console exclusivities or poor ports to Windows, but that same crap is happening to Linux because of Microsoft.

Microsoft’s latest trick: Clicking ‘X’ to dismiss Windows 10 upgrade doesn’t stop install [External Link]

And they casually admitted to deception

Interestingly, Microsoft is trying to make amends. This has been seen in a recent interview where Chris Capossela, Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft, detailed how it was to find the world reacted to its abrasive tactics.

"There was one particular moment in particular where, you know, the red X in the dialog box which typically means you cancel didn't mean cancel," Capossela said. "And within a couple of hours of that hitting the world, with the listening systems we have we knew that we had gone too far and then, of course, it takes some time to roll out the update that changes that behavior."

SOURCE [External Link]

Goes without saying this is a good article :)

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I wish I could say that I believe this to be significant, but unfortunately I find it that only within context of indie development. The game looks technically simple. Not a big and complex network of software involved. If I am not mistaken indie development for Linux is not the issue, but AAA development is. There is 99,9% chance that you can play almost any indie game either natively or through WINE with little to no hiccup. But for complex games, e.g Control, software like raytracing and DLSS are involved and not to mention alot other. It is when developers of such big games decide to release for Linux that I will be surprised to hear about. Such as the recent Metro Exodus release.

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Looks wonderful. They should consider raytracing for their roadmap.

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Quoting: rustybroomhandleWith so many platforms to support, it boggles the mind why these big professional studios still don't build using cross platform solutions. You even get libraries that can abstract out store specific gumpf like achievements.

Like all good things it pays less than bad way. Whatever profit a game will yield for how good it's game design is with a healthy monetization model it will give five to ten times or more profit if you inject greedy models into it. Add in distribution and tech exclusivity and you get some extra cash on top of it. It doesn't surprise me. What boggles my mind is people who think that unless you have 100% hard proof your opinion or speculation is 100% void. As if gaming sites have to report something before it's true or believable. If any company does something shady, with NDA in midst of this action, what are chances of this coming to light? Little.

Stadia-Linux: Strange how it's conflicting messages about how close it is to proper Linux. But I am not surprised. Try to install MicroG or try get away from using Google services and products and Android, and you will find yourself in a cumbersome spot.

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Quoting: RoosterFortunately there are more than enough good alternatives for Discord, in case they screw it up.

Honestly Mumble should be used by everyone on Linux. Unfortunately server setup and lack of better chat options is holding it back.

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Quoting: ShmerlDLSS is DOA being Nvidia only. AMD are working on cross GPU solution that will work everywhere. Once that is ready may be Wine can pick it up.

I think it's this: https://www.amd.com/en/technologies/vsr [External Link]

I don't think so. VSR is for lack of better description AMD's primitive resolution upscaling feature. This was a feature equivalent to Nvidia's Dynamic Super Resolution. I know this because prior to switching to Linux, in 2016, I tried out VSR.

The upscaling AI like AMD is working on will be part of Fidelity FX [External Link]. And there is no reason to believe Linux will be supported the first year this feature is made available as DirectML is the sole AI implementation. The crossplatform option, whatever it is, will likely come later. I think Sony like always will go for their own implementation.

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