Quoting: Doc AngeloThe Backup/Restore-Wizard is a tool within Steam. You don't have to use this feature to back up your games. You can backup any game by just copying/compressing the game folder.

That's not what TOS says. Technically you can copy files yourself, but it would run afoul of TOS saying that you need their client for installation. At least that's how I understand it. And that's what my point above was. And if it's incorrect, why does the official backup tool make it impossible to restore it back without the client?

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Quoting: BOYSSSSSYes

So you can't restore it without the Steam client. It's very well aligned with the TOS, which implies that it's required for installation (which should cover official backup restoration). And you aren't even allowed to use the client in case when you aren't Steam user anymore. Or you simply won't be able to, if Steam closes down and all you are left with are some DRMed backups. That means in those scenarios, your backups will be useless. Q.E.D.

All that illustrates quite well that Steam is DRMed by its nature. DRM-free scenario would mean that you can back up your package, and restore it later without any requirement for such clients, both technical and contractual.

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Quoting: BOYSSSSSI mean clicking "Backup Game Files" is not an automatic process.

The problem is with restoring from backup. Do you need Steam client to restore what Steam client backed up?

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Quoting: obscurenforeignThanks, guess I'll try and figure out how then.

You need to contact support for that.

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Quoting: x_wingLet the community fix the new issue is not what I call "helpful"

Helping the community fix the issue is called helpful. Ignoring the community because "Linux users shouldn't be bothering about Windows installer anyway" would be not caring.

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Quoting: BOYSSSSSThat's really confusing, so Steam TOS don't allow you to backup your games, and yet in my steam library when I right click a game there is "Backup Game Files"

And I assume same Steam client is needed to perform restore from it? I said TOS doesn't allow manual backup restore which is a requirement for DRM-free.

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Quoting: x_wingWell, looking at the answers it's clear that they don't care about Linux.

They explicitly said they'll help Linux users with the change to their Windows packaging. They don't even have to (since it's for Windows installers). How you can see in it that they don't care is beyond comprehension. For me, it's obvious they are going beyond their strict support requirements here to help.

If their management decided not to prioritize Galaxy - so what. It doesn't mean their Linux developers don't care about their Linux users.

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Quoting: obscurenforeignYou still can't change your name there, can you?

You can (if you mean the user name). At least it was possible in the past.

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Quoting: DuncOkay, but as others have pointed out above, all vendors have Terms of Service.

Yes, and it's important what those terms are. I don't agree with claims above that GOG terms are the same.

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Quoting: BOYSSSSSLet me get this straight, you are saying that you can buy a game on GOG and then go to piratebay and download it from there, and the GOG TOS allows that? I thought that you still need to download it from gog.com ....

GOG allows you to install the game from the personal backup. Steam does not (they don't necessarily enforce that for each game, but they still don't allow it). Analyze the difference.

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