From the notoriously flat structure of Valve to the support of free software to the extremely laissez faire way of running steam to the main Dota tournament being named “The International”… Is Gabe Newell a card carrying Anarchist?
From the notoriously flat structure of Valve to the support of free software to the extremely laissez faire way of running steam to the main Dota tournament being named “The International”… Is Gabe Newell a card carrying Anarchist?
This is entirely silly. Specially when you consider they removed the flat structure at Valve recently. Also even when it was flat it was still structured as more important people’s opinions carried more weight. It made it feel like high school according to one developer where there was cliques and entourageous. That’s not anarchy.
Additionally Valve is not overall for Foss projects. Steam itself is still very closed and very restrictive. Proton was created to keep costs down and because Windows at one point threatened to enforce the windows store for outside apps. Potentially destroying steam.
Steam and Valve only contribute to open source as far as it benefits them. They are ex Microsoft employees that understand the embrace and extend side and are embracing Linux and it’s community. Extending wine. And potentially one day extinguishing the broad availability of Linux to replace it with steam os. You see this on their storefront already. Years ago when a game supported Linux on steam you’d see an icon of tux. Now you see an icon of steam os. A subtle reminder that Valve does not care about Linux but instead of being a thriving business.
Gabe is a capitalist. You don’t become a billionaire without abusing workers.
I think that is a huuuuuge stretch.
It’s not at all. I said potentially, Not a certainty.
People have forgotten or not read about the Windows 8 battle: https://www.pcworld.com/article/394953/why-does-the-steam-deck-run-linux-blame-windows.html
Valve is very fearful of that situation where Windows Store is the only way to buy games on Windows OS.
Overall Valve isn’t going to push for Linux any further than Windows is going to push for a world where games can only be purchased through Windows Store. That at one point was a real fear and still somewhat is at Valve. Microsoft is positioning itself with GamePass to make the Windows Store more and more attractive. Even WSL can only be activated by visiting the Windows Store to download Ubuntu. While Valve is in the Embrace and Extend part, Windows is in the Extend and Extingish part. Valve of course, isn’t going to do anything insane like “You can only use Steam OS to play these games.” Yet. But they are going to push for Steam OS and potentially down the road only have features in Steam OS that they won’t allow with Vanilla Linux or Windows. Imagine if Steam Link Mobile Streaming only worked well with Steam OS desktops because of proprietary kernel modules.