zlacker

>>Sporkt+(OP)
> But before you declare this a triumphant moment for desktop Linux, it's important to note that some of these Linux users are not, in fact, using Steam on a desktop. The Linux version "SteamOS Holo" 64-bit is the most popular reported, at just over 42 percent of the Linux slice of pie. That indicates that a huge portion of these Linux users are actually playing on Valve's Steam Deck portable, which runs Linux.

There's such a deep seeded, systemic bias against linux that it actually can never win, to any degree or magnitude, because the moment it starts winning we just move the goal-posts for the flimsiest of reasons to ensure it can't quite claim that victory.

Linux is obviously and clearly the most popular operating system kernel on the planet. Oh, no, that's no good a measure, servers are messy, let's refine it to most popular consumer operating system kernel? Oh... it, could also reasonably claim that title? No no, no Android, that doesn't count. Nope, No Chrome OS either, you can't have that, that's, well, that is linux, but its not. Just nice, pure, desktop linux, yes, perfect, arch linux, kde desktop, that'll never trend up and thus is the perfect new-new definition of desktop linu--wait hold up, I'm getting word this is, not possible, its actually SteamOS? Nope, kill it, that's not desktop linux either, kill it.

>>015a+qs
I guess it really depends on what you expect out of a "user". I think servers and Android count but I think SteamOS is a bit tricky, because it's relying on a compatibility layers running Windows to run most games. This may not matter to the end user, but it isn't quite the developer revelation many imagine where suddenly tons of games and apps have a proper linux port.

>>johnny+At
Is that any different developer tools not supporting Windows and Windows users using WSL? We would still classify these as Windows users despite the compatibility layer. Ultimately compatibility layers are good because they reduce developer workload so that developers can focus on what really matters.

>>zarzav+cw
>Is that any different developer tools not supporting Windows and Windows users using WSL?

excuse my ignorance, but are there any major developer tools that don't support Windows? I can only imagine some internal enterprise tooling doing this.

>Ultimately compatibility layers are good because they reduce developer workload so that developers can focus on what really matters

I don't mind them as a concept, but I personally want as few points of failure between me and my software as possible. Some software is already either overly bloated or buggy (or both) as is without wondering if there's now compatibility layer issues on top of it.

>>johnny+hx
Many Unix-based developers have no idea how Windows works, especially the hardcore free software folks who refuse to use Windows out of principle.

I personally have not owned a Windows computer in the last 10 years, and even then I only used it for gaming and not for development. If my code works on Windows without a compatibility layer that’s a complete miracle.

Many Windows developers similarly have little idea how Unix works and stay in the Windows development ecosystem.

Ultimately you can only fit so much in your head and I don’t have room for Windows to live in mine too. I’m sure a lot of Windows devs feel the same way about Unix.