Topic: Valve announces SteamOS

I'd like to believe Windows 8 is only widely recieved by nerds who'll buy anything that's shiny, and everybody else isn't willing to go near it because they have more than half a braincell in their head, and know a jumbled mess of an interface when they see one. But perhaps that's just me.

Color me with the full colors of EXCITE!
I've been pondering about the Steam Controller past the weekend and I'm very positive about it's promise.
When I first saw the controller revealed I couldn't help smiling with more than a little doubt whether this is a good idea. Then I read the announcement carefully and started meditating on the possible tech behind it.
We had a kind of a heated conversation with my circle of cynical nerds, and the main concern seemed to focus on bad experiences with laptop trackpads, and the lack of a d-pad and traditional layout of face buttons.

After analyzing it a bit and reading these impressions I'm quite optimistic how it might work. About the trackpads - there's possibly not a single game that was designed to be played with a laptop trackpad. My friend pointed out that it is so for a reason. To an extent he's right. Who would expect a player to use it when you've got a far superior gaming tool with the mouse?
However, at least I've become quite proficient at using the trackpad with my daily use. It's not hard to use or unresponsive. The main problem in using it with games is it's placing, ergonomy and poor implementation. That said, these Steam Roller pads are a whole new breed of technology. They are more advanced and therefore it's futile to make too straight parallels.

The best thing about this whole thing is that you're not forced to buy anything to continue enjoying Steam games.
Windows, Mac, Linux, Big Picture mode, an Xbox controller, the Steam OS, the Steam OS Machines, Steam Controller and even a KB+M are totally voluntary! You're free to make you're own setup that suits you the best. I think that's the whole point - to provide for those who want to get the most out of PC gaming, and offer options to those wanting an easier experience in the comfort of the living room.
I probably won't ever be moving to their Steam OS completely, but I'm sure to pick up a Steam Controller, even as I'll continue to use KB+M and a regular gamepad for the games and situations that are best suited for them.

Well, there's some thoughts. I'm off to bed, cheers!

the interface is cool and all(hard to get used to) but windows 8 actually runs slower than windows 7!! run away from it!!! ヽ(ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ

I've always been sort of passionate about Linux, always kept around a Linux distribution( currently Fedora, but I've had Ubuntu, SuSE, Mint, and a Portuguese made variant of Mandriva, called Caixa Mágica ten years ago. It was my first Linux and came in a CD with a magazine.) on dual boot with Windows. So, I'm quiet pleased with what Valve has done to foster the Linux ecosystem so far, they release their Steam client and several games laying down the infrastructure needed for developers to target Linux development, we've seen more and more indie games now with a Linux version in the works. They reached to companies like Nvidia, Intel and AMD, and the Linux graphics drivers started to improve just like that. Nvidia is now even disclosing some of their cards specs so the open-source community can improve the Noveau community drivers. Unbelievable.
If Steam Machines are priced just right(300-400 €), I might be tempted to get one to have side by side with my Nintendo console. Linux won't have the whole catalogue of games on Steam Windows has any time soon, but given Valve games and indies, I'm good.
As for the Steam controller, I find it ugly and plain weird. Just to play it safe, my Steam machines will go with a more conventional controller from Logitech or another 3rd party. It may be best thing invented since bread came sliced, but Valve will have to show me that is so.

I'm sorry, but that makes no sense whatsoever and leads me to believe that you've never actually done this. I play in Big Picture Mode all the time - much of the functionality of Steam still exists - unless you want to be a forum troll, which has never worked with a controller anyway.

Also, @Sony_70, Windows 8.1 IS indeed well received, but you seem to have extremely selective memory. The Windows 8 launch was a mess. Total mess. The adoption rate was horrendous. Microsoft was sweating bullets. It hasn't been until the last couple weeks that they've started to gain any traction, and even then it's only on tablets and mobile stuff, both of which have nothing to do with the discussion at hand.

I do have selective memory. I was looking at Windows 8 from when I got my Laptop which was in march when sales started to boom. I did install windows 8 before hand on a non touch computer the midnight it hit and while I liked using metro on a non touchscreen, non multitouch trackpad sucked.

I was mostly referring to the community stuff during Big Picture Mode. Irrc Big Picture mode community only lets you view your friends list and not for that of games communitys. I guess I'm baised because I didn't use big picture mode until after playing with Miiverse.

I will agree that mobile is the biggest growth factor of WIn8. On that note I'm a bit surprised Valve didn't fork Android to make a steam for mobile.

This sounds great.....Now we just have to wait for Gaben to announce Half-Life 3,Left 4 Dead 3,Portal 3,TF3,Day of Defeat 2,another Counter-Strike game,and Dota 3.In space.

Well, for the foreseeable future it seems Valve has no interest in mobile, which is a relief for people of my mindset (I honestly think the whole mobile/freemium thing is a fad and will soon go the way of the Ouya).

On a related note, I agree with you in that Miiverse can sort of spoil you when it comes to other online communities. Miiverse is pretty darn awesome, and they only continue to add to its functionality and tie-ins with games. I honestly feel more a part of a community on the Wii U than I do on my 360 or even on Steam.

@Drobotic
I think Dota 2 and CS are going to "run the course" for a long, looooong time before any sort of upgrade. I mean, the original Dota is STILL being played, and many in the scene view Dota 2 as a relatively new game. I do think the whole Half-Life 3 situation is getting to be ridiculous - either announce the game or not, but soon the magic of the situation is going to wear off and people won't really care about the whole thing anymore.

I wonder how Valve will do on the first party front.

I wonder how Valve will do on the first party front.

What the Valve steam machine looks like.

Looks like a xbox one