Exploration of running two operating systems side by side in SteamOS
Exploration of running two operating systems side by side in SteamOS
Sure, the concept focuses on reduced overhead and improved optimization, offering something more modern than the outdated Xbox and Steam platforms. It highlights how Windows development has influenced this shift, showing progress beyond those older systems. You can still run various apps, but they won’t be running in the background unnecessarily.
@OP As you keep referring back to the era of Win9x vs DOS: I guess there's a big misunderstanding at play here. Back in late 90s when you selected "reboot into dos mode" you fundamentally changed how the system work at a low level: You limited yourself to the 16-bit world of DOS 7 with all its issues and only run one program at once. All the fancy magic in win 9x, which relied upon dos, happened due to loading the windows kernel which provided stuff like multitasking or graphics. Today when you talk about windows vs linux it's very different from that. You don't "reboot into steam" just to play one game - current SteamOS 3 is based on the full blown Arch Linux and hence with a bit of fiddeling can be installed on any pc. In fact valve itself states the steam deck as a regular pc and hence official supports windows on it. So "rebooting into steam" is completely shutting down all of windows and booting a modified version of Arch Linux - which, btw, requires a bit of tinkering on windows first like disabling fast start - otherwise dual booting windows with linux can cause some stranfe issues.
This is why I mentioned XboxOS. Starting a live launch on PC using the same API root files (Dx12 and drivers) is feasible. The PS5 runs on X86 architecture, which means Sony could potentially create its own OS launcher if desired. The operating system in DOS is unclear, but the Windows API, DirectX, and related layers manage hardware integration—similar to Linux. The 'X' in Xbox isn't about Elon Musk; it relates to DirectX, which combines features like DirectAudio and Direct3D into one. If a DirectXbox existed, with hardware closely matching most PC specs, XboxOS would be a customized system with its own security and social tools.
If existing drivers work on your machine, why not treat a game launcher as a live boot OS that builds on Windows? That avoids conflicts with overlays like GeForce, Steam Overlay, Discord, etc., which often interfere with each other. I’ve found at least a few games that don’t play well with Discord. While Steam isn’t the only launcher, it doesn’t offer the same stability or frequent updates as alternatives.
GFWL was meant to be XboxOS on PC, but it ended up being another tool that complicated things. I believe those who grasp this idea will understand, while others simply don’t see the potential. They’ve focused too much on Discord’s simplicity, overlooking the need for secure, well-maintained forums and stable game environments.
Perhaps your confusion stems from the complexity of what you're seeing. It seems like a mix of ideas that aren't immediately clear. You might be wondering why we should go back to simpler systems or jump straight into a game, rather than using a more advanced operating system that supports multiple applications. Your perspective could reflect a misunderstanding of modern technology.
They didn't release a big launch like LIVE mode. They didn't fully use the hardware for all the FPS performance. Some people tried using a Hypervisor, but I haven't worked with a VM on Windows since then. Back in the day I thought it would be better than XP or Vista, but it turned out to be terrible and compatibility mode was more dependable for my needs.