SteamOS in 2017
SteamOS in 2017
I've tried vanilla Debian a few times. It lacks some conveniences you find on Ubuntu or Mint, like a user-friendly software center or update assistant. However, once everything is set up and a graphical desktop is running, it functions just fine. I even installed Debian on a G4 PowerBook—though it was quite challenging, it mainly came down to the hardware limitations of that device rather than the operating system itself.
Windows 10 paired with Steam is configured to activate in Big Picture Mode, delivering the top performance of SteamOS. >_>
Exactly, each goal matters differently. What I appreciate about the Linux world is its variety. Nearly every distribution excels in a specific area. That’s what I applied to my home setup – using Windows 7 as the foundation. I set up a new account and ran Steam.exe instead of Explorer.exe, so it launches straight into Steam without opening a desktop. I also made another account for Kodi, configured it similarly so the login now functions like a mode selector. When the machine powers on, users can choose between Kodi or Steam. I even added an option to start EmulationStation, covering all media and gaming needs without ever seeing a desktop. In a way, this differs from SteamOS, which still feels like a Windows machine disguised as a media player/console hybrid with some noticeable quirks. SteamOS and Kodibuntu, on the other hand, feel more unified. Still, it works well enough for my mom to watch movies from the NAS without confusion.
I don't switch the Shell because I'm not that particular, but Kodi has a 'Steam Launcher' addon that can terminate Kodi, Launch Steam (directly into BPM if you prefer), and it pauses until Steam exits before restarting Kodi. This might be more convenient than changing the OS login. It works well on my main HTPC. In my 'laptop turned into a desktop' setup, it simply runs Windows 10 with drivers plus Steam BPM since it doesn't require much else.
That's interesting, I hadn't considered that before. It could definitely simplify things.
It wouldn't be the top choice, but for Windows titles it's simpler. I prefer a complete desktop setup under Steam, offering more features and tools, so the system stays aligned with my needs instead of constantly changing.
this is EXACTLY what the living room PC is about. sit down, fire it up, watch movies, play games. i disabled the shell on purpose because the PC is there to be used by everyone. that means family AND their friends. i am not always around to play "watchdog" when one of them friends uses this box so i also want this PC to just work and not be damageable on the software side - and without the shell it is less likely someone can screw with the OS my first solution was to leave the desktop active and just add steam to the autostart folder. yeah ... until some of my brothers stupid friends used the computer and they started to alt+tab out of steam to download and install random shit. desktop disabled = no file explorer = no klicking on installers = problem solved they might know enough about computers to install useless trash and fuck up audio settings but don't know enough to start explorer.exe (or any other program) without desktop icons to click on.
I’m on my own, so I don’t have to worry about anyone interfering with my device. (But sometimes I do end up messing things up. >_>) It seems limiting certain actions like Alt-Tab or opening a browser could be a big issue. "No, I understand this site that claims you can get OverWatch for free by installing an EXE from OverWatchTotesFree.ru!"