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Linux might never replace Windows, so Valve is putting it in your living room instead
Quoting: Linux might never replace Windows, so Valve is putting it in your living room instead —
If there's anything that the Steam Deck proved, it was that people are perfectly willing to use Linux when the experience is polished, predictable, and focused on what they actually want to do. Valve didn't have to convince millions of users to install a Linux distro. Instead, Valve simply sold them a gaming device that happened to run Linux underneath.
The Steam Machine appears poised to continue that philosophy. On the surface, it will be a gaming console through and through and will boot directly into Steam, offering a controller-friendly interface and delivering a streamlined experience much more like a PlayStation or Xbox than a traditional PC. Simplicity is what sells hardware, after all, and that's exactly what the Steam Machine promises to deliver.
It's easy to forget, though, that SteamOS does come packaged with a full desktop mode. If you've spent even a single day with a Steam Deck, you know that the desktop mode is surprisingly capable, remarkably approachable, and definitely one of the most polished Linux experiences currently available. As such, every time a Steam Machine is sold, Valve will effectively place a small form-factor Linux PC in the living room of that house.