News Valve encouraging gamers to try Linux

As a long-time newbie linux user I have to say that Steam works best on Ubuntu machines because it always does have the newest libraries, newest versions of programs and software is needed by Steam. The Ubuntu is based on Debian linux, but Debian does not have the amount of developers Ubuntu does have and that is what makes Ubuntu more often updated than Debian.
I have managed to install older version of Steam on a Debian machine once, I had to get the needed packages and software manually. After days of fighting with hundreds of packages, I managed to get it work.

 

Eh, not quite. Yes, Ubuntu is a debian derivative, but there are 3 core reasons why Steam isn't so debian friendly:
1. Ubuntu is like an adopted child - it has the same characteristics as it's "biological" parent (debian), but Canonical, the "foster" parent, shaped it to behave completely different. You might be able to find a package of a program that is the same version on both debian and ubuntu, but it doesn't mean it will work, because canoncial modified it to their liking.
2. Steam was explicitly (originally) intended to be for ubuntu only. The fact that it doesn't easily work on other distros is exactly why Valve never bothered supporting all of them. While I'm not saying canonical has made all the right decisions with ubuntu (meaning, ubuntu isn't exactly qualified to be a linux standard), its repository is the most popular and ubuntu is the only free distro with commercialization in mind.
3. Debian is intended to be stable, and by their definition that means old. Ubuntu is more cutting-edge

Personally, I don't find steam to be any better or worse on linux than it is with windows. It seems to take up less disk space (which is weird considering how much space it wastes on temporary files and 32 libraries) and you don't have to wait to install games, but it overall has an equal experience in my opinion.

 

I see Steam on Linux[SoL] as a minority pursuit in the long run. It is for the current and future crops of Linux guys or those that are already part of the SoL Beta and have been since they could get accepted, or since general availability earlier this year.

For those that want a fairly flawless console/MS Windows like experience, well that's what Steam OS should become, eventually.

And here's a reality check for those wanting Windows games on Steam OS/SoL. Just as the XBone and PS4 can't play each other's games discs or downloads, even though they pretty much share the same architecture, you should not expect Steam OS/SoL to play MS Windows games, even if you can run the OSes on the same machine.

The slight benefit of Steam that I see is that Valve are pushing for Steam Play, so you should buy the game once and play anywhere; whether that be Windows/Mac/SoL or Steam OS. It is one of the reasons that I have a reasonable collection of games on Steam; the support.