I just thought I’d let you know that Steam unfortunately won’t be coming to Linux.

All of that was just rumors spreading by the community. Steam actually crushed the rumor and wrote that they weren’t working on a version for Linux over here: http://games.slashdot.org/story/10/08/23/1237200/Steam-Not-Coming-To-Linux

Guess we’ll just have to keep on waiting…

/Nabil, from Sweden. Think I left another comment, except it got marked as spam.

Thank you for your comments!

I’m not excited about “DRM being ported to GNU/Linux”, nor am I defending DRM in general or in this specific instance.

I see games for Linux developing in 3 branches, with very little overlap:

1. FLOSS games (FreeCiv, Battle for Wesnoth, Alien Arena, etc.)
2. Commercial indie games (a la the recent Humble Indie Bundle)
3. “AAA” titles (Doom, Quake, etc.)

Not only are these 3 groups largely independent sets, but the 3rd group virtually requires a publisher to embrace Linux; and of the existing large publishers, Valve is probably the “best fit” for Linux.

That doesn’t mean I’m advocating #3 over #1 (or #2) or that I approve of DRM or anything similar.

I’m saying in the context of a major game publisher coming to Linux, Valve is – to be blunt – the lesser of other evils – especially since iD may no longer be supporting Linux under EA.

In my estimation this is very different from attempting to displace or even hinder existing Free and Open Source solutions (for one thing, there is no such thing as a major FLOSS game publisher.)

Similarly, it is unlikely that Valve will wage a war of patent FUD, bribery and astroturfing against FLOSS game developers.

A small tangent here: Valve is not Microsoft. If you think all proprietary software houses are equally destructive and vile, then I have to disagree and point out that is the sort of blind equivalence that I often take others to task for. (Example: When Team Apologista desperately tries to pretend that Microsoft is “just like any other company” or is “only doing business”.)

Thus, although I am opposed to DRM, it does not mean that I can not acknowledge that of all possible uses Valve’s is less odious than Ubisoft’s. If I were to say all DRM is equally offensive, I think that would be lacking in rigor.

I could have focused on the problems with DRM (in general and in this specific case), but I don’t think it is the most interesting thing in this context. Perhaps I gave off the wrong vibe by not being more critical, but I’m not trying to point out the cloud in every lining, either.

Seeing how you like busting balls on everything hostile to free software, I would expect you to talk more about these points instead of conviniently ingoring them and perpetuating hype from other sources.

DRM is utterly against the very idea of free software. But you seem to be ALMOST defending it. Suddenly you are being PRACTICAL about DRM because it servers your short-term needs.
You know, there is another group of people practical about certain technology which is harmful to free software in the long run, but benefitial to them in short term… And if you keep this up you will be no better than them.

Please slap yourself, wake up, and get your priorities straight. You should be getting people to boycott the DRM, not condoning it.