Steam OS
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/
http://repo.steampowered.com/download/
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamuniverse/discussions/1/648814395741989999/
If Valve didn't lied that they would release SteamOS simultaneously with first Steam Box shippings, it should be available tomorrow.
Generally, it's a Linux OS, with "special tweaks", exactly what is tweaked is not yet known. But we can already tell that it's not gonna support DirectX. Therefore, for developers it's gonna be a choice of either going with OpenGL and pals and develop for SteamOS, PS4,Windows, Linux and Mac, and if they go with DirectX they're stuck with XBone and Windows. Some engines may implement both, but honestly, what's the point - besides getting xBox controller to work easily.
Either way, I'm expecting the OS to have a "game mode" which minimizes OS influence, possibly down to zero activity unless requested otherwise, which minimizes context switches and therefore improves performance. Another thing is that it will probably be "locked" to Steam instead of Linux desktop. Maybe they'll work Steam app into desktop manager of some kind, so basically if you quit it, you get bare Linux console, but who knows, maybe it'll work the same way as on PC. I'm pretty sure you'd be able to install third party software easily. We can also expect it NOT to go down a few years after launch like Windows Live.
I'm really looking forward the SteamOS and Steam Box.
http://repo.steampowered.com/download/
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamuniverse/discussions/1/648814395741989999/
If Valve didn't lied that they would release SteamOS simultaneously with first Steam Box shippings, it should be available tomorrow.
Generally, it's a Linux OS, with "special tweaks", exactly what is tweaked is not yet known. But we can already tell that it's not gonna support DirectX. Therefore, for developers it's gonna be a choice of either going with OpenGL and pals and develop for SteamOS, PS4,Windows, Linux and Mac, and if they go with DirectX they're stuck with XBone and Windows. Some engines may implement both, but honestly, what's the point - besides getting xBox controller to work easily.
Either way, I'm expecting the OS to have a "game mode" which minimizes OS influence, possibly down to zero activity unless requested otherwise, which minimizes context switches and therefore improves performance. Another thing is that it will probably be "locked" to Steam instead of Linux desktop. Maybe they'll work Steam app into desktop manager of some kind, so basically if you quit it, you get bare Linux console, but who knows, maybe it'll work the same way as on PC. I'm pretty sure you'd be able to install third party software easily. We can also expect it NOT to go down a few years after launch like Windows Live.
I'm really looking forward the SteamOS and Steam Box.
