Windows 8 a Catastrophe, Want Linux to Thrive: Gabe Newell

[btarunr]

Gabe Newell is part of the crowd that's not impressed with Microsoft Windows 8, or the direction in which it's going to take PC gaming. Newell's concerns, expressed in an interview to VentureBeat, go beyond the God-awful UI, and predict that Windows 8 could reshape the computing industry in a way that's bad for high-performance desktops, at least those sold by major OEMs, which could affect game developers and distributors such as Valve, which took roots in the PC platform.

"I think that Windows 8 is kind of a catastrophe for everybody in the PC space. I think that we’re going to lose some of the top-tier PC [original equipment manufacturers]. They’ll exit the market. I think margins are going to be destroyed for a bunch of people. If that’s true, it’s going to be a good idea to have alternatives to hedge against that eventuality," said Newell.



The alternatives he is referring to are the other platforms Valve is setting up its Steam content distribution platform. The company already has Steam client for Apple OS X, with quite a few of its games ported to, and enabled to existing buyers using SteamPlay. The company also recently announced that its client for desktop Linux (Ubuntu, to be precise), is up and running, and that it sees a future for PC gaming on Linux.

Moving the PC gaming to Linux is not a herculean task, and is just going to need a few few big companies to take initiatives. One of them is Valve, the others include companies governing Linux distributions, hardware vendors getting their act together and releasing fully-functional drivers, and lastly, for game developers to see the potential in all of it. The move to Linux doesn't change the machine, it only changes the software.

"One, we’re trying to make sure that Linux thrives. Our perception is that one of the big problems holding Linux back is the absence of games. I think that a lot of people — in their thinking about platforms — don’t realize how critical games are as a consumer driver of purchases and usage. So we’re going to continue working with the Linux distribution guys, shipping Steam, shipping our games, and making it as easy as possible for anybody who’s engaged with us — putting their games on Steam and getting those running on Linux, as well. It’s a hedging strategy," said Newell.

Source: VentureBeat

[Initialised]

I disagree, after moving my desktop to Windows 8 my gaming performance went up. This scaremongering doesn't help the PC industry. But Windows could do with some competition.

[KainXS]

he is not talking about performance he is saying that windows 8 will have more emphasis on the microsoft store and the microsoft store is going close windows off because microsoft manages everything, and he is right, but he is overreacting, windows will still be windows and you can still install applications the old way so yea.

hes just scared of competition in reality

[xanagu]

mister fat-ass here only fears for his market share

[gottimw]

Originally Posted by xanagu

mister fat-ass here only fears for his market share

"mister fat-ass" also created platform that kept PC gaming going and created huge market niche for indi developers. And now he is trying to make Linux more popular. Not to mention creating one of the best company to work for (at least in gaming industry), that is run for innovation and then for profit. Have you ever played bad Valve game???

So how about all of you Mac and Windows fan boys go back to your fanboying forums and live happily in your bobbles.

[1Kurgan1]

My biggest problem is the UI, I simply won't switch. I already have an Android tablet, I don't need a UI like that for my PC.

[_JP_]

Win8 has a crappy GUI and locks-out some boot features...that's it.

[xanagu]

Originally Posted by gottimw

"mister fat-ass" also created platform that kept PC gaming going and created huge market niche for indi developers. And now he is trying to make Linux more popular. Not to mention creating one of the best company to work for (at least in gaming industry), that is run for innovation and then for profit. Have you ever played bad Valve game???

So how about all of you Mac and Windows fan boys go back to your fanboying forums and live happily in your bobbles.

Lol, as if anyone can extract a single reason for bashing W8 from his words

[Delta6326]

Originally Posted by btarunr

"I think that Windows 8 is kind of a catastrophe for everybody in the PC space. I think that we’re going to lose some of the top-tier PC [original equipment manufacturers]. They’ll exit the market. I think margins are going to be destroyed for a bunch of people. If that’s true, it’s going to be a good idea to have alternatives to hedge against that eventuality," said Newell.

...What!? Why would top-tier PC OEM exit the market because of W8? I'm sorry to say Gabe, but the majority of PC owners don't play PC games.

[Aleksander]

And why Gabe telling this? I told this on this forum weeks ago and no news appeared...

(this is true for others. I wrote this to make it even more believing that windows 8 is a piece of ****)

Not only games, but even OS are going so low

@delta
All people i know in my life all played games, even teachers and babies 4 years old. Even girls played Counter-Strike
which i was amazed. Or games on facebook where i get 500 requests everyday

And even a 80 year old who played chess on my pc...

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by Delta6326

...What!? Why would top-tier PC OEM exit the market because of W8? I'm sorry to say Gabe, but the majority of PC owners don't play PC games.

The talk of Linux is because it's an open platform, and Windows 8 is a move towards a walled garden like Apple has with their products. This is turn means that hardware specifications may be dictated like how Apple does it, with very limited upgrade paths, and very few "certified compatible" parts. With less possibility to upgrade, of course hardware makers are going to disappear.

The majority of PC owners is NOT the majority of PC users. Most PCs are owned by businesses, but at the same time, most people play some gamne or another on thier PC.

Keep in mind, PC = Personal Computer, and an iphone, or any "smartphone". is a personal computer. Gabe said it himself, he's not very good at conveying his own ideas, so you very much need to read between the lines here, and from Gabe's perspective.

[TheMailMan78]

He just wants people to buy Steam box.

[Morgoth]

i find it good that gabe supports osx and linux, i do hope he releases a sdk that works with linux and osx so mods can be used on those platforms to

[BigMack70]

Windows 8 does look like a catastrophe to me (for desktop PC)... I won't ever switch to that horrid looking UI.

For tablets, it looks great, but it just seems to be too schizophrenic as an OS overall.

[v12dock]

Put the old UI back and I am betting Microsoft will and everyone will be happy

[Steevo]

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

He just wants people to buy Steam box.

Occams electric shaver.

Follow the money, why put on a BS show like this when the new UI can be disabled on Win 8, preceding the launch of their own platform and content, it is a FUD move.

[Ravenas]

Microsoft just reported their first quarterly loss since 1987 or 1986. Windows 8 will continue this bleeding.

[trickson]

Win8 just plain sucks. It looks like some kid made the thing.

[Fragman]

The only thing holding me on wincrap from microcrap is the games.

[Crap Daddy]

Originally Posted by Ravenas

Microsoft just reported their first quarterly loss since 1987 or 1986. Windows 8 will continue this bleeding.

You are talking about this?

http://www.techpowerup.com/169283/Mi...r-Revenue.html

I'm seeing everything's bright and shinny.

[AphexDreamer]

He says go beyond the UI. Granted the UI sucks and most of us don't like it, it can be disabled. You have to wonder what Microsoft's real goal is here?

This new look and direction of Microsoft's OS for PC's could very well lead to what Gabe predicts and I like gabe hope this isn't true and I'm all for the Linux Popularity Boost.

[Ravenas]

Originally Posted by Crap Daddy

You are talking about this?

http://www.techpowerup.com/169283/Mi...r-Revenue.html

I'm seeing everything's bright and shinny.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...86I1DP20120719

The Redmond, Washington-based company reported a net loss of $492 million, or 6 cents per share, for its fiscal fourth quarter, compared with a profit of $5.87 billion, or 69 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter.

The loss was expected after Microsoft said earlier this month that it would take a $6.2 billion write-down for the value of its online unit after an ill-fated acquisition of a digital advertising agency five years ago.

Microsoft has not suffered a quarterly loss since going public in 1986.

It makes it look better when the numbers are like this (0.06) instead of like this -0.06.

[alucasa]

Simple rule of MS.

Good OS -> Bad OS -> Good OS -> Bad OS -> Good OS and so on.

Windows 7 was good, so historically speaking, Windows 8 is bound to be a big poo.

[selveneighten]

If this means that one day there will be fully functioning Nvidia/AMD drivers in Linux, I will cry tears of joy.

[NC37]

Reminds me of the x86 switch for OSX. Years just after were really dark for gaming on Macs. Mostly because of Bootcamp. There was no need for Mac gaming companies due to it. I called it too but everyone was overjoyed. It only sorta recovered because of iOS and improving market share. Heck that change also killed off the upgrade market for Macs with the exception of the flashing community.

If Win 8 is such a drastic change then I could see what Gabe says being true.