Valve Opens Steam for Linux Beta Registration – 202 days old

[Alakazam]

Finally,

"Valve has said its Steam for Linux beta would arrive in October, and what did you know, it has delivered. Well, you can sign up for the beta in October at least, and try for a shot to get in. Valve is only looking for 1,000 testers of the Steam for Linux client and prefers them to be experienced Linux users, so if you've never run the open-source OS before, you should probably sit out this initial batch. Ubuntu 12.04 and higher is required as well, but that shouldn't be too hard to meet. Interested applicants need to take a survey while logged in with their Steam account, and then the waiting game begins to see if you're one of the first 1,000 accepted. There was no mention of just how soon the beta will begin, so you may not want to wait too long before filling out the survey."

Valve Linux Steam Client Beta Application

[Grogan]

I would, but I'm not using Ubuntu just so I can test Steam. You can't just boot it up and play with it once in a while, if you're going to test something it has to be in your day to day usage. So, by making it Ubuntu only, they aren't going to get many expert level testers.

The day I can just download a client and try to get it to work on my own system, we'll try it. Actually that might be never, because I never install that unneeded 32 bit "multilib" environment. It's not like Windows... there's a 64 bit compile for everything here.

Proprietary software doesn't work very well in this environment because it's too used to the idea that you have to tailor the system to make the software work, instead of the other way around.

[floppybootstomp]

Aye, good point OrganG, on the one hand they want 'experienced Linux users' and then on the other want them to use Ubuntu. Something of a paradox there methinks

I've been using the Ubuntu derirative, Mint, for a few years now but I'd hardly call myself experienced, lol

Still, let's hope this goes well if for no other reason than to kick Microsoft right up the bollocks

As it happens, I've had a problem with Steam, coupla games I paid for won't work, but I digress, I will talk elsewhere of that should I get the time.

[Grogan]

I sure hope it goes well, I'm just being realistic as to my own situation. It's probably going to be impractical for me, because I don't use something they can "standardize" on. (As I said, the whole point of this environment is that everything is open source, and can be made to work on a specific system instead of the other way around). Perhaps when the client is released, I'll be able to make it work. If not, I'll just have to resign myself to not having it. (If I have to boot to another Linux system JUST to play games, I might as well just boot to Windows)

I'd love to be able to play "Left 4 Dead 2", their first test game, on Linux right now (I just bought that for Windows the other night... $4.99 on Steam). I hate zombie shit, but this game has a lot of maps ("campaigns") and lets you start at whatever campaign AND chapter you want. So if you get tired of zombie killing after half an hour, you can at least start the map at the last chapter you were on. I am not interested in the coop/multiplayer at all but I am enjoying the maps in single player mode. So far, I've got about 6 hours into that game already (several sessions, I tend not to play it for too long at a time)

[mlangdn]

There is an interesting read at LQ about Steam on Slackware.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...re-4175436118/

[BitBender]

* BitBender offers a gentle reminder that when using the "organG" vernacular, one is required to make the organ portion, well, smaller than surrounding text.

Sample:

organG This was the first and copyrighted version, but after several forays by the Canadian RIA, it has been amended to allow any form as long as the basic rule is adhered to; make the organ portion, well, smaller than surrounding text.

Other correct forms include

organG - The Cialis or Viagra form
organG organG - Any thing over 3 point requires an onsite calibration and submission to the that dame in England that set the Marksfurry rules, or whatever.. Bolding the smaller portion is permitted, because even something that small has blood flow potential

[Grogan]

That's pretty much exactly what I thought it would be. (needing multilib and ubuntu dependencies like pus audio)

[Grogan]

organG - The Cialis or Viagra form

Viagra? We don't need viagra... we're walking hard ons.

[Dark Angel]

From a post in the thread at LQ:

So we have 2012, when this is released it will be 2013, but I still have to infect my system with 32 bit libraries? And as if that wouldn't be enough they decided to make it dependent on the soundsystem with the highest latencies out there?
Wow, Valve, I thought you can do this better than that.

I couldn't agree more.

[mlangdn]

So I installed Slackware 14 on another partition and setup multilib. I then installed google-earth just to test the multilib setup and that went ok. Being a lazy-ass sort and sometimes short on brains, I used AlienBob's stuff extensively. I also used his instructions on creating a slackware steam package:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...8/#post4824500.

All was going well, but steam quit since I did not have the latest nvidia blob, so a quick download later I am back in steam at the store. Since I was not invited to the beta (I did apply), all I can do is roam around and look.

And now its decision time again. Ever since Slackware64 rolled out, I have run -current. I did try multilib for a few weeks, but only because of google-earth. I decided I could live without that and went pure 64 bit. Now Steam rolls out a linux client, and it requires a 32 bit environment because all the games are 32 bit. I have to decide whether to bite the bullet and go multilib or just forget about Steam and stay pure as the driven snow. I sure as hell ain't gonna dual-boot a multilib/pure 64 system for Steam. If I did that, I may as well keep Windows around.

I don't know...I've never been pure at anything else - why worry about being pure in my computing environment?

[Dark Angel]

This is the first time I've run a pure 64bit system and to be honest I'm not going back, Steam or no Steam.

It does help that I only play games on console, however.

I had good results with Alien Bob's stuff before and still use his LibreOffice packages rather than running what I believe to be a very lengthy compile even on good hardware.