@Unfallen_Satan Where did you get the idea that the flexibility of the PC is gone with this? Sure it's intended purpose is gaming, but it is still an open architecture, you can still swap out parts and improve what you like, you can still get your hands dirty and customize the OS to do whatever you want in addition to gaming, but if you just want a powerful gaming system with (likely) less expensive hardware and (definitely) less expensive games that actual look and play better than their console counterparts, the Steam machine might just be the console for you.
@PixelAddict My bet would be on Nintendo dropping out (Ouya is pretty much already out), but that's only if the Steam Machine is a huge success. I don't think the market or the current economy can handle more than a "big three" in the console space and both Sony and MS are already in a position to crush Nintendo this cycle. Adding a successful Steam box to the mix will probably be way too much for them.
@red_city I wasn't the one who said that, I don't even necessarily agree with it completely (that's a whole 'nother conversation). I only asked about the need to learn a whole new OS. That comment didn't really make sense to me in the context of SteamOS.
@red_city Then this entire thing is not for you and was never intended to be. SteamOS is not a desktop OS replacement, it's a purpose-driven OS specifically for gaming and not much else. It's basically a way for the DIY crowd to make their own Steam console, nothing more. However, the further use and development of this OS will end up benefiting all PC gamers, even if they don"t use SteamOS, as it could push game development off of Windows closed architecture and into open ones that will allow greater flexibility and innovation, while being compatible across all OSes.
@Tech9 I think people like me are the initial market Valve is looking for. Platform agnostic (I play console and PC games, I don't discriminate as long as the game is good), relatively tech savvy (my home network has multiple machines for many purposes, running various OSes) and interested in getting the PC gaming experience on my TV in the simplest way possible. People like me are the ones that will try this out and, assuming it is good, evangelize it to our more rigid PC and console brethren (and sistren), hopefully making them one of us.
@red_city Why would you have to learn a whole new OS? From a strictly gaming perspective, all you would have to do is learn to use the UI. You would only need to "learn" the OS if you intend to go under Steam's hood and tinker with the engine a bit, so to speak.
@Iddhi Lack of controller support doesn't prevent you from running the games in big picture mode, it just means when you do launch them, you have to put down the controller and pick up your mouse. I can run everything in my Steam account, even my non-Steam game shortcuts, from BPM.
@padako Why do people keep seeing this as intended to replace your desktop? Did your Xbox/PS/Wii replace your desktop when you got it? This isn't something for people to switch to instead of a Windows PC, it's something to have in addition to a Windows PC, just like a console.
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