Honestly I think SteamOS is the crowbar forcing open the Desktop space. Microsoft’s dominance in the desktop space has been with Normies where they can use the power of their purse to maintain their position. Normies don’t care what OS they run. Normies just want the computer to “do the thing” that they need done. Console gaming is a great example of that. None of those gamers care what OS they run and they know nothing about it. If you look at IoT, Windows is free in that space, yet Linux dominates the market by about 80%.
Historically if a big volume OEM sells a PC they are required to sell a Windows license if they want to take advantage of Microsoft’s volume licensing discount. If you are selling 400 dollar and even 800 dollar laptops, a 100 dollar license is a huge chunk of the cost. You have no choice but to take the volume licensing discount as manufacturer. Especially if you also compete for government contracts. The knock-on effect, these OEMs will have to spend money on Windows engineering efforts for each of their devices. That’s drivers, software, and testing. And when you are competing on volume, that doesn’t leave much left over profit to have engineering efforts for a second or third operating system.
The kicker for Microsoft, Microsoft waved the license for Windows on devices with screens smaller than 9" in 2014. Which means, the new Lenovo Steam version should come with SteamOS. The Steam version will likely be the more popular version of the Legion Go S. Other OEMs will see that and begin to offer a Steam version of their device. That all means engineering efforts for Linux on all the handhelds. The same thing for Steam consoles, although I wonder how the 9" rule will apply. Game devs are supporting SteamOS more and more. The knock on effects will eventually lead to OEMs no longer taking the volume licensing discounts. You will see Linux machines in the big box stores, especially when these OEMs are spending money to support Linux for the console.
Microsoft doesn’t dominate any space other then the Desktop where they’ve had vendor lock’in for 30 years. The writing is on the wall. They are losing the handheld space and soon they will be #4 in the console space. Microsoft better have something big soon or pandora’s box will be opened.
If you are selling 400 dollar and even 800 dollar laptops, a 100 dollar license is a huge chunk of the cost.
Gonna note that, on those rare occasions I have the funds to madly research the most optimal PC build I can every like…7+ years…the “Oh man, forgot the OS is another $100+!” Always felt like such an insult!
Whelp, now with OpenSUSE Tumbleweed I’ll never have to worry about that again. :)
Yeah that extra Microsoft tax is a killer. Plus, you’ll notice your systems seems new and snappy for the life of the hardware, unlike Windows. Where your system gets slower and slower every year. I used a Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro with Ubuntu until a couple years ago. It was great until I just needed a ton more ram and tons of cores for my dev project. I basically out grew the system, it still works great, fast and snappy. Gave it to my cousin who uses it as a daily driver.
I’ve heard good thing about Tumbleweed. I’m sure that will keep your system feeling fast and new for life of the hardware.
Honestly I think SteamOS is the crowbar forcing open the Desktop space. Microsoft’s dominance in the desktop space has been with Normies where they can use the power of their purse to maintain their position. Normies don’t care what OS they run. Normies just want the computer to “do the thing” that they need done. Console gaming is a great example of that. None of those gamers care what OS they run and they know nothing about it. If you look at IoT, Windows is free in that space, yet Linux dominates the market by about 80%.
Historically if a big volume OEM sells a PC they are required to sell a Windows license if they want to take advantage of Microsoft’s volume licensing discount. If you are selling 400 dollar and even 800 dollar laptops, a 100 dollar license is a huge chunk of the cost. You have no choice but to take the volume licensing discount as manufacturer. Especially if you also compete for government contracts. The knock-on effect, these OEMs will have to spend money on Windows engineering efforts for each of their devices. That’s drivers, software, and testing. And when you are competing on volume, that doesn’t leave much left over profit to have engineering efforts for a second or third operating system.
The kicker for Microsoft, Microsoft waved the license for Windows on devices with screens smaller than 9" in 2014. Which means, the new Lenovo Steam version should come with SteamOS. The Steam version will likely be the more popular version of the Legion Go S. Other OEMs will see that and begin to offer a Steam version of their device. That all means engineering efforts for Linux on all the handhelds. The same thing for Steam consoles, although I wonder how the 9" rule will apply. Game devs are supporting SteamOS more and more. The knock on effects will eventually lead to OEMs no longer taking the volume licensing discounts. You will see Linux machines in the big box stores, especially when these OEMs are spending money to support Linux for the console.
Microsoft doesn’t dominate any space other then the Desktop where they’ve had vendor lock’in for 30 years. The writing is on the wall. They are losing the handheld space and soon they will be #4 in the console space. Microsoft better have something big soon or pandora’s box will be opened.
Gonna note that, on those rare occasions I have the funds to madly research the most optimal PC build I can every like…7+ years…the “Oh man, forgot the OS is another $100+!” Always felt like such an insult!
Whelp, now with OpenSUSE Tumbleweed I’ll never have to worry about that again. :)
Yeah that extra Microsoft tax is a killer. Plus, you’ll notice your systems seems new and snappy for the life of the hardware, unlike Windows. Where your system gets slower and slower every year. I used a Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro with Ubuntu until a couple years ago. It was great until I just needed a ton more ram and tons of cores for my dev project. I basically out grew the system, it still works great, fast and snappy. Gave it to my cousin who uses it as a daily driver.
I’ve heard good thing about Tumbleweed. I’m sure that will keep your system feeling fast and new for life of the hardware.