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Comment by paulcole

2 months ago

If your belief is that Steam Deck is Linux Desktop then you need to count Switch/PS5/Xbox as desktops as well and take those into account with the OS percentages.

Steam Deck has (accessible in menu by default) desktop mode that is just KDE with desktop icons and everything.

  • I don't think his point was that it's not linux but rather that it's not a desktop, and if it counts as a desktop, then so do the rest of the gaming consoles runnining non-linux, which probably didn't get counted so the 5% would be lower.

    • This is wrong. A steamdeck in desktop mode is exactly a desktop. You can write and execute code on it the exact same way you do on your laptop

      You cant do that on mobile devices or other handhelds

      3 replies →

    • Yea except I cant use my PS5 as a actual desktop. As in my steamdeck has a DE. My actual desktop is 4000 km away. So I have a monitor and mouse + KB plugged into my steamdeck Dock and its no different.

    • The other consoles don't have the same capabilities. They don't have a desktop, so they're not a desktop. SteamOS has a desktop, and it's one of the most popular Linux desktops, KDE. So, it's a desktop operating system.

  • Wow, I did not know this. Does anyone know the history behind why they chose KDE over GNOME? I promise: I am not picking a fight over those two.

By picking a standard menu option I can go to a traditional desktop and use Libre Office and Firefox.

Can I so that with a Switch?

I can plug in a USB dock, with a monitor, mouse and keyboard and edit images with GIMP.

Can I do that with a PS5?

If I like the Steam Deck UI, I can install a package on my desktop and pick it on login, thus gaining basically all of this functionality. I in fact do have the SteamOS 3 UI installed on a gaming PC, and it works really well.

Can I install the PS5 UI and the ability to play PlayStation games on a BSD box?

I can't use a Switch as a Desktop Linux, I can use my Steam Deck as a Desktop Linux.

It's not exactly a belief, it's my experience.