Comment by contrarian1234
3 months ago
that doesn't in any way mean you can install an alternate OS. But i get your point that at least you can run Arch stuff. Isnt Arch ARM support unofficial? (its been ages since i tried) You dont hear of people running it on RPis for example
Well. It doesn't say in any docs or specs, but for what it's worth, Valve's hardware has always been open like that. You're free to install windows on your steam deck, for example.
> Well. It doesn't say in any docs or specs, but for what it's worth
They do hint that you can install a different OS on it:
> Just like any SteamOS device, install your own apps, open a browser, do what you want: It's your PC.
Every other SteamOS device does allow you to install whatever OS on the device, so seems Frame will be the same, judging by that landing page blurb.
They also explicitly mention os. I'm highly doubtful a product with a Qualcomm soc will support installing an alternative os.
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https://lists.archlinux.org/archives/list/arch-dev-public@li...
They're being a little vague about it but this collaboration to improve Arch's build service/infrastructure is being done in part to faciliate support of multiple architectures.
iirc it was in Tested coverage that Valve said the hardware supports other OSes. It'd be out of character for Valve not to allow for this.
If it's anything like the Deck, then the version of SteamOS on it won't be locked down in any way whatsoever. You can install Windows or any other distro you want on the Deck with 0 issues (other than regular ones you'd experience anyways on any regular computer, nothing to do with Valve locking anything down).
The steam deck was not arm. Unlike the steam machine page, the steam frame page does not insinuate you can put a custom OS on it. On top of custom drivers which are not necessarily upstreamed, qualcomm socs always require closed source userspace daemons which are coupled to the kernel.
Valve have been working with Linaro to develop FOSS drivers for the Adreno 750. This is necessary, given how heavily Valve leans on having integrations with Mesa whereas Qualcomm's drivers are designed for an Android environment.
I don't see why they wouldn't unlock the bootloader, it wouldn't be the first Qualcomm-based product to allow it and in press interviews they have pressed, quite hard, that the Frame is still a PC.