Steam dropping Windows 7 and Windows 8 Support in 2024 - because of course a game platform is locked to one shitty web browser

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Not trying to say Windows is perfect out of the box, and I don't have to go and configure a bunch of stuff and install 3rd party software to get my environment to my liking - have not problem with that at all.

But when I just want a basic normie environment for browsing the web and watching videos, and have hearing from Linux people that it "just works" and has been for years, but is clearly not to be the case, I've got to call bullshit.
you sound like a chromeos user. just use chromeos, it actually works well, unlike windows
 
Hate to be that asshole but it sounds like it's time to upgrade. No one likes hearing this. I know I don't. You could try the Steam OS.
You still can legally play Left 4 Dead 2 on the consol that originally released, but not on the OS that originally released, PC Master Race at its finest.
It's a not a PC problem. It's a personal problem. It's a problem for people running OS's that are older than Windows 10 and refuse to upgrade. I have windows 10 and I have no issues. I use Steam all the time. The only option is to upgrade to Windows 10 11 or try the Steam OS on your PC.
 
you sound like a chromeos user. just use chromeos, it actually works well, unlike windows
Real talk, I bought a higher end Chromebook because I got a good deal on it, and I fucked around with it a bit before running the MrChromeBox script and putting a proper distro on it. I was actually impressed with what Chrome OS can do in 2023. There are beta channel features you can enable to run Steam and allow full graphics support for the virtual Linux environment, and you basically get a full-blown Linux experience as well as the ability to sideload Android apps that run through an excellent built in arm emulator. If it wasn't for the mandatory online account login ,which is a deal breaker for me, I probably would have just left Chrome OS on it. It's seriously not bad.

The biggest drawback I found was partition management. Chrome OS will only let you format a drive as exfat and will not let you create or destroy partitions. You may be able to do it through the Linux or Android environment, but if you can, you have to jump through a bunch of hoops to do it, and it's a huge hassle.
 
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I hate Steam. Their market dominance means that you either deal with them or cut yourself off from the majority of games you'd like to buy. Which lets them get away with crappy support and screwing you over on refunds, etc.
why would you have to deal with support or have trouble refunding? if you stick to the 2 weeks/2 hours refunds are automatic, thus you never have to deal with them. and that's only if you buy early access stuff that might be shit after an update or not read reviews which would mention the shit state of the game.
besides certain games most are also available on gog.
 
It's almost as if PC gaming is about upgrading your own shit to keep up with ever-growing software and hardware requirements instead of pulling developers back to make them work with obsolete tech as with consoles.
As much as i loved Win 7 and hate 10, did people really expect them to keep supporting it for any longer?
 
I hate Steam. Their market dominance means that you either deal with them or cut yourself off from the majority of games you'd like to buy. Which lets them get away with crappy support and screwing you over on refunds, etc.
I don't understand this post. Refunds within the stated time limits (which IMO are reasonable) are automatic so I can't see how you're getting screwed over. Their support is head and shoulders above other game store's support. Compare them to the epic gay store or blizzard/activision.

On top of that they're a private company so unlike basically every other digital game storefront they're not required to fuck you over as hard as possible because of their fiduciary duties to their shareholders. And on top of that they've essentially made linux viable for gaming single-handedly (at no cost to the public) to stop MS from turning windows into a walled garden (which is something only they can do because it's a very long term plan without easily tabulated results meaning no public company could stomach it).
 
It's almost as if PC gaming is about upgrading your own shit to keep up with ever-growing software and hardware requirements instead of pulling developers back to make them work with obsolete tech as with consoles.
As much as i loved Win 7 and hate 10, did people really expect them to keep supporting it for any longer?

The issue is that older games on the platform just simply don't run on Windows 10 so effectively people's games are in principle being taken away from them. Of course, Linux runs these older games just fine so they could always make the switch.
 
It's almost as if PC gaming is about upgrading your own shit to keep up with ever-growing software and hardware requirements instead of pulling developers back to make them work with obsolete tech as with consoles.
As much as i loved Win 7 and hate 10, did people really expect them to keep supporting it for any longer?
If I wanted to digitally keep up with the Joneses I'd buy a console every five years (or less).
 
I don't understand this post. Refunds within the stated time limits (which IMO are reasonable) are automatic so I can't see how you're getting screwed over. Their support is head and shoulders above other game store's support. Compare them to the epic gay store or blizzard/activision.

On top of that they're a private company so unlike basically every other digital game storefront they're not required to fuck you over as hard as possible because of their fiduciary duties to their shareholders. And on top of that they've essentially made linux viable for gaming single-handedly (at no cost to the public) to stop MS from turning windows into a walled garden (which is something only they can do because it's a very long term plan without easily tabulated results meaning no public company could stomach it).
Valve's support for Linux can't be overstated. Beyond being basically the only real major player that fully supports Linux, they have contributed immensely to many critical components of what makes modern Linux gaming possible outside of their direct business. Beyond things such as Proton, even if you never install Steam on your system, they have contributed greatly to things such as the open source Mesa drivers and RADV, and spearheaded projects such as DXVK.
 
Someone needs to start an archive of cracked (up to date) steam games for future posterity
People have tried, but either the sites they archive to either have an expiration date for the file or it get's taken down manually by the site itself for "breaking a rule". /v/ has a share thread that has links to plenty of torrents/megas but it's not updated frequently, as some of them are dead, so pirates really only have 2 options...
  • find a repack site (such as DODI or FitGirl) and hope they eventually get to cracking whatever game you want
  • find a GOG version of it on GOG-Games and download/install it that way.
 
It's a lot easier to make a Linux distro than maintain a browser fork, a lot less code involved in it as well. Browsers are the definition of gimped, bloated webshit.
Even if you only need it to access one website?
 
It's a lot easier to make a Linux distro than maintain a browser fork, a lot less code involved in it as well. Browsers are the definition of gimped, bloated webshit.
Even if you only need it to access one website?
They have two options in this case:
1) Use an old version of a web browser and cater to that version (E.g, anything on KaiOS IIRC is running on Firefox 45.)
2) Develop a native app for Windows/Linux (and maybe Mac, but I doubt it.)
While 1 seems easy, you'd have to ensure the browser doesn't get any exploits that'll fuck over you're users, alongside ignoring any new technologies browsers get. 2 is pretty self explanatory.
 
I view this requirement of Windows 10+ as a neccessary evil.
I guess so. It isn't Valve's fault really, it's Chromium that's dropping Windows 7. They shouldn't have to roll their own browser engine / redevelop all their shit because Google glue-eaters decided to break compatibility.
 
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