It's Official: Valve Releasing Steam, Source Engine For Linux!

[deanjo]

There is a big difference between them being silent and neither confirming or denying something, as in the Mac OS X client, and coming out and explicitly stating you aren't working on it, as in the Linux client.

Yup, the OS X client was discovered some months before their announcement as well (through simular signs) and they never denied that it was being worked on before it was announced. AFAIK Valve has never denied working on a product that later came to be.

[ZedDB]

Well if you are to mark words then he said that they weren't currently working on the linux client. Not that they didn't have any plans for it.
If he really wanted to make if perfectly clear that it isn't coming I wish he would chosen a better wording for it.
Because he chould just have said: "We will not have a linux client."
And it would've been crystal clear.

[Gokumon]

Well if you are to mark words then he said that they weren't currently working on the linux client. Not that they didn't have any plans for it.

Except that Michael claims that they ARE working on it and claiming it'll be released. So if this were true, why would Valve deny it? They didn't deny working on the Mac OS X client when people first discovered evidence of it. In fact prior to the official announcement they were making all sorts of hints and teasers about it. This statement about a Linux client makes no sense taking into account Valve's history.

I'm surprised that people still take Michael seriously when he makes these claims. Supposedly Steam for Linux was already "confirmed" back in 2008. Just like the people who constantly predict the second coming of Jesus and fail, when the Steam client for Linux fails to materialize at the end of the year, Michael will just claim that it's still coming just later next year. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Gokumon]

Oh and Michael, exactly what does Valve actually gain by making a false denial about currently working on a Linux client?

[Setlec]

Gokumon, you apparently failed to understand the topic and quotes and whatever related to this subject:

Doug Lombardi: There's no Linux version that we're working on right now. ...

let me show you where you might have failed

Doug Lombardi:
(...) right now. ...

so now you might have noticed where you failed! Valve hasn't still denied anything about a linux client as ZedDB said in his post!

[Gokumon]

Gokumon, you apparently failed to understand the topic and quotes and whatever related to this subject:
let me show you where you might have failed
so now you might have noticed where you failed! Valve hasn't still denied anything about a linux client as ZedDB said in his post!

I didn't fail to understand anything. Valve says they are not working on the client. Michael claims, in contradiction of this statement, that they are currently working on it and that a release by the end of the year is not out of the question. What have I failed to notice?

Secondly, as I pointed out, Valve has no history of denying the existence of something that later comes out. They didn't deny the existence of the Mac OS X client, so why would they deny working on a Linux client if what Michael claims is true?

To quote Michael:

I will simply say Valve is still working on the Linux client and it is still coming.

[Gokumon]

From Valve:

There's no Linux version that we're working on right now

From Michael:

I will simply say Valve is still working on the Linux client and it is still coming. It may not be delivered on Valve's original time-line (end of Summer), but by year's end is still not out of question.

Both of these statements can not be true at the same time. So as I asked before, why would Valve falsely deny the existence of the client (despite not doing so when evidence of the Mac OS X client was first discovered) and what would they possibly gain from it?

[d2kx]

Valve didn't "come out and denied it". They got explicity asked in an interview and Doug got into an uncomfortable situation. He had to answer, he couldn't confirm it just yet and didn't have time to think about a good wording before the interview.

[Setlec]

(...) why would Valve falsely deny the existence of the client (...) and what would they possibly gain from it?

they never denied the existence of the client, afaik. I've no clue what gain they would get other than tarnishing their creditability!

[Gokumon]

Valve didn't "come out and denied it". They got explicity asked in an interview and Doug got into an uncomfortable situation. He had to answer, he couldn't confirm it just yet and didn't have time to think about a good wording before the interview.

Then he would have said he can't comment instead of saying they aren't working on it.