[mdlug] An Idea inspired by....

[Ingles, Raymond]

> From: Wolfger

> You really want to impact Linux's desirability? It's all about the games.

 Only for some demographics, and actually a shrinking one. Consoles are
taking more of a share of the gaming dollar and development focus all the
time. PC gaming's been declining for a while. Bear in mind that I *like*
the kinds of games that come out for PCs, but that's the facts.

 Moreover, there are plenty of demographics where Linux is just fine -
basically the vast majority of non-gamers or casual gamers.

> Convince game companies to release games on multiple platforms.

 To do that you buy the games that are available for Linux. I bought Descent 3,
Heretic II, and Myth II, along with Quakes I, II, and III. More recently,
Uplink, Savage, and Darwinia. This xmas I had Cold War and Defcon on my xmas
list; sadly, Defcon didn't get released on Linux in time, but there's always
my birthday, and nobody bought me Cold War. I've got some xmas money left, and
I'm trying to decide if I want to pony up the $45 for it, or pick up something
else. But worst case, come my birthday Defcon should be out for Linux...

> People who don't play games don't seem to realize how important they are,
> and dismiss the issue, but this is what needs to happen for Linux to take
> the desktop. There simply aren't enough games that people want to play
> available for the Linux platform. 

 I gave up on Windows when it crapped out - again - on us a few months back.
I moved my family over to the Linux side, and it's been a little bumpy here
and there but overall everyone's happy. The kids have plenty of games they
like (though not all of their Windows games work on Linux), and if that's not
enough they have the secondhand PS2 in the basement. My wife doesn't play
games so it hardly matters to her.

 I miss a few Windows games but I've got many of 'em running under Linux.
RTCW has native Linux support, Alice runs *flawlessly* under standard Wine
(not even Cedega). SCUMMVM takes care of several of the kids games. I managed
to get Steam running under Wine, and it plays HL and a couple of mods (Opposing
Force & They Hunger) with minor issues. One mod - Darkstar - has more
substantial issues, but oh well.

 Games are important, and valuable, but I don't believe they are a *necessary*
starting point to desktop Linux adoption. I think we can grow from other areas
and *then* accumulate games.

 In particular I think Linux will do well in corporate desktops. As people
get exposed to it at work, they'll want it at home, too.

 Sincerely,

 Ray Ingles                                          (313) 227-2317

 "I'd rather walk my grandmother through a NetBSD install on an SGI
  Crimson via postcard than code with segmentation in mind again."
                           - hxnwix
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