Started on Slackware too. I remember building my own kernel and having to make sure it fit on a 1.44MB floppy.

make menuconfig

My bad, it’s been a decade. The key should actually be HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image. That’s the key I was thinking of.

Not sure if this can help. Seems like you might have it covered for now. But, just in case, If you go to the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run you can add a key for the name of the executable that gets run, Ai.exe and the value gets set to another program you want to run. Maybe you can set it to empty. Haven’t used Windows for over a decade, but I do remember setting that value to open an nPipe for debugging with WinDBG.

Correct, and it’s the same for any OS, and figuratively every user. The average user has no clue how to install an OS nor cares to do so. Few people switch the OS on their phone. Few switch to Windows on a Steam Deck. Nobody it trying out different OSes on their SmartTV. It’s the tech nerds that install OSes, they are the ones that switch. That’s why it’s always hilarious to read them complain about Linux needing to be made easy to install for the “average” user.

the only reason people are using windows is because they are pre installed, that’s the only truth.

This couldn’t be more true.

Yep, makes sense. 1500 dollar Mac or a 100 dollar USB dongle. Logic checks out.

cheap USB dongle

Little guys like this one were 5 dollars over ten years ago now. I know because this is the one I would tell folks upgrading from win7 or win8, to win10, to use when their wifi nic wasn’t supported. I also used them for my crypto miners.

A 5 to 15 dollar USB dongle was too much for you? There used to be a time when people understood they would need to buy compatible hardware for the OS. We’re not just talking Windows to Linux here, this same thing happens between Windows versions. Imagine switching to MacOS from Windows or to Windows from MacOS. “Guess MacOS doesn’t work on my Windows hardware. Whelp, back to Windows.”

for 3rd parties to put forth any effort, there needs to be incentives… which would be in the form of demand

I mean this is it. That’s why Microsoft’s vendor lock-in strategy has kept Windows dominant on Desktop. It guarantees money will be spent on Windows first and foremost for all these OEMs. Which guarantees 3rd party support.

If they turn the screws on users hard enough then Linux might gain enough market share for there to be real demand

Regular users wont switch to Linux until the machine comes preinstalled with Linux. Microsoft can screw over their customers and the average user will just have to take it. The average users just doesn’t know any better. Ultimately, average users need to see a machine they want to buy in a brick and mortar store. As long as Microsoft’s vendor lock-in strategy is in affect, the average user will never see a Linux machine, from your typical OEM, even to unknowingly consider. But, if Valve releases a Steam Console, they could put that machine in a brick and mortar store. Lots of regular average users would buy it for the gaming, not realizing it’s Linux. Eventually they would learn they could use the desktop mode in a pinch (same as what happened with the Steam Deck). When they realize the desktop mode works just as well as their PC, likely, they will stop buying a PC altogether. It will be like when PlayStation sold their PS2. Lots of people just bought a PS2 because it came with a DVD player. DVD player sales declined rapidly. If something similar happens with a Steam Console, Linux would have a market share 3rd party developers could not ignore. I don’t know if that would break Microsoft’s vendor lock-in strategy, but I think 10M - 20M Steam Consoles sold every year would definitely get the attention of 3rd party hardware vendors and software vendors for at least the gaming market. And all that would be supported on desktop Linux too; making it even easier for the tech nerds to switch. Then you are just waiting on the network affect to take off.

We will have to see, what unfolds in the next couple years.

Worst take ever. Outside of Desktop, Windows gets dominated by Linux. Even on Azure, Linux is the number one OS over MS’s Windows Server. Windows is free on IoT and still Linux dominates. So what makes Desktop different? 30 years of Microsoft’s vendor lock-in strategy. All the OEMs have to invest into Windows because they have to take the volume licensing deal from Microsoft or be priced out. This ensures Windows engineering efforts for drivers, software, and testing. Because the machines were Windows, 3rd party hardware and software had to invest into Windows as well. When there is no vendor lock-in, Linux receives the money for engineering efforts and dominates Windows. Nobody complains about having Linux on their Smart TV. Right, because the money for engineering efforts are not forced to be put toward Windows. How many people are switching their Steam Deck to Windows 80%? 50%? 10%? 1%,? more like ~0.1% switch. The money is there to make a great experience and so there is almost no reason to switch. It’s only the tech nerds that are installing OSes. Average people don’t even know what Windows or Linux is. When Microsoft loses it’s lock-in strategy, Linux will take over. Nobody is choosing Windows for Desktop. It’s just what comes on the machine at the store.

Exactly, those wannabes are going to get a wakeup call. And you know the rich elites don’t ever have to care what things cost.

I already shop local and buy used. The tariffs don’t me shit to me. It’s only the rich elites and wannabes that are affected.

Then just use Windows. Right tool for the right job.

They don’t drop Chinese from the random sampling. The random sampling is back to normal averages.See here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/steam-tracker/#languagesanchor Also, English only Linux use is relatively the same based on the random sampling, see here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/steam-tracker/#engsplitanchor

Nonsense. It has always been listed on the box if there is support. Same as all the other OSes. How many times have you bought random used Windows hardware to see if you could install MacOS on it? Nobody buys random Mac hardware to see if they can install Windows on it. There were Hackintosh’s but when some didn’t work out, nobody blamed MacOS. Back when Windows ran poorly on Intel Macs because of poor support, Nobody blamed Windows. It’s a double standard.

Shocker, you bought hardware with a compatible OS. That’s the dudes problem. He didn’t buy hardware compatible for Linux. 1984, so I know you are well aware, you have to buy hardware that is compatible with your OS.

Make Local LUGs Great Again.

Sounds like a good strategy. I don’t know all the details, but from the way I understand it, your Linux build would be run by Steam in a Linux container, Steam Runtime. So build and test against that if you can. If I have it right, maybe the Steam Runtime container will give you more confidence if you are able to go with a Linux build.

edit: If you sell your game through Steam.

LOL

Still nothing.

No. I responded to your statement that ‘They are going to write the Linux driver and say, “put this in your handheld.”’ So we’re talking only about Linux development.

Because the driver is for Linux? What a stretch. “the big laptop manufacturers” aren’t going to suddenly drop their expectations just because of “Linux Development”. How laughable. You have nothing. If you really believe that, you better send AMD an email, let them know how Linux development “actually” works. AMD is doing too much and needs to stop helping Valve, Asus, and Lenovo. Clearly the PC(Windows) heavy weights are setting the bar too high for all these “1 off ARM” device vendors.

LOL

Nice, you got nothing.

The industry is more than just Intel and Intel are an outlier with respect to Linux kernel development.

Intel is not an outlier with respect to PCs. Which we are talking about. Specifically, “the big laptop manufacturers”, who are PC manufacturers. These are the manufacturers who are making the overwhelming majority of these Handhelds. Again, not some 1 off ARM vendor.

They already do: https://gitlab.com/evlaV/linux-integration https://gitlab.com/evlaV/linux-integration/activity

Again, you got nothing. All you have left is disingenuous links. Valve works from a fork, like everybody else. You know good and well, Google is doing something very different with their Android Kernel. https://web.git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/log/?qt=grep&q=Valve Valve, and all their contractors work to mainline their additions/changes to Valves fork. I can build a recent Linux kernel from the mainline and use it to boot my Steam Deck.

I’m shocked that this is news for you but, it’s not just Intel who works off their own forks of the different Windows kernels. We get our drivers certified with WHQL and then hand them off to the OEMs who use our IP for release with their devices. In parallel work is done with Microsoft engineers to inbox the drivers. Valve is doing nothing different. Valve does the exact same thing with their fork of Linux. There is no reason to expect anything different out of Valve, Intel, or any other company or individual.

No offence mate but you’re talking bollocks. You clearly don’t know anything about Linux development.

Scuttle the argument how you like. You have nothing so it’s to be expected. We are clearly talking about OP’s claim, which is for the PC industry. Not Linux development. “the big laptop manufacturers”, remember? You can go around and talk about all the “1 off ARM vendors” out there and how poor their practices are and how little they offer; knock yourself out. OP specifically said, “the big laptop manufacturers”. I outline why he is correct in his claim from my direct industry experience. These laptop manufacturers are going to expect the same white glove treatment working with SteamOS as they do for Windows. The exact same treatment AMD did for Valve.

Sounds like you have zero experience with the PC industry and zero experience with even one of “the big laptop manufacturers”.

LOL your experience in Windows driver land is in no way transferrable to Linux driver land.

My experience at Intel with drivers is directly transferable. Intel sells the whole product. That’s why an OEM would choose Intel IP. It’s a core part of the sales strategy at Intel, not Just PC, Servers too (even Linux servers). Especially to the smaller OEMs who don’t have huge engineering teams. Name a server technology or Server component that didn’t get mainlined or inbox’d of Intel’s? Again, core to the sales strategy.

You mean for PCs running Windows.

Yes.

Which is not what we’re talking about.

Yes we are, “At the very least, the big laptop manufacturers”. Lenovo, Asus, and MSI are PC OEMs that make Windows PCs. Laptops, Desktop, Workstations, and now Handheld PCs. Right now PC is dominated by Windows. If the SteamOS version of the Lenovo handhelds are a clear winner, other Windows PC OEMs will follow. They, the big laptop manufacturers, will bring their expectations with them. Just as AMD mainlined into Linux the drivers they did for their components in the Steam Deck, Intel will too. And that brings us back to, “the big laptop manufacturers making Linux handhelds means just from a cost cutting and resource perspective, there’s a good chance laptop and desktop hardware support improves even further just because they reuse parts across devices.” If, the big laptop manufacturers, want the SteamOS name and branding, they will have to mainline and that means selecting IP that has or will have mainline drivers. Valve will not want to go the Google route and maintain a separate Linux Kernel.

Windows PC manufacturers, not 1 off ARM vendors.

I can’t imagine why you would expect drivers to be mainlined by a vendor.

Because I was a Windows kernel developer for Intel. It was standard practice for us to give our reference drivers to the OEMs to deploy with their devices, while we worked with Microsoft to inbox the reference drivers. This was part of the value of the Intel IP.

That’s not the norm.

It is the Norm for PCs. And we are talking about, “Laptop manufacturers making handhelds, leading to cost cutting from a resource perspective.” We aren’t talking about ARM vendors making 1 off devices.