[ubuntu-uk] Gaming on Ubuntu

[Anton Kanishchev]

The best way to get a linux gaming page could be a updated ebook style
format-much like the introduction to linux (in pdf format from ages ago)
that explains everything clearly for newcomers. A book style approach (in
digital format) could include documentation on games, sources (ppas) of
games for linux, links to wine emulator, ways to set up more "complex"
things in ubuntu (i.e. running windows programs if required) etc so that it
is easy to find. We must also be careful not to get the impression that we
are persuading people to switch, more like showing there are alternatives.
By that i mean not to give them a talk(rant) of why (insert fav OS) is
better than (name another OS).


I think the best way to advertise gaming [for linux][ it is to make it
mainstream-let me explain.
If they find some "random" forum discussion where geeks share ideas they
may get the wrong impressions about linux (most of them are easier to use
than windows, since everything is configurable). A better approach may be
to let users know that there are a lot of good games out there (and when
steam arrives that will be a LOT more).
      Personally, I can see the switch happening as msft took 25 years of
work and got rid of it. The start menu was not bad...

    My ideas on the matter was more towards getting 12.10 more ready out of
the box-by that i mean dvd playback, vlc media player (now that you have to
pay to get windows media centre(?)) and other common programs. That way the
first impressions of win 8 for the average user would be:

1-where is the start menu!!!???
2-how do i get rid of metro and go back to classic windows!?
3-very untituitive, have to relearn everything
4-spent  £1000 on laptop, now have to spend 25 more (if have win pro) to
get media centre-(some people still use it)

On the other hand on ubuntu side it will be
1-have to relearn anyway so why not try this-wait, you can go back to a
similar (gnome 2/xfce) windows feel on this free os! :-)
2-a lot of programs are free with good support (dropbox, office suite, pdf
reader, web browser, pic manager etc etc)
3-there are games for it (on ubuntu software centre and hopefully on steam
by that time)
4-huge community support
5-less viruses ( etc...)

   Basically we need to let people know that there is support out there for
people switching-the vast majority(non geeks) wont try hard[read- "at all"]
if it isnt working-they will go back to what they know. If we can advertise
the ammount of support that people can receive that will have a greater
impact on all aspects of ubuntu. More people (potentially more publicity/
more developers will start coding for it), better applications, quicker
fixes etc etc, better hardware support because of 1.

Currently linux hangs about 1-2% of consumer (not server) market, thats why
no one really knows anything about it (outside specialised sphere of techs
and geeks). I think people arent switching because there are reluctant to
change (gonna have to any way!) the way they do things and the reluctance
to relearn anything, even if it is vastly superior to what they used before
(of course , until they realise it is much easier/more effective,
unfortunately that could take months).

What do other people think???

On 9 July 2012 20:36, Daniel Case <danielcase10 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hey guys,
>
> If you haven't heard, Windows 8 drops in October (around the release
> of 12.10) and a lot of speculation says people will be looking for
> alternate operating systems, Windows 8 gets rid of a lot and it is
> another Windows Vista as it were, whereas Unity has become a pleasure
> to use. So I think Ubuntu may get a lot of new users during this
> time...
>
> Some of the main things that stop users migrating are gaming, programs
> not working etc, but Steam is releasing a client for Linux and Unity
> (the gaming engine) as well, I think this page could do with an
> update: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Games/ and also, could we
> write a new page about "Linux Gaming" and get it to the first page of
> Google? At the moment the second result is an article from 2009:
>
> https://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=chrome&client=ubuntu&channel=cs&ie=UTF-8&q=gaming+linux
>
> Mono
>
> --
> ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
>
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