SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
If your Linux-using mates suddenly disappear for a day or two, we can explain why: Netflix has just revealed it's fully and formally available on the OS
As the streamer points out, Chrome's worked for in-browser playback since 2014. But not officially.
As of Tuesday, however, "users of Firefox can also enjoy Netflix on Linux."
Netflix reckons this is "a huge milestone for us and our partners, including Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Mozilla that helped make it possible."
HTML 5 had a lot to do with it, too, because by enabling plugin-free video playback it meant Linux users were spared the the recurring security nightmare that is Adobe Flash, which recently made a meaningful Penguin-land after ignoring Linux for years.
The reason you haven't switched to Linux is:
- 1. Games
2. Netflix
[editors note: the game situation isn't all that bad now, with over 3,000 games now available for Linux on Steam]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by requerdanos on Thursday March 23 2017, @02:13PM (6 children)
editors note: the game situation isn't all that bad now, with over 3,000 games now available for Linux on Steam
First, thank you for taking the time to be an editor here.
Second, I believe this statement is more propaganda than helpful, even though it's technically true.
The "game situation" is, to some people, a genuine reason not to switch operating systems.
I am not one of those people--I already switched. This was possible for me because every function in my workflow (and playflow as it were) works fine in GNU/Linux.
If some significant portion of what I do had not been available, then I had the choice of either "not switching" or "changing what I do". But even a missing single function would have been a deal-breaker if I could not either implement it or avoid it.
Think of it this way: Let's say my operating system was "Nintendo 64" and I was an avid gamer. And my essential tasks were getting more stars and finding all the coins in Mario 64, and unlocking Special Cup tracks in Mario Kart 64, and doing [whatever people do] in Paper Mario and Mario Tennis and other such games. Now let's say one of the annoying sony fanboys tells me "You should switch to Playstation 2. There are over 3000 games available."
The N64 had less than 500 games [zetaboards.com] ever released for it, but with about 1800 [gamesradar.com] PS2 native titles plus around 1200 [nintendoage.com] PSX games, most of which are quite playable on the PS2, the number of playstation games statement is pretty accurate.
Here's the rub. How many of those 3000 games help me in my daily workflow of collecting Mario 64 stars? Unlocking Mario Kart 64 Special cup? Finding gold, red, or blue coins?
AC said earlier in this thread, and it's the takeaway message here:
[Linux gaming is] getting better, but if the games you want are windows only, you don't care how many thousands of OTHER games are on steam for linux
I see what you are saying; the games situation is improving, to be sure, and it's great improvement. The Winehq folks toil and trudge and make game after game playable on Linux. Valve is making the situation better by embracing Linux and making more and more games work. These are all good things.
But still, if you pick a random gamer's five or ten favorite games, half of them will still be unplayable in Penguin land. Even if 3000 lesser games work fine.
Ars Technica [arstechnica.com] puts it this way:
[We're] cautiously optimistic about the promise of a viable PC gaming market that doesn't rely on a Microsoft OS... Valve has already transformed gaming on Linux from "practically nothing" to "definitely something" and could be on the verge of making it much more than that.
Like you, I hope it keeps getting better and better. But Netflix *works*. Every movie, every show you want to watch plays just the same as it would under another OS. That's not true for Steam.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Grishnakh on Thursday March 23 2017, @02:54PM
Yeah, but what if you want to play games X, Y, and Z, and X only works on N64 and Z only works on Playstation 2? And what if the PS2 somehow maliciously causes problems with your N64, and in general is extremely unreliable, and on top of that is just a PITA to use, with horribly designed controllers that give you RSI and also discolor the skin on your hands from toxic chemicals used in the plastics, whereas the N64 has highly ergonomic controllers that are perfectly safe to use?
At some point, you have to decide how much pain you want to put up with to use a certain platform, and if you really *need* it that much and the applications on it. Is game X *soooo* important that you're willing to choose your computing infrastructure based on that one thing? For many of us, the answer is no. If that game company really wanted my business, they'd support my platform of choice. If they don't think it's worth it, that's their right, and it's my right to not buy from them and do something else with my time. If that involves game-playing, there's plenty of other games available for Linux, so I'd rather patronize a company that aligns better with my computing preferences.
(Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 23 2017, @03:02PM
numbers numbers numbers tl;dr
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Pino P on Thursday March 23 2017, @03:33PM (1 child)
How many of those 3000 games help me in my daily workflow of collecting Mario 64 stars?
What prevents you from changing your workflow from Mario to Spyro? It wouldn't be too much harder than from PaintShop Pro to GIMP, which I've used to make graphics for four commercially published video games. And with games not published by Nintendo, there's not quite as much chance of Content ID taking your ad revenue if you post a review to YouTube.
Unlocking Mario Kart 64 Special cup?
I've read good reviews for changing your workflow to Lego Racers, Crash Team Racing, or Toy Story Racer.
(Score: 2) by requerdanos on Thursday March 23 2017, @08:14PM
How many of those 3000 games help me in my daily workflow of collecting Mario 64 stars?
What prevents you from changing your workflow from Mario to Spyro? It wouldn't be too much harder than from PaintShop Pro to GIMP
Being more serious for a few moments... I have had jobs with Photoshop as one of my essential tools. Once with Photoshop 3, then 4, then 5; later with Photoshop 7, CS, and CS2. Yet one book purchase later (Grokking the Gimp, which I highly recommend) I was up to speed with Gimp and I've used it ever since.
HOWEVER! I have tried Spyro, Rayman, Sonic Adventure, many different non-Mario games, and to be honest, I still, 20 years later, have an N64 and still play Mario 64. (My current savegame only has about 25 stars because I don't play as often nor for as long as I used to). Haven't played any of the others in years.
This helps me to understand people who tell me "Yeah but I gotta have game [so-and-so] and it doesn't work in Linux". Okay, I get it. For me there is no one Windows-platform game that would hold me to Windows, and indeed I don't Windows anymore. But I get that for others, this is a thing.
Unlocking Mario Kart 64 Special cup?
I've read good reviews for changing your workflow to Lego Racers, Crash Team Racing, or Toy Story Racer.
Again: I've played Mickey Mouse Club Racing, Crash Team Racing, even diddy kong racing, lots of different Racing games, and now, 20 years later, I still play Mario Kart 64. The only game that comes close, in terms of gameplay (not story or organization), is perhaps ironically Super TuxKart.
Photoshop -> Gimp was dead easy for me, but Nintendo -> Non-Nintendo wasn't. For whatever that's worth.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Thursday March 23 2017, @06:13PM
640k copies of Tux Racer should be enough for anybody.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by CoolHand on Friday March 24 2017, @12:31PM
You're welcome..
I just said things are getting better... To the point that if you WANT to switch (and don't have a particular game(s) that you are stuck on, it's entirely possible to go with Linux and have a great gaming experience. Personally I'd kept a console around for years so I didn't have to dual boot Windows for games. But finally two years ago I built myself a homemade Steam Machine, and I now have about a hundred games on there (out of a Linux Library of over 500), including many AAA, and have spent hundreds of hours on it. These are big commercial games, in all categories. I understand that not EVERYONE is willing/able to switch at this point, but it is becoming much more practicable for a large percentage of people. Plus, things are looking even brighter with the advent of Vulkan. If it takes off, as it looks like it will, it will make supporting multi-platforms much easier. The Ars link you posted was from over two years ago, and things have changed hugely since then, so I didn't even bother to click through on it to tell you the truth...
Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job-Douglas Adams