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Today, 13 December 2013, SteamOS should be publicly available. I am wondering which is the right StackExchange site to ask question about SteamOS. Arqade contains a lot of Steam questions, because Steam was and it is still mainly a gaming service. SteamOS should be a gaming OS but based on Ubuntu so probably SteamOS related questions should be asked on AskUbutu.

What is your opinion?

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    No. SteamOS would be off-topic on Ask Ubuntu!
    – user98085
    Commented Dec 13, 2013 at 16:38
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    I'd wait for a bit to decide this, my answer would depend on how tightly integrated Steam is in Steam OS, and how much Steam OS is different from any other Linux distribution.
    – Mad Scientist
    Commented Dec 13, 2013 at 16:41
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    Unix.StackExchange.com for "WHY DOESN'T THE DRIVER FOR (insert Joystick/Gamepad here) WORK?!" Us for the Steam portion.
    – Cole Busby
    Commented Dec 17, 2013 at 3:54
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    Just for completeness: SteamOS isn't based on Ubuntu, it's based on Debian Wheezy (Debian 7).
    – Trollwut
    Commented Dec 20, 2013 at 13:30
  • The answer is, it depends. Are you asking a Linux question regarding SteamOS, well then I'd try SuperUser or UNIX. If it's a question about gaming, well then here is good. If it's about writing software to run on SteamOS, then StackOverflow or Programmers may be appropriate.
    – SnakeDoc
    Commented Dec 27, 2013 at 5:34

4 Answers 4

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Today, August 24, 1995, Windows 95 should be publicly available. I am wondering which is the right StackExchange site to ask question about Windows 95. Arqade contains a lot of DOS questions, because DOS was and it is still capable of playing games. Windows 95 should be a gaming OS but with a GUI so probably Windows 95 related questions should be asked on User Experience.

What is your opinion?

The subject matter of a question does not define where it should be asked. SteamOS is an operating system, and questions regarding aspects of other operating systems are already acceptable on many SE sites depending on what they are about.

If the question is about playing or configuring games it's on topic here.

If it's not, it's not.

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  • But it is not a full OS tho, just a sort of intigrated system to run games on. You can't just remove your windows or whatever and install this. This is purely for game based play.
    – Lyrion
    Commented Dec 16, 2013 at 7:47
  • @Lyrion - You can exit steam 'big picture' mode and enter a Gnome GUI, and use SteamOS like a regular unix desktop with the steam client installed
    – Robotnik Mod
    Commented Dec 16, 2013 at 23:34
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    @boo I largely agree with your answer save for the last line; I'd soften it to "If it's not, it depends". For example, I think a question like "Netflix doesn't output on VHDMI port on my PS5" are fine here, even though they're not "gaming", but they exist in that space. If someone's trying to use SteamOS as a console, then it may as well be a console.
    – Nick T
    Commented Dec 18, 2013 at 0:54
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If it's about the service, ask it here. If it's about the operating system, ask it on Unix & Linux or Superuser depending on which is more appropriate.

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  • What defines the service, and what defines the operating system?
    – Frank
    Commented Dec 13, 2013 at 22:35
  • Hard to say without seeing the system
    – 3ventic
    Commented Dec 13, 2013 at 23:29
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    Well, you're the one suggesting there's a difference between them. There needs to be an example or something, otherwise this is really just a thought experiment.
    – Frank
    Commented Dec 13, 2013 at 23:31
  • This was written based on the bits and pieces Ive seen while translating some of it.
    – 3ventic
    Commented Dec 13, 2013 at 23:33
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Until there is a specific Stack Exchange site for SteamOS itself, I think rather than using the subject of the question to decide where the question goes, instead the nature of the question should dictate where the question goes.

For example if you wanted to ask a question about knives, as there is no specific knife Stack Exchange site, you need to figure out where your question is best suited. If you wanted to know how best to sharpen your cooking knife, head to Seasoned Advice, if you were after the best knife for skinning, then the Great Outdoors would be the best place to go, or if you just wanted to know how to replace the blade on a Stanley Knife Home Improvement should be where you ask the question.

Same goes with SteamOS. If it relates to the gaming side of the operating system, ask it on Arqade, but if it relates to the operating system itself, best head over to Unix & Linux SE.

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    AskUbuntu is definitely the wrong place to ask about SteamOS.
    – 3ventic
    Commented Dec 17, 2013 at 11:05
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    Ask Ubuntu does not support Steam OS and will not support Steam OS.
    – user98085
    Commented Dec 22, 2013 at 0:44
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Since the system is not officially supported by Canonical and is not an official off-shoot, SteamOS is a Linux Derivative not covered in the AskUbuntu StackExchange. If it is regarding the OS side (everything except Hardware and Steam) use Unix and Linux for Hardware talk to the good folks at SuperUser Else Hi! We're Gaming. We like Steam...okay, most of us anyway.

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    Canonical? Steam OS is based on Debian, not Ubuntu.
    – kotekzot
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 3:12
  • Your first sentence makes absolutely no sense.
    – user98085
    Commented Dec 22, 2013 at 0:45
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    @FEichinger thanks, I revised that. AT Kotekzot is it? I was told it was an ubuntu offshoot, either way All I was trying to get at was that AskUbuntu is only for Ubuntu,Lubuntu,Xubuntu,and Kubuntu
    – Cole Busby
    Commented Dec 23, 2013 at 16:36

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