@scaine.bsky.social
Hi, I'm Neil, a Linux advocate and Linux-only gamer, from Scotland. I'm also a techie - 20 years in Networking, and 10 in Cyber Security, so basically I speak fluent TLA. I also occasionally dabble with programming (Python mainly) and retro gaming too.
Meh, Linux isn't for everyone, tbh. Just don't expect the zealots to stay quiet if/when you complain about the next batshit-crazy AI "feature" MS ram down your throat in the coming months!
It's the complaining that's gets me. Like Tim Sweeney ranting about MS but refusing to support Linux. Urgh.
It's the complaining that's gets me. Like Tim Sweeney ranting about MS but refusing to support Linux. Urgh.
November 19, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Meh, Linux isn't for everyone, tbh. Just don't expect the zealots to stay quiet if/when you complain about the next batshit-crazy AI "feature" MS ram down your throat in the coming months!
It's the complaining that's gets me. Like Tim Sweeney ranting about MS but refusing to support Linux. Urgh.
It's the complaining that's gets me. Like Tim Sweeney ranting about MS but refusing to support Linux. Urgh.
Depends. If you mean like from the MS store, uwp format, it's a no. If you mean Windows executables from, say, GOG, then sure. No probs.
You can use the Heroic app to play Epic, GOG or Amazon purchases from a steam-like GUI. Just connect your account, hit install, then play.
You can use the Heroic app to play Epic, GOG or Amazon purchases from a steam-like GUI. Just connect your account, hit install, then play.
November 18, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Depends. If you mean like from the MS store, uwp format, it's a no. If you mean Windows executables from, say, GOG, then sure. No probs.
You can use the Heroic app to play Epic, GOG or Amazon purchases from a steam-like GUI. Just connect your account, hit install, then play.
You can use the Heroic app to play Epic, GOG or Amazon purchases from a steam-like GUI. Just connect your account, hit install, then play.
I've been gaming on Linux since 2013 and these days, you just hit "Play". Only anticheat issues remain. Some publishers just don't want to support Linux and refuse to enable the anticheat for Linux, even when it's largely a toggle in the admin centre. Hey ho.
www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
GamingOnLinux Anti-Cheat Compatibility List for Steam Deck, Linux, SteamOS
A page dedicated to showing you the expected compatibility for Steam Deck, Linux, SteamOS with games that have anti-cheat enabled.
www.gamingonlinux.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:39 PM
I've been gaming on Linux since 2013 and these days, you just hit "Play". Only anticheat issues remain. Some publishers just don't want to support Linux and refuse to enable the anticheat for Linux, even when it's largely a toggle in the admin centre. Hey ho.
www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
Are you implying I'm skillful!? Haha. No. 😅
November 18, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Are you implying I'm skillful!? Haha. No. 😅
Can't remember the last time I needed the terminal, but okay. Don't quite have the energy to argue Linux myths, tbh. And you might be right, different distros play differently. Not my experience on various distros though, e.g. Ubuntu, Debian, Mint, Pop. Even CachyOS, an Arch variant, barely.
November 18, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Can't remember the last time I needed the terminal, but okay. Don't quite have the energy to argue Linux myths, tbh. And you might be right, different distros play differently. Not my experience on various distros though, e.g. Ubuntu, Debian, Mint, Pop. Even CachyOS, an Arch variant, barely.
More work to maintain how? I'm not sure what you're getting at? They both do automatic updates. Except in Linux you can choose how you want it to work. Is that what you mean?
November 18, 2025 at 9:01 PM
More work to maintain how? I'm not sure what you're getting at? They both do automatic updates. Except in Linux you can choose how you want it to work. Is that what you mean?
I'm with you, but I doubt we're the target audience (people who know what specs mean). Its "six times faster than a Steam Deck"... and that's amazing! You know, depending on the price.
November 18, 2025 at 8:53 PM
I'm with you, but I doubt we're the target audience (people who know what specs mean). Its "six times faster than a Steam Deck"... and that's amazing! You know, depending on the price.
Yep, same here! I did my Computing degree on Unix, goddamit! 😅
But even if no-one touches Desktop mode, it's still there, in the settings, loud and proud. It's a very different approach to Android, or Playstation or Apple, who are all thoroughly ashamed of what they're built on.
But even if no-one touches Desktop mode, it's still there, in the settings, loud and proud. It's a very different approach to Android, or Playstation or Apple, who are all thoroughly ashamed of what they're built on.
November 17, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Yep, same here! I did my Computing degree on Unix, goddamit! 😅
But even if no-one touches Desktop mode, it's still there, in the settings, loud and proud. It's a very different approach to Android, or Playstation or Apple, who are all thoroughly ashamed of what they're built on.
But even if no-one touches Desktop mode, it's still there, in the settings, loud and proud. It's a very different approach to Android, or Playstation or Apple, who are all thoroughly ashamed of what they're built on.
I don't agree actually - your counter examples all try to hide the fact that they're BSD. Whereas Valve largely celebrates its Linux heritage. On Steamdeck you can drop to Desktop Mode, and it's an unfiltered KDE Plasma desktop.
November 17, 2025 at 10:53 AM
I don't agree actually - your counter examples all try to hide the fact that they're BSD. Whereas Valve largely celebrates its Linux heritage. On Steamdeck you can drop to Desktop Mode, and it's an unfiltered KDE Plasma desktop.
It used to be Raising Elephants Is So Utterly Boring (or variants like Brilliant), but these days, you don't seem to need REI, so you just need Is Utterly Boring.
November 15, 2025 at 5:41 PM
It used to be Raising Elephants Is So Utterly Boring (or variants like Brilliant), but these days, you don't seem to need REI, so you just need Is Utterly Boring.
There's a nice list of which games with anti-cheat will or won't run on Linux here, maintained by the Gaming On Linux crew.
www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
GamingOnLinux Anti-Cheat Compatibility List for Steam Deck, Linux, SteamOS
A page dedicated to showing you the expected compatibility for Steam Deck, Linux, SteamOS with games that have anti-cheat enabled.
www.gamingonlinux.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:36 PM
There's a nice list of which games with anti-cheat will or won't run on Linux here, maintained by the Gaming On Linux crew.
www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
I worry that Valve won't be able to keep up. I remember big delays in getting enough Steamdecks to market a couple of years ago. I hope they're ready to scale up, as I suspect demand will be pretty high!
November 13, 2025 at 3:01 PM
I worry that Valve won't be able to keep up. I remember big delays in getting enough Steamdecks to market a couple of years ago. I hope they're ready to scale up, as I suspect demand will be pretty high!
The big sacrifices right now are losing all Electronic Arts games (no biggie for me, a deal-breaker for others), some Activision games (CoD mainly), Fortnite, and Destiny 2.
Full list maintained on GOL: www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
Full list maintained on GOL: www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
GamingOnLinux Anti-Cheat Compatibility List for Steam Deck, Linux, SteamOS
A page dedicated to showing you the expected compatibility for Steam Deck, Linux, SteamOS with games that have anti-cheat enabled.
www.gamingonlinux.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The big sacrifices right now are losing all Electronic Arts games (no biggie for me, a deal-breaker for others), some Activision games (CoD mainly), Fortnite, and Destiny 2.
Full list maintained on GOL: www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
Full list maintained on GOL: www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/
Plenty of kernel-level anti-cheat systems work perfectly on Linux - BattleEye, ACE, EAC for example. The developers just need incentive to enable them. Some have, some haven't. I've been gaming exclusively on Linux since 2013 and while it was a sacrifice early on, it's way better now.
November 13, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Plenty of kernel-level anti-cheat systems work perfectly on Linux - BattleEye, ACE, EAC for example. The developers just need incentive to enable them. Some have, some haven't. I've been gaming exclusively on Linux since 2013 and while it was a sacrifice early on, it's way better now.
Uh oh. You'll just have to use will-power then! Good luck!
November 10, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Uh oh. You'll just have to use will-power then! Good luck!
I mean... you're assuming normal people do backups. You're already well into "only techs/nerds do this" territory! Speaking from experience of helping various authors recover their life works after system failures on Windows or OSX. 😢
November 10, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I mean... you're assuming normal people do backups. You're already well into "only techs/nerds do this" territory! Speaking from experience of helping various authors recover their life works after system failures on Windows or OSX. 😢
I hate to tell you, cos you sound like you want to be super-productive... but I have about 40hrs in Elden Ring on Linux. It works perfectly.
Sorry.
Sorry.
November 10, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I hate to tell you, cos you sound like you want to be super-productive... but I have about 40hrs in Elden Ring on Linux. It works perfectly.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Technically, you can install using Octopi, but good grief, what a terrible interface it has. I think I've had to drop to the terminal just a couple of times so far - once to install dualsensectl to change the colour of my PS5 pad and once to install a KDE plugin I like. Normal software is in Octopi.
November 10, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Technically, you can install using Octopi, but good grief, what a terrible interface it has. I think I've had to drop to the terminal just a couple of times so far - once to install dualsensectl to change the colour of my PS5 pad and once to install a KDE plugin I like. Normal software is in Octopi.
Wow. I'm on CachyOS now, and it's been excellent (for me), but I wouldn't recommend it to newcomers to Linux! It's popular though, which I suppose was your criteria here?
A lot can go wrong with Arch-derivative distros. Or any rolling-release really. But worth it once you know what you're doing!
A lot can go wrong with Arch-derivative distros. Or any rolling-release really. But worth it once you know what you're doing!
November 10, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Wow. I'm on CachyOS now, and it's been excellent (for me), but I wouldn't recommend it to newcomers to Linux! It's popular though, which I suppose was your criteria here?
A lot can go wrong with Arch-derivative distros. Or any rolling-release really. But worth it once you know what you're doing!
A lot can go wrong with Arch-derivative distros. Or any rolling-release really. But worth it once you know what you're doing!
It's denuvo-encumbered, so I ain't touching it.
November 10, 2025 at 2:08 PM
It's denuvo-encumbered, so I ain't touching it.
Gotta wait for that strong easterly wind, under the pale light of a waxing moon. Can't believe you've been Linuxing so poorly all this time. Give it time. You'll learn.
November 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Gotta wait for that strong easterly wind, under the pale light of a waxing moon. Can't believe you've been Linuxing so poorly all this time. Give it time. You'll learn.