You’d think that PC gaming was the last nearly unassailable bastion in the Windows world, where potential users who were willing to consider Linux would be few and far between. Reinforcing this idea, Valve tried to bring out its Linux-based “SteamOS” a few years ago, and failed. But then, the Steam Deck pioneered a new market segment, namely PC gaming in a handheld form factor. And here, Valve has found success with Linux -- to the point where the Windows-based competitors look overpriced and underperforming -- in short, just plain clunky. This in spite of the natural advantage of Windows in offering better compatibility with games specifically written for Windows. Now we hear that Valve is having another try at offering SteamOS for third-party hardware <https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/12/the-return-of-steam-machines-valve-rolls-out-new-powered-by-steamos-branding/>. The article suggests, and I strongly suspect it is so, that this is to allow those competitors to the Steam Deck to offer a better OS than Windows on their products. Some of them have already made noises to this effect. The Steam Deck is already so far ahead of its Windows-based competitors, that offering serious competition to the Steam Deck will only leave Windows further behind in the lurch -- further cementing the dominance of Linux in this new market segment.