Hi Guys, Basically steam is an "app store" like the apple app store or the ubuntu software center. The profit model I believe is a revenue sharing system like you stated Ton. It's main market in the past has been games, but they have recently expanded into software - mostly starting with game development tools. (http://store.steampowered.com/software/) They are currently expanding into linux to offset risk with the deployment of the window 8 app center. (http://blogs.valvesoftware.com/linux/).
Politically this is a big deal as Valve, creators of Steam and many game franchises are one of the top developers in the cutthroat game industry and it is hoped that bringing steam to linux will bring many users to the OS. It's been shown that gaming drives 30% of PC sales. That of course is 30% of people using Windows that have only one reason to use windows...it's the only viable gaming platform. Politics aside - There are pros and cons to putting Blender on the steam store - Pros include visibility, ease of installation, possible integration with their cloud settings storage. (Usually used for saved game state, Play at work->continue at home) Cons - This would take a little developer time, you would have to make a steam-blender that integrates with steam API and installs into their folder structure. You would have to look into legal and OSS on the store - I'm pretty sure it is much more open than the appstore, but I can't say how much more open. Also, somebody would need to spend time navigating Blender through the "Greenlight" process - basically it's a democratic way to greenlight games/software. Software is voted through by users. It is possible that they may actually want Blender on steam because they have been encouraging it's use in their Dota2 art competitions and in creation of assets for Team Fortress. They have a system where game artists can make assets for their games and sell them within the game world for real cash. This is then profit shared as well. Having a free tool that expands this artist base would only be good for them. Anyway, Hope this little crash course on the land of Valve/Steam gives a more rounded view of what it is so you can make an educated decision on where to go with this idea! -Enjoy! -Sean On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 4:47 AM, Peter K.H. Gragert <pkhgrag...@gmail.com>wrote: > Hi Ton, > agreed ;-) > > 2012/11/2 Ton Roosendaal <t...@blender.org> > > > Hi Peter, > > > > At a quick glance, this Greenlight system appears to me a > > revenue-splitting funding mechanism for game makers - probably meant for > > closed/non-free distribution of work via Steam later. > > > > That's all fine for indie game makers, but I wouldn't know a benefit for > > Blender to be there. I also don't see what kind of distribution problem > > this would solve even... > > > > Or do I miss something? > > > > -Ton- > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Ton Roosendaal Blender Foundation t...@blender.org www.blender.org > > Blender Institute Entrepotdok 57A 1018AD Amsterdam The Netherlands > > > > On 1 Nov, 2012, at 13:41, Peter K.H. Gragert wrote: > > > > > The conditions are 'horrible', at least nothing for me. > > > > > > 2012/11/1 Jeremias Boos <jeremias.b...@gmx.de> > > > > > >> I Hope I am at the right place to make this suggestion. > > >> Steam has now since some Time Opened up there Platform for people and > > >> Normal Software. > > >> > > >> So has anyone considered to Send Blender to Greenligth? > > >> http://steamcommunity.com/greenlight/ > > >> > > >> I think it would be a great Opportunity to distribute Blender over > > Steam. > > >> > > >> Sincerely > > >> Jeremias Boos > > >> _______________________________________________ > > >> Bf-committers mailing list > > >> Bf-committers@blender.org > > >> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers > > >> > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Bf-committers mailing list > > > Bf-committers@blender.org > > > http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Bf-committers mailing list > > Bf-committers@blender.org > > http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers > > > _______________________________________________ > Bf-committers mailing list > Bf-committers@blender.org > http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers > -- ||------------------ Instant Messengers ---------------------- || ICQ at 11133295 || AIM at shatterstar98 || MSN Messenger at shatte...@hotmail.com || Yahoo Y! at the_7th_samuri ||---------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Bf-committers mailing list Bf-committers@blender.org http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers