If you're already logged in, you can use it online. But if it decides to log you out, and you're offline, then you're out of luck.
Older versions allowed you to switch to desktop mode without logging in (with broken on screen keyboard, since that's only available once you log into steam), but that option is missing in newer versions.
How good is SteamOS as a general distro for a desktop machine? What are the Pros and Cons?
If I didn't plan to get rid of by steam deck, I'd install a different distro in it. I definitely wouldn't install it on a desktop, support for the deck's keyboardless form factor is the only reason I might choose SteamOS over a normal distro.
Though I didn't know about distrobox then, perhaps that works better.
I'm still super excited for this release. KDE 6.4.3 from 6.2.5 is a nice jump. I'm very excited to get Wayland here, which is my normal baseline.
Maybe this time I'll try to get Niri running on this desktop. This is one of my daily driver systems, with a monitor plugged in. I'm typing on it now. I've been holed up on on 3.7.14, build id 20250701.1, since I don't want to lose the desktop, but this one seems worth losing my desktop for. Nothing but respect for Valve for working on ruac, a very nice A/B system image switcher, that powers all these updates, even if it means I'm about to lose this desktop. https://github.com/rauc/rauc
As long as Valve provides more snapshot updates in the next six months, I don't see the problem. The ~~TiVo~~ toy is maintaining currency.
I'll concede this might be annoying for the subset that chooses to use a Steam Machine as a server or development workspace, once the product releases. My condolences to this imaginary and small group. They'll be shocked to find immutability, too.
if they jump to building davinci resolve (and its new lightroom style photo editing) on steamos rather than rocky.. this would be pretty powerful combine the insane wonders steamos is doing for gaming on linux and add davinci, that would really open up the linux landscape for a ton more people.
i’m currently daily driving linux for work, gaming, and personal pc. unfortunately i’m still pulling out my macbook for video editing and for lightroom.
come on blackmagic, read this and take the leap. valve has done fucking amazing with linux. just choose steamos to build against rather than rocky. its going to have significantly higher number of people already using it for other stuff.
Right now, it would be insanity. Just the situation with running SteamOS on hardware with NVIDIA cards would be a showstopper. And a whole lot of consumer PCs ship with NVIDIA chips...
my point is, since steamos is already supporting their distro and not rolling out bleeding edge, (yes, it’s based on arch, but they freeze it and they test it before they roll out updates) blackmagic would have a vetted foundation to build on and a much larger user base from the jump.
It's sad that they decide to increase the price for steam deck (even if I have one already). Hope it doesn't mean steam machine will cost 1000+.