Why Valve is backing Arch Linux: explained by an Arch Linux dev

Summary

In this video interview, Arch Linux team member 'aunties' discusses the recent collaboration with Valve. Valve, known for using Arch as the base OS for their Steam Deck, will sponsor two Arch projects: an automated build service and a secure signing enclave. This collaboration aims to streamline package management and security, potentially paving the way for supporting additional architectures like ARM and RISC-V, benefiting both Arch Linux and Linux gaming.

Takeaways

• 😀 The interviewee is Robin, also known as 'aunties', a French Linux system and devops engineer, and an Arch Linux package maintainer.
• 🎉 Arch Linux and Valve are collaborating on big news announced less than two days ago.
• 🤝 Valve has already used Arch Linux as the base OS for their Steam Deck, indirectly pushing Arch into the spotlight.
• 🛠️ The collaboration aims to develop two main projects: an automated build service and a secure signing enclave for Arch Linux packages.
• 💼 Valve will contract Arch staff on a freelance basis to work on these projects, addressing previous limitations of time, effort, and money.
• 🚀 The projects aim to streamline package management and improve security, which could eventually lead to supporting additional CPU architectures like ARM or RISC-V.
• 🌐 The collaboration is a win-win for both Arch Linux and Valve, with Valve benefiting from improved Arch Linux infrastructure.
• 📢 The interviewee speculates that Valve may be interested in supporting multiple architectures, possibly hinting at future devices.
• 👍 The interviewee expresses personal happiness that it's Valve supporting Arch, noting Valve's history of contributions to Linux and open-source projects.
• 🔮 The future of Arch Linux with this collaboration looks promising, with the potential for broader architecture support and improved development processes.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video discussion?

The main topic of the video discussion is the collaboration between Arch Linux and Valve, and its implications for the Arch Linux community and Linux gaming in general.

Who is Aunties and what is his role in the Arch Linux community?

Aunties is a member of the Arch Linux team, known as 'antis' on the internet. He is a French Linux system and devops engineer, and also an Arch Linux package maintainer, contributing to the project on a daily basis.

What is the significance of the collaboration between Arch Linux and Valve?

The collaboration is significant because it represents a major step forward for Linux gaming and the Arch Linux community. Valve is sponsoring projects that will enhance Arch Linux's package management and security, which could eventually lead to supporting additional architectures.

What are the two main projects that Valve is sponsoring?

The two main projects sponsored by Valve are an automated build service and a secure signing enclave. These projects aim to streamline the package management process and secure the signing of packages within Arch Linux.

How will the automated build service benefit the Arch Linux community?

The automated build service will streamline the package management process, making it more efficient and reducing the manual effort required to build packages for different architectures.

What is the purpose of the secure signing enclave?

The secure signing enclave aims to streamline and secure the signing of packages. It will allow the use of a single central key to sign packages, eliminating the reliance on individual maintainers' keys and addressing issues with outdated signing methods.

How will the collaboration help Arch Linux to support additional architectures?

The collaboration will provide the resources needed to develop the infrastructure required to support additional architectures, such as ARM and RISC-V, by making the package building and signing process more efficient.

Is there a possibility of a Steam Deck device with ARM architecture in the future?

While it is speculative, there is a possibility of a Steam Deck device with ARM architecture, as Valve has shown interest in supporting multiple architectures and has been testing Proton on ARM.

How will the Arch Linux community be involved in the sponsored projects?

The Arch Linux community will be involved through the usual development and consensus-building workflow, including discussions, RFCs, and democratic agreement on implementations, with input from staff and external contributors.

What is the personal opinion of Aunties regarding the sponsorship from Valve?

Aunties is personally very happy that Valve is sponsoring the projects, as they believe Valve has done a lot for Linux and open-source projects in general. He appreciates that Valve is backing Arch Linux and contributing to its development.

How will the sponsored projects impact the end-users of Arch Linux?

The sponsored projects will benefit end-users by improving package management and security, potentially leading to a more stable and efficient system. This could also pave the way for supporting additional architectures, broadening the user base and use cases for Arch Linux.