yeah i know but to go to the effort of buying one then buying a windoes license to dual boot it and use it as a PC as well, why would anyone not just buy a PC to begin with, anf forgo the hassle of duel booting. 

The same reason the mass market currently is not running linux PCs, the software support is lacking and the userbility is hurrendous when compared to windows. 

This OS may make playing games slightly easier, but with a massivley limited linux catalogue, no exclusive games and hardware that is just as expensive as buying a normal PC as the manufactures will be in it for making profit off the hardware as im sure Valve wont be sharing there cut of the software sales. 

In my opinion it will sell to those gamers who dont want a PC/Windows based system. For me whos been gaming on Steam for 8+ years on Windows, its worthless to me. If i want to game in the lounge room ill just plug my tower next to the TV and play.

Unless they release HL3 on SteamBox as a timed Exclusive (which would screw over 50+million of there supporters) i cant see many Steam owners buying one.

Yes.

I did not say it was withdrawing from the pc, but it was to reach more markets. Is like saying when google launched android OS they withdrawn chrome, etc from the pc.
The part of the andorid was we will see in many models, for example from galaxy/alienware or nexus/steam machine to generic tablet/custom or cheap pc.
Steam are not trying to steal/leave some marketshare but expanding his marketshare.

Most 2 year old games are $10 or less in sales. And you don't have to wait that long, Tombraider was on for $12.49 just recently.

It all depends on price wether the Steam box will be a success. Sure the average user is not going to fork over $600 dollars to have dedicated box under the tv.
The point of the whole thing is to make it less complicated, why would it be more complicated then a regular pc? It appeals to me for 2 reasons, it's not associated with work which a pc is for me, and I would expect that everything that runs on it will have been certified for use on TV with a controller, like a console. No need to find and copy ini files from the web to get Anti chamber to use a controller, or get stuck with a horrible control scheme in Mirrormoon for example. (fun game though)

I don't know if the casual crowd doesn't use Steam. Do casuals only play on facebook and mobiles?

we already have PCs for steam...steam box is unnecessary and nobody will buy it to replace their PC

it cant replace a pc. it only does games. I think that is why it will fail. steam on pc's is great because it kills 2 birds with 1 stone. Have a work machine, and a game machine, vs just a game machine

^^^Essentially what you said!^^^

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Every single one of you will look like fools in 3 years. Valve = genius.

And they're not trying to "dethrone" anyone really. There's just a lot of space in the living room for what they're offering. As a Linux fanboy (yeah I said it) and a major admirer of Valve (though I don't do Steam really), I have to say that I will certainly be getting one.

I mean, it's a better buy than a PC for the living room since it will do everything the PC does already.

Can't believe the users here aren't aware of Valve's midas touch.

Not to mention that they have the most loyal fanbase out there.

I can literally customize every single aspect of my living room with Linux running EVERYTHING. FUCK YOU WINDOWS. Useless OS.

Once you've sat on the couch with a controller (xbox or ps3 you choose) and download a game for $15 which is $60 on consoles and you're playing it at MUCH better graphical settings then you'll KNOW that this isn't some ruse. This is real.

Don't be afraid of change people. Playstation isn't going anywhere... The Xbox however... Might just be displaced.