their efforts are bringing bringing an open computing ecosystem to the mainstream

Disagree. They are bringing their own vision of an operating system, a realm in which they own the throne. Their OS abstracts Linux away so hard, it’s hard to translate into actual experience using an established distro. Even if you use say Ubuntu, you can still go back to their closed source ecosystem even if you’ve just ditched Windows. They’ve already installed themselves as the Microsoft of Linux, and it’ll be very hard to get their tentacles off. Those who are paranoid of Microsoft twitching a finger are conveniently, for lack of a better expression, in bed with Valve.

Hell, I remember when Steam had the Tux mascot to represent a game being compatible on Linux, but that has been replaced long ago with their own logo…

So yeah, I’m not praising them for Steam on Linux. Besides, I believe the total sum of their negatives vastly outweigh anything they’ve done for (or at the expense of) Linux. A full boycott really is the only appropriate response. Too bad that of the few regular storefronts just selling games to people who do such boycotts, the biggest one has incompetent management and loose moderation on their forum.

While I appreciate the honesty, is this part of your standardized approach to judgement?

This was a lapse on my part. I didn’t have the time to read them, but I had the intention and have read them since. I was already aware of so-called “curators” creating “anti-woke” lists and shoving so many games on them, and the store selling games that explicitly demonize marginalized groups (funnily enough GOG is also selling one such game that I know of, The Great Rebellion), but I had no idea it went as far as Charlie fucking Kirk tweet curators. The level of openness these hateful people operate at on steam would make GOG blush… though I guess this still doesn’t beat the official newsletter email…