Search Unity

  1. Megacity Metro Demo now available. Download now.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Unity support for visionOS is now available. Learn more in our blog post.
    Dismiss Notice

Web browser linux plugin

Discussion in 'Wish List' started by rasq, May 29, 2009.

  1. rasq

    rasq

    Joined:
    May 25, 2009
    Posts:
    51
    I know, you are against linux or somthing like this, but web browser plugin is very important software. Maybe linux users don't buy a lot of software, because they have anoter software. But some developers creating some software/games and offer this for "free" to many pople by web, not only for windows or mac users. On the net we have a lot of sites with free games. Maybe it is good idea to create opportunity for linux users to have acces to it??

    And some developers thinking about create software for any one interested, and he need linux plugin.

    I'am not goot in english, and please forgive me.

    But please develop linux plugin, this one piece of software are not some big problem for you, but it is very good opportunity for Unity.

    Remember, any good web technology have linux plugin :>
    Java, Flash, Adobe reader and others ;)
     
  2. Deleted User

    Deleted User

    Guest

    I wasn't terribly concerned about the lack of a Linux web player, but just today a friend of mine who's a senior modeller at a large studio told me he couldn't view one of my web players because he's using a Linux workstation at work (his words were something like "what's this Unity web player?").

    Frankly, I'm astonished and wondering what content creation app he's running on Linux, but I'm also thinking that while there Linux market share might not be large, perhaps there is an influential segment running on Linux.
     
  3. rasq

    rasq

    Joined:
    May 25, 2009
    Posts:
    51
    On Linux, we have bunch of software, for 3d modeling: blender.

    linux is somthing about 1-5% of market.
    this is not many of people, but mac os have only 10%.

    many programmers work on linux, when graphics working on mac and office workers on windows.

    this is very important to create web player to linux workers.
     
  4. Dragon Rider

    Dragon Rider

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2008
    Posts:
    280
    I agree.

    I don't understand why OTEE is so reluctant to develop Linux webplayer support. They keep going on about " not economically viable"... Hello!?! Most Webplayer games are free!
     
  5. Eric5h5

    Eric5h5

    Volunteer Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2006
    Posts:
    32,401
    Whether the games are free is completely irrelevant, since UT doesn't see any of that money anyway. As for not economically viable, they don't have unlimited manpower: the time spent on a Linux webplayer means time not spent elsewhere. If they had infinite resources, I'm sure they'd love nothing more than to see Unity content running on every platform and electronic device ever made.

    --Eric
     
  6. rasq

    rasq

    Joined:
    May 25, 2009
    Posts:
    51
    hmmm yes, you have right, i think they must stop waste time to mac wersion.

    i know NOTHING LESS THAN 2 developing studios interested in unity, but they dont buy it, because ut is not multiplatform.

    they consider buy in stead of unity some other engine.

    math is simple, if you dont have version on linux you dont have many from linux developers/users and you dont vaste resources. if you have mac or windows wersion you have many, ut also you have loss from piracy and other.

    p.s. i think linux plugin is not much difrrent from mac plugin, they use openGl.Mayby good solution is give to community plugin source, they do the rest. plugin source code is not commercial like editor.
     
  7. Eric5h5

    Eric5h5

    Volunteer Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2006
    Posts:
    32,401
    That doesn't make much sense, as the Mac market is much larger than the Linux market. However, note that I didn't say they shouldn't do a Linux version. In fact, I implied the opposite. I simply explained why there isn't a Linux version at this time.

    --Eric
     
  8. Deleted User

    Deleted User

    Guest

    I wouldn't say unity is not multiplatform just because it doesn't support a linux webplayer (which I thought was the original point of this thread). Windows and Mac web players and executables, iPhone, and Wii...that's a lot more than one platform. I'd like to have a linux webplayer, but I have to admit for my own purposes all those other platforms are more important (except maybe the Wii)

    So what other engine or engines are these studios considering? Is there another 3D game engine out there with web player support that also includes linux? Is there something from GarageGames? (I haven't been following them) Seriously, I'd like to know - I spent a lot of time looking for a game engine with web player support before finding Unity. I would have liked linux support but Shockwave didn't have it either, nor I believe did Qubesoft (I don't remember if they even had Mac support, but in any case they decided they didn't have a business model for their web player and dropped it entirely) Now, if Flash gets serious with 3D (and supports it on Linux) then maybe that ups the priority for Unity.
     
  9. Dreamora

    Dreamora

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2008
    Posts:
    26,601
    The major problem with linux is that it is itself a multiplatform as Linux developers prefer to reinvent the wheel and drive 10 OS instead of doing 1 right.
    If you ever see linux support then likely for single distributions that are known to work on the long term and beeing casual user usable like redhat and mandriva, as UT likely has no interest to do the same thing all over again every few months just because someone feels like breaking between half yearly OS updates / upgrades
     
  10. rasq

    rasq

    Joined:
    May 25, 2009
    Posts:
    51

    http://alternativaplatform.com/en/

    they are not very happy for this, but for current projcts alternaviva have everything what they need.

    but in future, ther looking for somthing more like game engine.
     
  11. rasq

    rasq

    Joined:
    May 25, 2009
    Posts:
    51

    do you use linux? or you writing somthing because you read this onsome blog or on windows site :p ?


    it is tru, linux have many distros, and if youhave source code some apps this app works on anyof them.

    if you have commercal project, then you can build run package, or other binary file.

    and you can also create distros package, deb, rpm .

    this is not problem for developer, to create run and deb, rpm package. Unity is not a driver or somthing what need kernel acces or kernel headers on code. and unity on linux will be probably like flash plugin, when you install it once you can reinstall os, change distros and this working
     
  12. HiggyB

    HiggyB

    Unity Product Evangelist

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2006
    Posts:
    6,183
    Linux is of interest as we want to support as many platforms as possible with our run-time, but it's just not risen to a point that it's more important than the multitude of other tasks we have on our to-do list. When the time is right we'll make that move, until then we have what we feel are higher priority (aka "more valuable") issues to deal with.
     
  13. Dreamora

    Dreamora

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2008
    Posts:
    26,601
    Yes I use and hate it.
    I've better things to do than crawl through wikis and rewrite scripts code to get things to work because the kernel and core OS components have changed in core aspects instead of just expanding, basically disabling various softwares again.

    You can, you can, you can.
    Exactly the problem. either you do it or it won't work. You likely never worked with software other than big names if you never ran into problems and wasted half days to days to get a single application running (which is definitely not worth the cost until Linuxs userbase is at least twice as large as OSX as it causes 3 - 5 times the trouble of it)

    The idea of an OS is to work and let others expand on it, not to force the user to get it to work first and on a regular base before he can use the rest. I know only two distros qualifying for this, that's Red Hat and Mandriva.

    As long as you need distro dependent code, Linux is not a platform, its a multi-platform, as a platform is defined as beeing a consistent environment (other than Hell naturally)


    Linux in the past and even right now is nice for some basic work and server, but in relation to gaming, its still worlds away from the point it needs to be of any other importance than beeing used as a platform for dedicated game servers.
     
  14. steelxenon

    steelxenon

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2009
    Posts:
    3
    I'm posting to you right now with Linux. Most every distribution of Linux uses Firefox as it's "out of the box" web-browser, and if it doesn't, then you can get Firefox for it. Now, Firefox works the same regardless of what Linux distribution you're running.

    Have you ever thought of all those new EEEPC's coming out, and all these new Netbooks, Laptops, etc. that are coming pre-installed with a Linux Distro? Linux isn't the text-only terminal you might be thinking... It's actually much easier to install than Windows (when dealing with the larger distros), much more customizable than windows, doesn't require a "product key" or "Activation wizard" -_-, comes with support for tons of software which is completely free (usually there is a free linux counterpart, because a linux user coded it, to some windows program that people usually have to buy)...

    You'd be surprised how many developers want complete platform independence especially if you're dealing with an embedded web game! You think WEB you think platform independent!

    Actually, when I first found this engine, I was excited. I thought, "Wow, nice features, nextgen effects, .... Only available on Mac and Windows." which was disappointing, because if I'm going to make a game, especially an embedded web game, I want to be able to reach the entire audience of players: those who cannot afford to buy a $300 windows disk, or not.

    Because for an Embedded web game... Your goal is website hits, especially unique hits per day... Because your game(s) will be free (or maybe not) so you'll earn money from ad revenues... At least that's what I'd do.
    If you guys ever released the Linux browser plug-in/rtp, that would be awesome. THEN and only then, would I even dare consider paying MONEY for it, because THEN it would be a real Web Game Engine.

    Actually, as a matter of fact, Java and JavaFx are perfect and have all the functionality of pixel shaders, etc. and it's free. If you're not lazy, and you know what you're doing, it's waiting for you.

    Until Unity releases a Linux version of their browser plug-in, I'll be investing my time and effort into something more productive and not locked-down to a specific OS.

    (Personally I have kind of a feeling that they don't have anyone on their Dev team that knows anything about Linux, if you notice the generic responses focused on man hours and funding... Lol.)

    But please, I entreat ye. I challenge you. Linux plug-in would be Epic. Would make the product feel more "encompassing, full, solid" with no disadvantages to the game developers, such as: Sure the engine is good and we can make a good game but no-one browsing our site with any sort of linux-based operating system will be able to play it.

    BY THE WAY, As you might have heard, pretty much every "statistical percentage" is just pure bull. I saw someone say only about 5% of people use linux, actually it's a lot more and I'm not gonna pull a number out of thin air because there's no way to know for sure.

    Sorry if this post seems like a flame or something, just to ensure you, it's not, I'm just expressing my passion for Unity to have a Linux browser plug-in. Honestly, I seriously doubt they know anything about linux, because Firefox is made for Windows AND Linux, so the plugins can't be too much dissimilar. If not, hey, figure it out, find out what it takes, etc etc, then maybe you'll see it wont really cost anything at all to port it over.

    By the way, I use Linux for gaming on a daily basis. You just have to know what you're doing... I play spore, guild wars, etc etc... Linux isn't just for dedicated servers. Actually Linux can support 32gb of RAM maximum and uses it more efficiently than windows (while windows can only support up to 6gb of memory with some tweaks)... Most of these comments were from people who know nothing about Linux and probably don't use it on a regular basis, so you can just ignore those.

    In reply to dreamora's "hate linux" post... Ok you might not like Linux, but for the people who DO, they KNOW what it entails. Oh yeah, obviously you didn't list Debian or Ubuntu, Fedora Core, SUSE, Open Solaris, etc etc.. I've tried them and they're all the same essentially. When all of them are modernized and simplified for the casual users. They all come with Firefox. Here's the amazing concept: They install the plugin for firefox and that's it. Then Unity games will play in their browser... I dunno how you call that a hassle. Using a .deb package here on Ubuntu, you download the file and launch it, and a package manager handles everything for you. Essentially it's an installer. It's probably been a while since you used Linux, but, it's coming up strong.
    Soon Cloud Computing is gonna take over and there wont be operating systems anymore... Just the web. That's where Unity is ahead of the curve... But as you see with the new WebOS on the PalmPre, it's linux based. Playstation 3's operating system is Linux based. A lot of stuff is using Linux for economical purposes lately... And even laptops with Linux preinstalled.... It's not a bad idea to consider Linux now while you're ahead.
     
  15. Eric5h5

    Eric5h5

    Volunteer Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2006
    Posts:
    32,401
    I actually have a Linux box, and I am pro-Linux, but let's be real here.

    Right, you can't know for sure, but every realistic indication I've seen shows Linux desktop usage at maybe 1%. As a server OS, yes, it does quite well.

    Pure fantasy, with a clear lack of understanding of OS architecture. I've compiled a Linux kernel before; I know a thing or two about it.

    --Eric
     
  16. steelxenon

    steelxenon

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2009
    Posts:
    3
    Yeah we compiled kernels in our college class but the class didn't teach nearly as much as I had to learn on my own... All I'm saying, it's not THAT hard, I mean come on.

    By The Way RASQ Thanks for alerting me to Alternativa... It's awesome.
     
  17. HiggyB

    HiggyB

    Unity Product Evangelist

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2006
    Posts:
    6,183
    And on the point of "it's all Firefox so the plugins can't be too different", you do realize that the plugin (the shim used by the browser to load the system installed player) is trivial in comparison to the core player itself. The player, our rendering abilities and driver/video card support, etc., that's where the real work is, not in porting a simple plugin shim.


    We want to be as broad in our platform support as possible but we can't do it all at once and we must pick and choose our targets and work efforts carefully. So far it's been far more important to do things like make a Windows editor, add support for iPhone development and so on. A Linux player has been on our discussion list but given that it still is a small market segment and that it wouldn't be trivial to port the player (again, vastly different than a simple plugin) it's just not measured up yet. We're keeping an eye on it but no matter what folks can say the numbers just aren't there as of today. Times are always changing and as they do we will continuously track those changes and adjust our plans as necessary.
     
  18. steelxenon

    steelxenon

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2009
    Posts:
    3
    Understood. But, personally I am looking for a less restrictive engine... Such as one that relies on Java or Flash9 without any additional plugins or runtimes to download... Afterall, when someone comes to play a web-based game, they expect it to "just work" and that's exactly what I need/want... So, no hard feelings, but I guess Unity just isn't really what I was looking for. I can't speak for other users... But seriously, I see what you're saying: Priorities. You're still trying to finish the engine on windows, so I guess when that's all done, you might be able to focus on making the engine install on other platforms.
     
  19. HiggyB

    HiggyB

    Unity Product Evangelist

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2006
    Posts:
    6,183
    Wait though, Flash and Java are already engines, so what you said is that you're looking for an "engine" built on top of another engine? If you want Flash then go get it. If you want real-time proper 3D, come get it here. Flash (especially Flash 9) is just nowhere close to Unity in terms of 3D capabilities. Not in the same city, country, continent nor planet. :)


    Not quite, that's not what we're doing. We'll never "finish the engine on <insert platform name here>", all platforms will be ongoing efforts. Yes, we recently focused on adding a Windows editor into the mix (the player has been Windows compatible all along) and that editor port was a high priority. What we're doing is focusing our efforts on efforts that yield the most bang for the buck (be it direct revenue, feature impact, etc.). For now, that's led us to things like a Windows editor, iPhone support and so on. Eventually that is likely to include a Linux run-time, just like it might include run-times for other mobile devices, consoles, etc. Platform expansion is an ongoing task, one we've been working on all along.
     
  20. rasq

    rasq

    Joined:
    May 25, 2009
    Posts:
    51
    ehhh
    if you are pro-Linux you`ll dont talk thinks like "I've compiled a Linux kernel before; I know a thing or two about it." :p compiling linux kernel is nothink. every noob try this in his first day with linux, and do this, with help of some forum or friend.


    Kernel compilation is very not nesesery :p and only noob can do this several times if he dont need this :p

    new linux systems dont need any ingerention in kernel, config files. evyrything is now graphical and point and click.

    somtimes you only write one word and you have downloaded, installed some software and configured.
     
  21. rasq

    rasq

    Joined:
    May 25, 2009
    Posts:
    51

    doing linux plugin for webbrowser, developer can do this:

    http://code.google.com/p/o3d/wiki/HowToBuild

    its not nesesary to do universal, tool , working with any video driver. if you develop linux plugin you can develop it for som konfig, eg:

    - nvidia or ati property driver
    - gecko or webkid webbrowser
    - opengl 2.0+

    and you dont have that big problem. of course, windows, mac and linux core plugin have some big diferences. but linux ond mac os have also much common. if you have mac os webplugin, then you can rewrite it to linux/unix and write some instructions for linux users, they can build their own distros packages.
     
  22. Eric5h5

    Eric5h5

    Volunteer Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2006
    Posts:
    32,401
    Er, no.

    This is why most people don't know anything about compiling or kernels, or what's involved in the architecture. I'm pro-Linux, but realistic about it; apparently you're not. You can't do a bunch of hand-waving and expect a Unity plug-in to magically appear.

    --Eric
     
  23. rasq

    rasq

    Joined:
    May 25, 2009
    Posts:
    51

    yeah. you are, but like 5 years old kid...
    compil kernel is very simple.



    on server, yes i use only console, and this is good, but on my desktop, iam using it because is faster for me, when i insall some software. but this is only one reason.

    i dont expect this, this is only my wish.
     
  24. taumel

    taumel

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2005
    Posts:
    5,292
    A chapter from the book "Some of the darker computer days"

    I remember the installation and compilation of NetBSD on my A4000 as a quite painful (~30 disks) experience.

    Whilst trying out different distributions over the years (Ubuntu, Knoppix, SUSE, ...) i again and again made the experience that all versions simply aren't meant to run on all hardware without work on your side. Whilst distribution A is happy with computer A, the same machine isn't fine with distribution B nor is distribution A willing to run on machine B without problems. You can get a total Windows/OSX fan at this point already.

    One thing Linux has to learn is that all the flexibility also is it's weak spot and for a larger audience it needs a distribution standard developers can rely on. The idea behind Linux is very nice but the implementations are still horrible. If i had to deal with Unix i always felt fine going back to a Sun or a OSX machine.
     
  25. rasq

    rasq

    Joined:
    May 25, 2009
    Posts:
    51
    are you sure??

    i have big problems with windows... and my hardware, when i install M$ os i must serch drivers, install, serch updates, and workarounds.

    on vista half of my hardware dont work.

    when i try install mac os . i was very suprised, but mac os software are wery bad, or very borring.

    but when i install ubuntu on my computer, my notebook, my girfrend computer or on my work, everythink works, any hardware.

    yes, 2years ago linux have many problems on my hardware, but now, i dont have any.
     
  26. ryanzec

    ryanzec

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2008
    Posts:
    696
    I don't know about Mac OS but Windows has always worked while with my hardware. Most hardware just works and I usually only need to install my video drivers. Linux on the other hand, I almost always have issues with my sound cards for whatever reason. I was able to get it to work but the step needed were not very simple.

    Just because you think it is easy to do someone does not mean it is. Unless you know exactly how Unity's webplayer (not talking about the player) it built, you don't know the amount of work it takes to make it work on linux.
     
  27. rasq

    rasq

    Joined:
    May 25, 2009
    Posts:
    51
    you be right, yes i dont know how unity web player it build. but i have some imagination. with this is it like with physic. if you know how works statics you have some imagination how works kinematics.

    yes, you have problem with linux and no with windows because you are windows user, i and my friends are linux users, and we dont have problems with linux.

    maybe you understand this, but: if you have some knowledge in somthing you are better in this in oposite to somthing where you dont have any knowledge.

    when i start linux/windows i was had this same knowledge about them, now i have more exp. on linux, and i dont haver problems with him. you in oposite to me have bigger exp. in windows.
     
  28. Der Dude

    Der Dude

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2006
    Posts:
    213
    Lets get back OT here.

    The hosting company I'm at only allows for Linux Operating Systems.

    It would be great to have a Linux Runtime for a dedicated Authoritive Server. That is a server that does physics calculations and executes other game-logic code.

    Of course you can roll your own backend, but thats a real pain. Being able to build a Linux Player would be so much more convenient and less error-prone (client and server use the same code).

    An MMO can do without physics calculation, but an FPS can't.
     
  29. HiggyB

    HiggyB

    Unity Product Evangelist

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2006
    Posts:
    6,183
    @Der Due: and just a nod of recognition amid the debate that we (UT) do get that and hear ya. See my prior posts about priorities and all, but being as you took it back OT I thought I'd at least let you know your message came through. :)
     
  30. caitlyn

    caitlyn

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2008
    Posts:
    402
    Hi Dragonrider,

    We love Linux and open source. That's why we helped fund and invested in major open source apps for use with Unity. Like Mono! And helped Blender Foundation with their FBX exporter. And that's why our asset server runs on Linux.

    But browser-wise, Linux users hold less than 5% of the market share. It as simple as high-school economics: supply and demand. Although it is something we would love to supply, at the moment we have *incredibly* high demand in other areas that we have to attend to first.

    Hopefully we'll get around to it--- but in the meantime, please understand we're busy bringin you the rocketsauce!!

    Best wishes
    Caitlyn
     
  31. MrDude

    MrDude

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2006
    Posts:
    2,569
    Back in the day I was so fed up with all my Windows blues that I wanted to use Linux soooo badly. Unfortunately I didn't have the money to buy the hardware that would work with the distros I could find so after 2 years of trying to install Linux I was still nowhere. The only times i could get it up and working, it required a minimum screen res that was more than my monitor's max so I could never reach the "Exit" button on my config screens...

    I thought I was stuck with Windows until a few years later on I first found out about the Mac OS and I have never looked back. It is the most error free OS i have ever had... Windows had 3-5 blue screens per day. OSx has had 3 crashes in 6 years. Loving it!

    In the old windows days my wish was to create software and then be able to put the Windows and Linux logos on my downloads page :p

    Thanks to Unity I am now able to put the Windows, OSX, Dashboard AND IE logos on my downloads page. Loving it! the only thing that I felt was missing was the Linux support. Force of habit, I like to speak of: "it runs on Windows and Linux" before I realize, oh, hold on, no it doesn't. Everything except linux.

    I look at the logos on my page and I say: "Nice compromise" and then I want to promote my web player and I get scared... I want to say: "OSX, Windows, Dashboard and Web browsers" but then I realize it won't always work in the web browsers because Linux people also have web browsers... So instead I go "Windows, OSX, Dashboard and Webplayer for browsers not running on Linux". I don't feel comfortable promoting my web player because I know it won't work for everyone...

    Back to the compromise, though, If I look at how many feature requests I have submitted and how many more things I am waiting for that other people have asked for before me... I am more than happy to have 3 fully supported distribution methods and one partial support and have them become more powerful while moving from strength to strength and willing to wait a whole lot longer before I turn my 3.5 platforms into 5.

    Unity staff, I salute you!
    When you get around to Linux, thanks, but until then I eagerly await every new release of Unity and praise your efforts thus far..!
     
  32. bodobo

    bodobo

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2009
    Posts:
    7
    MrDude wrote:
    I recognize that back in the old days it was not easy required some commitment to obtain a working Linux system. However 2 years trial no success Mann! you must not be very gifted.

    You are lucky, thanks to new distros like Ubuntu it is a piece of cake.

    To come back to the market share:

    HiggyB wrote:
    From what I understand you decided to focus on the most promising platforms

    If you look at : http://marketshare.hitslink.com/rep...0&qpdt=1&qpct=0&qptimeframe=M&qpsp=124&qpnp=1

    Operating System Total Market Share
    View Trend Windows 87.75%
    View Trend Mac 9.81%
    View Trend Linux 0.99%
    View Trend iPhone 0.60%
    View Trend iPod Touch 0.15%
    View Trend Android 0.08%
    View Trend Java ME 0.08%
    View Trend Symbian 0.07%
    View Trend Windows Mobile 0.05%
    View Trend Playstation 0.04%
    View Trend BlackBerry 0.03%
    View Trend FreeBSD 0.02%
    View Trend Palm 0.02%
    View Trend SunOS 0.01%
    View Trend Nintendo Wii 0.01%
    View Trend SCP 0.00%
    View Trend Nintendo DS 0.00%
    View Trend NetBSD 0.00%
    View Trend HP-UX 0.00%
    View Trend Web TV 0.00%
    View Trend OpenVMS 0.00%
    View Trend SCO 0.00%
    View Trend OpenBSD 0.00%
    View Trend BREW 0.00%
    View Trend AIX 0.00%

    You were right with the two first, not to bad with the iPhone but you missed the third player in addition to pick the Wii was far from the optimal allocation of efforts.

    Specially if you look at the trend at which Linux usage grows. which is of 25% year as average

    The only thing that slow down this trend are people like you who do not adapt your code to Linux.

    At home I've been using only Linux for 5 years now, and it is fine for almost everything except ... games.

    So guys lets make-us a Linux version !!
     
  33. HiggyB

    HiggyB

    Unity Product Evangelist

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2006
    Posts:
    6,183
    You can't just cite a bunch of penetration numbers and think that those alone are the important figure to consider. Remember, we're a business that's here for profit. So "promising platforms" can involve raw numbers like you cited as well as profit potential as well as marketing benefit as well as ... <insert list of potential considerations>

    Nothing you showed changes the value proposition for us, nothing you showed is particularly new and startling information for us. We've given these sorts of numbers a look already and will of course do so again in the future. But as alwahs you have to think of the entire cost-to-benefit offered by any potential new platform and again, Linux has not measured up so far.

    As I noted already though, times and conditions are ever shifting and so we'll continue to look at all possible new platforms and weigh them as appropriate.
     
  34. bodobo

    bodobo

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2009
    Posts:
    7
    You are entirely right there, but there are the fundamentals: no user :arrow: no profit, and I think with the Wii the numbers speak by themselves. (I'm a happy owner of a Wii but like most people I do not use it to go on the net because it is simply not practical.

    Since I do not know your business model, I can't provide much comment on this, but there is still one thing that should be important for you is that the Linux users are usually computer literate people that help others mostly non Linux users. Having them with you rather than against would be a great support for the market penetration of your product.

    Cheers
     
  35. Eric5h5

    Eric5h5

    Volunteer Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2006
    Posts:
    32,401
    I'm confused as to why that would be relevant, since there is no Unity web plugin for the Wii. There are, however, over 50 million Wii units sold so far.

    --Eric
     
  36. Aras

    Aras

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Posts:
    4,770
  37. bodobo

    bodobo

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2009
    Posts:
    7
    Thanks Aras,

    It is a bit tedious but I voted I encourage any people requesting Llinux support to do so.

    Eric5h5, I've seen that Unity sells Wii licenses

    Cheers
     
  38. jorge-castro

    jorge-castro

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2008
    Posts:
    142
    afaik, you can runs unity application under linux using wine, or i am missing something?.
     
  39. bodobo

    bodobo

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2009
    Posts:
    7
    You probably can run a windows version of Firefox under wine with Unity installed.

    It might work but it feels like cycling with roller blades on.
     
  40. HiggyB

    HiggyB

    Unity Product Evangelist

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2006
    Posts:
    6,183
    Seen in the San Francisco Bay Area (not my photo but from a moto riding forum I'm on):



    :eek:

    </off-topic>


    Running under Wine is a crutch and not something we at UT see as "proper Linux support". That having been said, I (we) stand behind the notion that so far Linux has not measured up as worth the effort. But folks, as directed, can and should go vote on the feedback site. Thanks!
     
  41. bodobo

    bodobo

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2009
    Posts:
    7
  42. amy

    amy

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2009
    Posts:
    58
    Chrome OS will make linux support worthwhile.
     
  43. redroses

    redroses

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2009
    Posts:
    1
    Thanks Ed for the uplifting comment. It is good to know that somehow I could be of help although the thread is way old.
    simulation credit immobilier
     
  44. Atalargo

    Atalargo

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2009
    Posts:
    4
    I found a 3D Engine with editor ane webplugin for all system (win/mac/linux) and standalone player for all this os too (and for consoles + phones ) : http://www.stonetrip.com

    I test it, and i found it's a very great solution, with a real multi plateform target... The reason for unity to not provide a Linux version really falls when I see this. Solutions like this will flourish, and I think it will do great harm to Unity.
    You decide the future of unity ...
     
  45. jchance

    jchance

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2011
    Posts:
    5
    Those figures you are quoting are from commercial outlets. Independent researchers and studies have shown that Mac OS X has a lower market share then Linux because the studies you are using only cover commercial sales and not those who install Linux themselves. Linux has over a 10% market share now according to a few of the studies now.
     
  46. jchance

    jchance

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2011
    Posts:
    5
    Mac OS X is Unix! Unix and Linux are very similar animals. There would not be any major issues to port Unity to Linux because of this, but Unity's people don't want to address this fact. They do not want to shake the boat and upset Gates or Jobs because when Macromedia did it with Flash and Shockwave, both Apple and Microsoft cried foul and whined like spoiled brats.

    Welcome to a corporate controlled society where the people do not dictate government or economic markets. A place where elitist Builderberg members like Gates dictate everything while raping the masses of their wealth and dignity because as Ted Turner said, another Builderberg member, we are nothing more then breeders and feeders beneath them.

    Sorry but Gates is beneath most of us, but that could be because he is a low down snake that crawls on his belly.
     
  47. jchance

    jchance

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2011
    Posts:
    5
    Whether Linux is packaged as Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva, Suse, Fedora, Red Hat, or any other distribution, Linux is Linux! The kernel that Linus Torvalds maintains is the heart of all of them and does not vary between them, except for maybe the version or patches. X Windows is the same between all of them as well. Where you are clueless to this, you are obviously not a Linux user.
     
  48. Dreamora

    Dreamora

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2008
    Posts:
    26,601
    Just as similar as rats and dolphins are mammals, thats where the equality ends.

    Already the linux distros differ enough from each other to be more different than major versions of osx or windows among themself, without considering Linux 32bit vs Linux64bit which on itself is a beast as are incompatbile different dynamic library versions.

    I think you should try developing native, closed source games for linux using ogre or irrlicht to get a feel for it, that while it sounds great in theory, its a nightmare if you have a plentitude of incompatible libraries users need to install manually and incompatible kernels ... there is not a single target on linux, it would require 3+ players already to work with the ubuntu releases from 2008 till now ...
    thats just unbearable ...

    but you can be happy actually, the flash targeting as side effect will also allow linux targeting likely.
     
  49. namuol

    namuol

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2012
    Posts:
    1
    Food for thought:

    While Linux is indeed a paltry percentage of the desktop market (let's say 1%), it's used by a very substantial percentage of developers. Aren't your customers developers?

    I'll resist speculating phony numbers, but I think it's fair to say that a significantly higher percentage of your potential customer base consists of Linux users, since developers represent only a small portion of desktop users in the first place. While it may be true that Linux desktop users represent 1% of all desktop users, there's no question that more than 1% of developers prefer to use Linux -- especially for development!