@ReakDuck @MJBrune
SteamOS is a spin off Arch aimed very specifically at the steam deck and nothing else. The desktop is nice but incomplete; try setting up a fully working japanese input method for example; or a full, modern gcc compiler chain.

In some future they may make a distro release aimed at a wider range of hardware. But until then it's not a general purpose desktop OS and it's doing them a disservice trying to pretend it is.

[–] ReakDuck@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't understand why you shouldn't be able to do it. The last resort would always be to install a Virtual Machine, distrobox or whatever. Not sure about Japanese input. Thought it would work as they stated they support it.

[–] jannem@fosstodon.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

@ReakDuck
Japanese input is doable without any system changes. Mostly adding language as well. Some software does need you to add language packs to system directories - that's one example where an overlay fs is useful.

Mostly it's good when you need to add specific packages (I ran into xmodmap not being available for instance). Or if you need something such as a custom keyboard layout (technically possible in your home though).