04 Dec 2025
#privacy#data-ownership
When the Desktop Becomes a Product: Microsoft, Valve, and the Quiet Battle for User Freedom
In this post, we examine the growing divide between Microsoft’s increasingly restrictive Windows ecosystem and Valve’s open, user-focused approach with Linux and SteamOS. We explain how Windows is turning core tools into monetized, cloud-dependent products, while Valve invests in open technologies that give users freedom and control. We highlight how Linux is rising not just because it’s improving, but because the alternatives are becoming more limiting. Ultimately, the post frames the future of the desktop as a choice between control and freedom.