You might have seen that I’ve been posting my interviews, or Q&A’s rather, with developers of Steam Deck/Linux projects you might know and love (with many more to come!):
Well now I’ve had the chance to sit down with independent media creator Gardiner Bryant, known for his focus on Linux and gaming.
Possibly most well known for:
Gardiner is Linux, and Steam Deck, and gaming. While most might gravitate to his video content (YouTube, I’d hazard, would be what he might be most known for), I prefer his written posts. I miss blogs, and having his to read makes me so very happy.
So, if you’ve an interest in what might be behind the curtain of an independent content creator, particularly one focused on gaming - then read on!
Origins:
Can you tell us a bit about your background? Who is Gardiner Bryant!
I’m a Mainer first and foremost. I was born and raised here. I grew up as a gamer. I played games on my SNES, N64, and PC as a youngin. My favorite game series were Super Mario (3, World, 64), Command & Conquer (Red Alert, Tiberian Sun, RA2, Generals), SimCity (2k, 3k Unlimited, 4), The Sims, and DOOM, Unreal Tournament, and so many others.
What was your first real exposure to both Linux and to gaming? What ‘clicked’ for you?
My first experience with video games was Super Mario Bros 3. I remember sitting on the floor at my friend Caleb’s house watching a cartoon that he called Mario. But there was no talking. And then he handed me the controller and I realized I was in control of the cartoon. Mind blowing stuff. I was very young. I was in preschool.
My first experience was probably in 2003 or 2004. One of my girlfriends’ friends was in the “computer careers” vocational class and he gave me a copy of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It was way outside my comfort zone. I had no idea what to do with it and I rolled back to Windows XP quite quickly.
After that, I installed Ubuntu Jaunty on the family PC which pissed my dad off. Then I put Fedora Core 6 on my PC and it was awesome (except I couldn’t figure out how to play my extensive collection of MP3s).
As far as Linux and gaming? I tried WINE to play the classics. But it never clicked for me until the Humble Indie Bundle 4. It included some of the games I’d been playing on my Wii and 360: Bit.Trip Runner, Super Meat Boy, Shank, and Cave Story+ to name a few.
This was well before Valve announced Steam was coming to Linux! Humble was Linux gaming at the time.
Was there a specific moment or project, with video creation, gaming or writing which made you realize, “This is what I want to do”?
As a kid, my dad published comic books as a hobby. He created “Lobsterman: Maine’s First Superhero” and it demonstrated that I could do something creative and be successful at it. He also was a radio DJ and had pretty decent taste in music.
Even more importantly, my mom’s parents were creatives. Joe, my grandfather, created awesome mechanical things set to music (think backwoods Maine Disney World) and Bea, my grandmother, was a collector, a seamstress, and more. They were self-employed and made their passion their livelihood.
I’ve always been fascinated by tech. Video games, animation, audio & video production. As a teen I created several home movies with my friends. My church even put on “Oscar Nights” that encouraged local youths to create videos based on scriptural themes. I taught myself programming and animation as an homeschooler using Macromedia Flash.
It’s just kinda been my thing, I guess!
How did gaming intersect with your interest in open-source? Were they always linked for you?
No, they weren’t. When I was first starting out as a Linux user most of my gaming happened on my Xbox, GameCube, Xbox 360, and Wii.
Don’t get me wrong, I tried games through WINE. But they were always classic PC games I had physical copies of. I didn’t get into Steam until the Steam for Linux beta.
What drew you toward independent journalism over more traditional tech career paths?
The example of my grandparents loomed large in my life. I wasn’t super close with them (nor my father for that matter) but entrepreneurship has always been in my blood and working a standard nine to five has never suited me. Despite the risks of being independent, I can’t imagine doing anything else.
However, I cannot stress this enough: I’m not journalist. Liam from GamingOnLinux is a journalist. He checks his facts and reports on the news. I’m a writer and enthusiast and (if I’m anything journalism-adjacent) I’d be a Linux pundit. I’m also using that term in the most derogatory sense of the word. 🤣
I do have a commitment to truth and I strict ethics statement on my company’s website that I adhere to. But I just don’t think of myself as a journalist.
You’ve cultivated a strong personal voice online—how much of that is intentional vs. just being yourself?
I have intentionally put myself in everything I do. I’ve also avoided doing things that would compromise my beliefs/ethics.
That sounds all high and mighty but really all it means is I’m incapable of inauthenticity. (Spell check is telling me that’s not a word. But I swear I googled it.)
I can’t make myself do things that I’m not interested in. This is a double-edged sword, though, as it means my focus is fickle and the only thing consistent with my content is myself. If I had been able to sell out, I could be in a different position in terms of subscribers/income. But YouTube punishes channels that don’t specialize in exploiting their audience’s attention and they’re doing that to me right now.
As far as writing goes, writing is also in my blood. I’m a descendant of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow through my maternal grandmother and both my maternal grandparents were both writers. Joe in particular was a poet, lyricist, and a composer of limericks.
If you weren’t doing this—creating, writing, advocating—what do you think you’d be doing instead?
If I was still working for myself, I’d be doing more of what I do now as my day job: web development and backend programming. If I weren’t working for myself, I’d probably still be doing IT for the furniture store I used to work for.
Linux & Gaming:
How would you describe the current state of Linux as a gaming platform? What’s still missing?
I’d characterize Linux gaming as “strong, mature, and capable.” The biggest thing we’re missing is real anticheat support. But that will come, naturally, as adoption grows and, crucially, the kernel-level anticheat fad falls by the wayside.
Do you see Proton and tools like Lutris as long-term solutions, or are they transitional?
I think compatibility layers are truly the only long-term solution for Linux gaming. Even after the Windows platform is long dead, Proton provides a stable layer gives Valve (or whoever) the capability to triage apps into a stable state.
How do you balance enjoying games as a player vs. analyzing them as a Linux advocate?
I mentioned that I’m not able to force myself to do things I’m uninterested in. That extends to my gaming habits. I don’t play games I’ve got no interest in and if a title doesn’t hold my attention then I’m not going to talk about/cover it.
It’s one of the reasons that I’ve got such an extensive collection of retro consoles and games. There’s something about the classics that the modern titles can’t seem to achieve!
What’s one misconception you think people still have about gaming on Linux?
It is too technical or requires the use of the terminal. I had a friend tell me the other day that he doesn’t use Linux because he’d “rather use a GUI.”
He was holding his Android phone and I replied, “your phone is basically Linux and it’s exclusively a GUI.” That baffled him.
Steam Deck & Handheld Gaming:
What do you think the Steam Deck meant for the Linux gaming scene as a whole?
It’s a symbol that serves to legitimize Linux gaming. It’s a clarion call for people who know it runs Linux.
And to anyone who doesn’t know it runs Linux, it’s an affordable gaming PC.
Have you found yourself using the Steam Deck more for gaming or experimentation/tinkering?
The only PC games I play are on my Steam Deck (except for VR, of course). I’ve got a $4,000 desktop PC and I tried DOOM: The Dark Ages for the sake of completeness, but I only played for like 10 minutes.
I actually am not much of a tinkerer anymore. I’m really busy with work so just want things to work. Honestly, that’s probably my favorite thing about Linux. More often than not It Just Works.
Do you think Valve has lived up to the open-source ethos with the Steam Deck ecosystem?
Valve’s contributions to open source are massive. I don’t think they can be overstated how important what they’re doing is. Their work doesn’t get enough recognition.
But they could stand to make more of their in-house code more open, for sure. 😉
What’s a feature or evolution you’d like to see in the next iteration of the Steam Deck?
A second USB port. The ability to dock a desktop GPU using a standard like USB 4. And I’d also like to see haptic trigger feedback similar to what Sony has on the PS5 controller. VRR might also be nice but that can have battery implications and the Deck 2 needs to improve on the current hardware’s battery life.
I think Valve has nailed pretty much everything else.
I don’t want to see a 1080p+ screen. It’s unnecessary and adds performance and power constraints that are not worth the upgrade.
Is the Steam Deck’s success creating pressure for other handhelds to follow suit with Linux-based OSes?
I think they serve different markets.
Many of the folks who are not satisfied with the Steam Deck’s hardware are also going to be conscious of the fact that many online games aren’t compatible with Linux.
I’m keen to see how the Lenovo Legion Go with SteamOS is going to perform in terms of sales. Plus, however the next SteamOS device performs will be telling.
Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Philosophy:
What originally drew you to the FOSS movement? From all we’ve ever talked, you bleed FOSS, what makes the scene mean so much to you?
I believe in freedom and independence. I’ve experienced first hand how for-profit tech is built on exploitation and harming their users.
I’ve come to the understanding that the proprietary software industry is impossible to sustain without fundamentally violating the rights and autonomy of their users. It will always trend towards authoritarian levels of control and that is fundamentally at odds with my core beliefs.
I believe the software industry (we’re talking the proprietary software industry) would be completely unsustainable if it weren’t for the four pillars of proprietary software. They are: patent trolling, violations of privacy, licensing rather than ownership, and downright criminal behavior. These four pillars are mechanical, they’re cold, and they’re misanthropic.
The free software movement stands in stark relief against the machinations of proprietary software. Instead, FOSS offers its own four freedoms. At their core the four freedoms are anthropocentric, they put the rights of the user ahead of the any other interest.
Do you feel the broader tech culture is moving closer to or further from open-source principles? Or is that just those of us who adore it just ‘dreaming out loud’ (e.g. this is the year of Linux!)
Like I said, I think the tech industry is impossible without the problematic “four pillars.” Sure, there are some standouts (anomalies) like Valve who are interested in FOSS and contribute back to the community. But that’s a rarity.
I’d like to hope that Valve can be an example of how other companies should engage with FOSS, and they sure are. But I’m skeptical (cynical?) enough to see the industry moving further from an ethical foundation rather than closer to one.
Where do you personally draw the line between open-source purism and practicality?
I don’t think purism of any ideology is helpful. And that’s true when it comes to FOSS as well. If there’s a task that you need to complete, use whatever you know and what you have on hand to complete that task.
But where I draw the line is pretty simple. I won’t use proprietary software from any vendors who have a history of paid subscriptions or “software as a service.” I generally won’t use any software that assaults my mental autonomy with ads, especially if it’s software I’ve paid for. And I also try to steer clear of any software that relies on the cloud or injects useless AI garbage.
That being said, I use proprietary stuff like DaVinci Resolve for video editing and Affinity Photo 2/Designer/Publisher for much of my client work. And I obviously play tons of video games through Steam.
What’s one underappreciated FOSS project you wish more people supported or used?
Honestly, Linux. OEMs need to ship more Linux on their retail hardware. Valve, Fedora, Manjaro, and Bazzite are both doing great work on that front.
How do you handle community friction or dogmatism in the FOSS world?
If they’re in my comments section, I troll them. I try to call out dogmatism and unhelpful attitudes as I encounter it.
Gaming Journalism & Content Creation:
You’ve called out traditional games media before—what do you think they consistently miss?
In many instances, the games media fundamentally lacks integrity. They create sponsored content masked as reviews. They toe the publisher’s line in order to secure early access, etc. They view the world through the post-capitalist lens of corporatism and cronyism. They’re also complicit in the hype cycles and unsustainable “bigger number better” bullshit.
Do you see yourself more as a journalist, commentator, educator, or something else entirely?
I’m a commentator and educator… sometimes a loud and joyless pundit. 😂
What responsibility do independent creators have in a space full of sponsored content and hype cycles?
Authenticity. Just be yourself and do what you love. Report your thoughts and feelings honestly and do not heed the critics or try to make yourself more appealing to a general audience.
How do you choose what to cover, especially when there’s pressure to chase trends or clicks?
I talk about whatever piques my interest. It can be a new game launching, a news story that pop up on my meticulously curated RSS feed reader, or something shared by the folks in my Revolt server.
Have you ever been tempted to take brand sponsorships or pivot toward commercial content?
I’ve done many sponsorships in the past. I’ve stopped doing them over the last few years because (again) it’s really hard to force myself to do stuff I’m not interested in. And I don’t really give two hoots about money beyond what I need to survive.
I know some companies have sent you some fun products for review, with no strings attached. Notable the new Legion Go S recently. Can you share any more? Or…perhaps a favorite of the bunch?
I get hundreds of emails per week offering me free review samples. It always goes the same way: I inform them I’ll only talk about their product if I’m free to review their product by the criteria of a review laid out in my ethics statement.
MinisForum always tends to send me really interesting devices. I truly love the most recent one they sent me. I also get GuliKit and 8BitDo controllers quite frequently.
The Legion Go S is also really cool!
Community, Motivation & Identity:
In a creator landscape dominated by monetization, why do you keep doing what you do?
I sometimes joke that I’m a sheep dog. I’m only relaxed when I’ve got a task to accomplish. At this point, my job is to be passionate, honest, authentic, and I have fun doing so. I don’t care about much else.
How has your audience shaped your content direction over the years?
Honestly, I don’t give a lot of thought to the audience beyond “am I getting my message across to Joe/Jane Viewer?”
I make content that’s designed to be welcoming to and digestible by beginners. I can’t tell you how many times I see some kind of criticism in the comments of my video that boils down to “I don’t like the way you said X. Next time, say Y instead” and I just laugh. It’s like, if you know enough about the subject to have an opinion on this, then you’re not the person I’m making it for.
It goes back to your question on what I consider myself and, yeah… “educator” is the right word.
What part of the Linux or open-source community energizes you the most?
Situation: you buy some kind of smart appliance.
The first-party app to control the product is limited, designed poorly, and requires some kind cloud connection/subscription. Now you have new account credentials you must manage, you have another random device connected to your WiFi, and potentially anther subscription fee to pay.
Meanwhile there’s some random GitHub repo started by a first time programmer who has reverse engineered the app/product and created a Home Assistant integration that not only is feature complete but has unlocked some dormant/inaccessible features.
Passion will always surpass profit. That’s why I’m a dyed-in-the-wool true FOSS believer.
Have you had moments where you considered stepping back or quitting—and what kept you going?
Yeah. Many times. Most of it has to do with YouTube screwing me over so frequently. But deploying/running a PeerTube instance reinvigorated me.
Recently, my blog has become my happy place
Perhaps most common when I write these for creators, devs and the like - is a sense that while working on gaming all day long (developing, writing, creating) there’s no time to enjoy it for yourself. Do you find this, too? Or are you able to create that divide and still game?
I started my channel because I felt I didn’t have enough time for gaming. Oh, sweet, sweet naivety.
Honestly, I still play games for myself, though. Particularly through my retro gaming collection. I am just so busy that I don’t get back to it as I’d like.
Looking Ahead:
What excites you most about the future of Linux gaming in the next 3–5 years?
Obviously the roll out of the third party SteamOS machines is shaping up to be a big deal. I’m excited to see what that’s going to do for the community. One of the biggest hurdles of Linux growth is that it’s not generally preinstalled on PCs available at retail. I’d like to see more of that going forward.
As for what excites me? I’ve always been someone who looks forward to the new, the novel, and the unknown. Maybe that’s the Star Trek nerd in me. I’m excited to see how Linux gaming continues to be appreciated by mainstream gamers. And it will continue to grow.
Do you have any personal goals or creative projects you haven’t yet explored?
I’m really excited about my blog and I’m hoping to get to a point where I’m posting at least one article a day over there. Last week I did three posts in a week.
I’d also like to really deep dive stuff and produce more original content outside of Linux gaming. I’ve got ideas for projects. For example: seamlessly retrofitting bluetooth connectivity (possibly more) into a bedside clock radio that I’ve had since I was twelve.
How do you see your role evolving as the tech and content ecosystem continues to shift?
I’ve consistently been one of the louder voices in the space evangelizing FOSS philosophy. As the profit-driven forces of enshittification continue to erode their destructive path through society, I’m still going to be raising my voice against it and demonstrating that their corruption doesn’t have to be tolerated.
If you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing about the Linux or FOSS community, what would it be?
Well, one of the biggest issues we face are the grifters and charlatans who are profiting from spreading lies, driving wedges, and sewing dissent among FOSS projects. Granted, that’s a cultural-wide sickness that we’re facing right now and I don’t know a) if your magic wand is powerful enough to fix that or b) what it would take to actually fix those issues. But that’s what I’d like to attempt.
Is there a dream collaboration—either with a person or a company—that you’ve always wanted to pursue?
I’ve never been good at collaboration. Historically, I’ve actually been terrible at it! Heck, the only reason I’ve got a podcast is because my co-hosts James and Hi-Tech Lo-Life were persistent in asking me to join them!
With that said, it’d be good to talk with more FOSS developers, bring them on my show, extoll more FOSS apps/games, and shine a light on the best that the free software movement can produce!
Any last words, of any kind for everyone?
If you believe in my work, you can help support what I do by subscribing to my blog or by becoming a member.
And that’s the end! Once again, I’d love to thank my friend Gardiner for taking the time to answer these, and for even doing this to begin with!
I love to do these, because I feel like while the community on Lemmy might be smaller than on other platforms, to me its quality over quantity.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this, and if you want to find more of Gardiner, you can use the links down below:
I have more of these coming in the future, too! I’m waiting for the answers from the team from The RomM Project which will be next, and am planning one for a member from Decky Loader which will be after that one. I also have far more planned, but too soon to say :)
And as ever, I really appreciate anyone who reads through these and enjoys them!