[jiggy2011]

I wonder if Valve wants Linux to beat Microsoft? After all MS are working towards building their own app store into the Windows platform which could be used to muscle Steam out.

Valve actually has a lot of power to play kingmaker here in a way.

Let's suppose that Valve announce HL3 but also announce that it will be a Linux exclusive title for some period (say 1-3 months), what would happen to the Linux desktop market share then?

I could see it easily double to treble within a week, of course many of these would be dual-booters and I wonder what would happen to the increased market share once the game was subsequently released for Windows?