After almost half a year of closed beta testing the Steam Beta is entering its final phase, and is now open to the public (again). To enter this beta, simply download and run the 500K installer. Steam, a broadband platform for the delivery and management of digital content, currently features a variety of Valve games including Counter-Strike 1.6, which introduces the new riot shield, the official CS bot and more. However please note that the total capacity of Steam's servers is only 950Mbps (in comparison the total capacity of Gamer's Hell servers is 2500Mbps), so the actual game downloads might take a bit.
Download:
Updated Steam Client v2.0 (Win32) (500 KB)
Updated Steam Client v2.0 (Linux) (1.6 MB)
WHAT IS STEAM?
Steam is Valve's new way of getting games into your hands ASAP. Games like Half-Life, Counter-Strike, and Counter-Strike Condition Zero are all being made available through Steam.
Steam games are automatically kept up-to-date with the latest content and revisions. Steam also includes an instant-message client which even works while you're in-game.
At its core, Steam is a distributed file system and shared set of technology components that can be implemented into any software application.
With Steam, developers are given integrated tools for direct-content publishing, flexible billing, ensured-version control, anti-cheating, anti-piracy, and more. Check out the full feature list, and install Steam today!
FEATURES
WHAT CAN STEAM DO?
Once you've installed Steam, all of the following features are available on your desktop and while you're playing Steam games.
EASY AND FAST ACCESS TO GAMES
After installing Steam, you'll have instant access to Valve's full library of games. And when you choose one to play, you don't have to wait for the whole thing to download -- you can start playing in a matter of minutes.
AUTOMATIC UPDATES
Say goodbye to game patches forever--they're a thing of the past. Steam will keep all of its games up-to-date for as long as you want to keep playing them. No more hunting for download sites just to get up and running!
INSTANT MESSAGING, EVEN IN GAME
Keep in touch with your buddies through "Friends," Steam's instant-messenger. It even works while you or your friends are playing games -- you don't have to stop playing to communicate.
SERVER BROWSER - FIND YOUR FRIENDS' GAMES
Now it's incredibly easy to find a quality game server -- one that's fast, that's running your favorite game, and even one that has your friends already playing on it.
PARLOR GAMES
Maybe you're dodging your homework. Maybe you're just bored while waiting for another turn in Counter-Strike. Either way -- why not enjoy a nice game of Chess? Or Checkers? Or Go? Or Hearts... Or....
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Source:
GamersHell
