Learn some history... BSD-derivative infighting almost undermined Unix as a platform. Linux came just in time to save our collective bacon - even though Linux was technically inferior the GPL enforced cooperation so software wasn't as difficult to get working between distros. This was obvious once, but apparently the new generation either forgot or never knew.

Yeah, if you enabled everything there'd be potential for fun, but the features are there to pick 'n mix.

Should mention the IRC channel #fusiondirectory is active and helpful on FreeNode.

There has been a powerful infrastructure almost ready to do this (plus much more) available for ages : A GUI + LDAP based web interface called GOsa and a more active fork called FusionDirectory. It does almost everything, but noone has pulled the trigger on an important piece to allow imaging and/or OS installation - this requires a plugin for their messaging daemon. This messaging daemon is either called GOsa-si, or Argonaut in the two projects respectively). This has worked in the past... though bitrot and lack of interest has broken that particular piece.

Right now it allows GUI administration of DNS, DHCP, Samba, your choice of SMTP and POP/IMAP daemons, multiple groupware, Squid, rSyslog, Asterisk, Nagios and much more... with the ability to extend the interface via plugins. If/when the messaging daemon bits get completed it will be able to deploy clients and servers... using FAI/puppet for Linux and OPSI for MS. This HAS worked in the past, and I even believe the Munich Linux project may have had this working for years - but they've only packaged it for their own distro.

That's a weak argument - I'd expect better on a nerd site. It's irrelevant if they're "corruptible" or not. Honourable Uncle Pete is probably easier and cheaper to buy... "These guys are decent because their helping me out!". Used car salesmen are infamous for that one.

...in the process stacking the Debian voting process in favor of Valve - wonderful.

...even if they don't intend it that way. New developers will sign up to get their free candy stacking the democratic Debian process.

Debian is democratic, and Valve is buying votes... Perhaps you feel happy about that happening, but look at desktop BSD after the Apple kickbacks, or hell... the US electoral system. This could f*ck us.

It will corrupt the community... why can't you see that? Debian Developers have voting rights in a democratic community, and Valve is buying votes just the same as if paper bags were being passed under desks. Perhaps that's not Valves intention, but if they don't own Debian they will when all the extra gamer/developers sign up for Debian Developer status to get their kickbacks.

So this is basically about Valve stacking the Debian voting process?

...ooops... "preview" NOT "submit"... but you can see what I'm saying.

...and non-free was bitterly fought over and split the community. Debians place has been the spartan outpost standing behind the flashy Ubuntus and Mints of this world... it's there for when people start wondering about the OS the others stand on, and why it exists in the first place. Much of this software is generated by people who are people steeped in the free software ethos - or "freetards" if you prefer - and are bloodyminded enough to sacrifice a lot to live their. You may think it's folly, but it's for them to decide. Undermine their motivation and a lot of people will be sorry.

I have no problem with them releasing it as steam OS, but it's already in the Debian repo.

There are plenty of non-free choices... not so many free. I'd like to keep my little free sandbox thanks. Why do you want to take it from me? Obviously many feel the same way or else Debian wouldn't have such a vital community, and perhaps it follows that one of the historical reasons for this vital community is its philosophy and relatively uncompromising attitude (though too compromising for RMS apparently). I have contributed to Debian, though granted in very small ways, and frankly I'd be less motivated with the community soured and schitzophrenic with concerns completely unrelated to the Debian core mission. I have a friend who has abandoned desktop BSD because the community around it as collapsed after Apples involvement... I really don't want to see RMS being right AGAIN, this time about Debian not being strict enough.

Yeah, you're being facetious, but Debian is the one distro that is still strong on open source principles. This is an uncomfortable development, and it's a step too far IMHO. The non-free repo has been contentious, but it has been argued that it's required eg. unfree firmware to get uncooperative hardware working. Gradually other software has been creeping in, and now this proposition to ship DRM! Games are just psychological cotton candy - addictive empty calories : pay us money, solve this lab-rat maze, and we'll say how awesome you are. There are other distros (Ubuntu, Mint etc...) which were built for this kind of thing so people can still get their cotton candy. Debian has a purpose though, and this compromises that purpose.