"The desktop" that is relevant for GNU/Linux distributions is a stagnant, shrinking market. You will see more Chromebooks than you will ever see Linux desktops. At first glance SteamOS does not even look like a GNU/Linux desktop. It's supposed to be a living room machine, complete with its own "SteamBox." Attributing anything important to SteamOS is akin to saying "Roku is Linux; this is really going to help us get some drivers."
No, I'm not an RMS disciple but here I said GNU/Linux for a reason. Chromebooks aren't GNU/Linux. Torvalds doesn't seem to be saying that Steam will help with Chromebook-like devices--and why would it? The manufacturer will do what it takes to get the drivers working on those devices.
If you use just "Linux", then there's some ambiguity. If you use both "GNU/Linux" and "Linux" to refer to the same thing in consecutive sentences, then that's plain misleading.
