About this Steam thingy... I have tried to avoid it, because I don't undestand it 
So, basically, do you get to buy the games just like from www.gog.com or www.gamersgate.com, or are the games stored on some steam server or? Also, what are these Steam groups?
During last weekend my nephew called me a relic from some old times because I don't have Steam, but I just haven't found the reason to get there (and besides, on every gaming forum I visit people are moaning how their Steam versions of the games do not work as intended. So, umm, any "Steam for dummies" guide available from somewhere?
Steam installs the games locally via its own client - which is at once a chat program, store, games list, mp connection tool etc etc. It had issues when it was first released (I hated it then) but over the past 4 years the many issues have been ironed out, theres a few that crop up, but valve or the relevant dev gets on top right away and sorts them out. (Im a converted fanboi!) The games are also stored on a central server, so if you install steam elsewhere it will install your games for you too. No need to copy info over from an old machine and so on.
I havent had issues with games not working properly - excepting the odd were windowed mode takes work arounds and so on.
As for groups - social things that let people game together without needing to do lots of random shit (like in Hamachi etc) - basically you own a game and a member of your group does, they can jump into your server (if its a game like Tf2, or L4D etc) without needing said servers details.
Steam really is a good tool - I use gog too, but steam has grown on me so much I love it.
