Damn that Corbin.

Multipass.

First thing I was thinking of too.

While this is nice, this still doesn't get Steam to the way physical discs work for a family. With discs, if I had a child and wanted her to be able to play a game I purchased, I can let her borrow it. But then, I could still play any other game I have on a different machine, at the same time. In this case, I'm locked out until she's done.

It seems like you could almost replicate this on X1 and PS4 with their current policies.

Both have a "home" console, and you can sign into any console and access your digital content. You'd have to give your login info to people you trust, but they would be able to play your stuff as long as you aren't online. The obvious difference is that they could only play the content under your profile.

My point, I guess, is that this policy would be really easy to implement for either MS or Sony and is only one very small step from where they are now.

Just joined the DVDT Steam group as well. Can't wait to share my 5 games. :P

No, this is not correct. With Steam Family Sharing the owner of the library can play any of his or her games at any time. It's only other people who are sharing who are locked out.

You say that like it's a fact, but the FAQ may not be quite so clear:

Can a friend and I share a library and both play at the same time?
No, a shared library may only be accessed by one user at a time.

When I authorize a device to lend my library to others, do I limit my own ability to access and play my games?
As the lender, you may always access and play your games at any time. If you decide to start playing when a friend is already playing one of your games, he/she will be given a few minutes to either purchase the game or quit playing.

--
To me, these answers are saying two different things. I think the second one is more accurate, sure, but the wording of the first one causes confusion.

How would you answer that first question? It seems pretty definitive to me -- you two can't both play the same game at the same time. The second question confirms you as the owner gets priority over a shared guest.

They both seem to say the same thing to me, but maybe I am just understanding the 2nd based on the first.

You can always access and play your games at any time, if someone is already accessing your library they will be booted after a few minutes.

It's very clear, no matter how you read it.

I can play anything I own at any time.

One other person can access anything in my "library" at any given time - as long as I'm not playing anything at all.

So if I share with Music and Decker:

If I'm playing anything of mine, neither can start one of my games, regardless of what I'm playing.

If Decker is playing anything of mine, Music can't play any of my games.

If Decker is playing anything of mine and I decide to start something, Decker will get a notice that he's in a grace period to save and gracefully exit (or buy his own license) before he's booted.

re-reading it, I see what you all are saying.
YOU, the owner, have priority.
Your friend, the lendee, can play any game they want, but as soon as you start playing ANY game (not just the one they're playing), they have a few minutes to quit or buy it.

Both answers, together, seem to confirm this. My initial interpretation was that YOU, the owner, and ONE lendee can play any games at any time, as long as they're not the same game. So, I thought that meant if you want to play the game the lendee is playing, then they'd have a few minutes to buy or quit.

For shits and giggles, the original MS policy stated:
You can always play your games, and any one of your family members can be playing from your shared library at a given time.

So, I thought Steam would have mirrored that.

You guys are dicks man,, I wanna play!

He's not even sharing with me.

Yes. If I'm interpreting it correctly, it means that the owner has the power to boot off anyone playing his games. You just won't have to worry about the "lendee" holding you up from playing something.

I thought the FAQ was pretty straight forward and that's undoubtedly the case. The confusion confuses me.

Leave it to one jerk to screw it all up for everyone.

I'm not even sure you'd be kicked off with all games unless they were explicitly wired in with Steam. Right now, if one person in my family is playing a game, somebody else can log into Steam with the same account and play the exact same game. The other person gets booted from Steam, but can keep playing their game for as long as they like (unless they quit).

I would imagine that any games not specifically enabled by Steam will not be part of the lending library. From the FAQ:
CAN ALL STEAM GAMES BE SHARED WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY?
No, due to technical limitations, some Steam games may be unavailable for sharing. For example, titles that require an additional third-party key, account, or subscription in order to play cannot be shared between accounts.

The stuff you're speaking of probably falls into that category, no? Maybe... maybe not. I don't know.
Go steam go!

Yeah...could be that they'd just block those games.

Could somebody add me to the steam group? My username is either DaveyJoe or Twizz.

Hmm, do you have to be friends with someone already to invite? That's the only option I can see to do it.

No idea, but feel free to add me to your friends list. That goes for everybody... except Groucho.

Looks like the group has 36 people as of today.