Have you read the article ?

quote from article: "Let's be honest, SteamOS is done. Steam got exactly what they wanted from Microsoft and dropped it like a hot potato (so sorry, you'll never get to use that cool controller). <...> Hell, they're probably begging them to let them advertise their Geek Squad services to "optimize" the experience and install that $5 program for $100. But no, the Microsoft Experience is inviolate, the holiest of holies, eternally immutable. No matter how much hatred it gets, it Must. Not. Be. Changed . And then Alienware ships a Windows 8 PC that boots to Steam instead of Metro."

But how is that a victory? OEMs have been allowed to put whatever shovelware they want to on PCs and have them launch at boot for forever.

Still confused. What did Steam get from Microsoft?

Distribution outside the Windows Store. There were rumours that the only way to distribute software would be through the Windows Store and Steam wouldn't be allowed at all.

That was not so much a problem in Windows 8 as it was Windows 8 being a foreshadowing of things to come. That still has not changed, unless Valve has done back room negotiations with MS to guarantee their continued functioning despite whatever circus Microsoft puts future versions of Windows though.

They got a pre-installed computer that booted, by default, to Steam. This is apparently a victory of some kind. The saddest kind.