Steam would never work from what I am seeing.
Steams purpose is to sell products on-line with a method of making the distribution secure with out the CD. I.E. I would bet products like EQ still do there own updating.
AH on the other hand is a free distribution unlike the other products. And hence steam would not be interested.
HiTech
I cant comment on the cost/benefit side of things because I dont work at HTC and I dont know what it would actually take (cost) to involve a distribution system like Steam.
That said, any other, similar sort of distribution service would surely spark a great deal of interest.
Since the prospect of new players is obviously appealing from a business perspective - I wonder if HTC has ever considered something as simple as a Fileplanet promotion.
I am guessing and hoping that Hi Tech will pass on any outside vendors or promos that would not be in the community and HTC's best interest. Having sailed on the Air Warrior ship and the Good Ship HTC, I'd rather walk the plank than see it get hooked to some other entity. Advertising on the History Channel and word-of-mouth does some recruiting. I also link him on 2 of my sites. While I am no huge hit magnet, I hope I promote folks to click the links now and again. Co-Workers know I fly Aces High and over the years I have brought on new folks.
Try promoting friends and family and then we won't need no stinkin' STEAM