Why Drawing Tablet Brands Won't Collaborate on Linux Floss Drivers
5 hours ago
- #Hardware Review Challenges
- #Linux Tablet Drivers
- #Open Source Collaboration
- Author's review conditions: test tablets on GNU/Linux using only free/open-source software (FOSS).
- New strategy: direct collaboration with brands for sharing specs, aimed at creating FOSS drivers via projects like udev-hid-bpf.
- Contacted brands (e.g., XpPen, Gaomon, Huion) but marketing departments often don't engage deeply.
- A technical contact from Gaomon (linked to multiple brands) showed promise but later declined collaboration.
- Brands refused due to FOSS infrastructure's Wacom branding, fearing sharing specs with competitors.
- Infrastructure repos (e.g., libwacom, wacom-hid-descriptors) include multiple brands but carry Wacom's name historically.
- Without brand collaboration, the author reverts to manual reviews and spec documentation per tablet.
- Future support depends on volunteer efforts; author may stop reviews if FOSS drivers aren't timely.
- Upcoming plans: review specific tablets (XpPen, Gaomon models) and create a tutorial for reporting specs.