3 ms·

Right? How is Wacom considered an acceptable option after that, especially for FOSS people?

by bo1024 5y ago

ninjin 5y ago
To me, because the world is too complex to allow us to deal in absolutes – especially when dealing with corporations. Wacom deserves to have their name shamed when it comes to spying on their customers, but they equally well deserve praise for their Linux kernel drivers and libraries. As far as I can see there is no perfect option out there, so for now I (as a “FLOSS person”) have no choice but to settle with an imperfect alternative (or world for that matter) and praise the good parts and shame the bad while hoping for things to gradually improve.
- danwills 5y ago
  Not sure whether it's any consolation but the drivers do work when there's no internet connection (like on our intranet at work). Presumably this means it shouldn't be hard to prevent them phoning home even when there is a connection available? It's surprising to me that there aren't forks with this aspect removed.. maybe there are and I just haven't looked far enough?
  - ninjin 5y ago
    To be clear, if I recall correctly the spyware was in the package of (usually rubbish) software that came with the drivers for Windows (and maybe also macOS?). The Linux drivers are upstreamed in the official source tree and there is no way in hell you would be able to do that with spyware.
  - diffeomorphism 5y ago
    That is only in the Windows driver (which I don't think is FOSS) and just one checkbox to disable/uncheck on install. Also (probably going to get crucified for this), what is the big deal? It is not like it is sharing any sensitive or personally identifiable information and it asks when you install the driver whether you are okay with that. So it also was never hidden, people just don't read. I would also prefer an unchecked instead of checked box by default, but this seems to be blown way out of proportion.

Right? How is Wacom considered an acceptable option after that, especially for FOSS people?

by bo1024 5y ago

Right? How is Wacom considered an acceptable option after that, especially for FOSS people?

To me, because the world is too complex to allow us to deal in absolutes – especially when dealing with corporations. Wacom deserves to have their name shamed when it comes to spying on their customers, but they equally well deserve praise for their Linux kernel drivers and libraries. As far as I can see there is no perfect option out there, so for now I (as a “FLOSS person”) have no choice but to settle with an imperfect alternative (or world for that matter) and praise the good parts and shame the bad while hoping for things to gradually improve.

danwills 5y ago
Not sure whether it's any consolation but the drivers do work when there's no internet connection (like on our intranet at work). Presumably this means it shouldn't be hard to prevent them phoning home even when there is a connection available? It's surprising to me that there aren't forks with this aspect removed.. maybe there are and I just haven't looked far enough?
- ninjin 5y ago
  To be clear, if I recall correctly the spyware was in the package of (usually rubbish) software that came with the drivers for Windows (and maybe also macOS?). The Linux drivers are upstreamed in the official source tree and there is no way in hell you would be able to do that with spyware.
- diffeomorphism 5y ago
  That is only in the Windows driver (which I don't think is FOSS) and just one checkbox to disable/uncheck on install. Also (probably going to get crucified for this), what is the big deal? It is not like it is sharing any sensitive or personally identifiable information and it asks when you install the driver whether you are okay with that. So it also was never hidden, people just don't read. I would also prefer an unchecked instead of checked box by default, but this seems to be blown way out of proportion.