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Wacom tablets track every app you open

robertheaton.com

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Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#61

Post by dehrmann »

danShumway wrote: post #24

On Linux you'd be using the community-maintained drivers[0], so I assume this wouldn't be a problem (correct me if I'm wrong). But as far as I can tell, there's not equivalent Open Wacom drivers for Windows. People with more Windows knowledge than me: any thoughts on why? Is it just that someone using Windows probably doesn't care about Open drivers, so the demand isn't there? Or is there something about Windows that…

> On Linux...this wouldn't be a problem

This, perhaps not, but Linux distros track app usage, too: https://popcon.debian.org/

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#62

Post by moron4hire »

0xff00ffee wrote: post #56
moron4hire wrote: post #19

"their device, which - remember - is essentially a mouse" ... that has per-application configuration settings that change how the tablet can be used. They aren't just wantonly collecting unrelated data. They have features tied to this. I read the whole article to see if there was any mention of app-specific config. Doesn't come up once.

Hmm... Good point. I could see how Wacom could make context sensitive control panels based on the app, without having to ask the user, but then I still would want control over that: what if the functionality becomes too different between to apps and I find it annoying? This should be exposed to the user. It makes it feel less nefarious, I guess. But I still don't want a C&C server knowing this much about me.

You do have control over it. By default, every app uses the same configuration. You proactively add configs to apps that you want to work differently.

For me, I've used it to make the pen work like a touchpad stylus while normally working, but map to the screen corners when working in photoshop.

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#63

Post by zzzcpan »

danShumway wrote: post #24

On Linux you'd be using the community-maintained drivers[0], so I assume this wouldn't be a problem (correct me if I'm wrong). But as far as I can tell, there's not equivalent Open Wacom drivers for Windows. People with more Windows knowledge than me: any thoughts on why? Is it just that someone using Windows probably doesn't care about Open drivers, so the demand isn't there? Or is there something about Windows that…

Yes, it doesn't apply to Linux. Also on Linux libinput and synaptics drivers support wacom tablets, so you don't necessarily need to even install linuxwacom (in my config I do "xinput set-prop ..." for both cases to setup pressure curve).

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#64

Post by arsome »

dehrmann wrote: post #61
danShumway wrote: post #24

On Linux you'd be using the community-maintained drivers[0], so I assume this wouldn't be a problem (correct me if I'm wrong). But as far as I can tell, there's not equivalent Open Wacom drivers for Windows. People with more Windows knowledge than me: any thoughts on why? Is it just that someone using Windows probably doesn't care about Open drivers, so the demand isn't there? Or is there something about Windows that…

> On Linux...this wouldn't be a problem This , perhaps not, but Linux distros track app usage, too: https://popcon.debian.org/

... if you install and configure popularity-contest, which includes an explicit opt-in process [0] and it still doesn't track usage, merely installation.

[0] http://www.linuxandubuntu.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/con...

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#65

Post by [deleted] »

dehrmann wrote: post #61
danShumway wrote: post #24

On Linux you'd be using the community-maintained drivers[0], so I assume this wouldn't be a problem (correct me if I'm wrong). But as far as I can tell, there's not equivalent Open Wacom drivers for Windows. People with more Windows knowledge than me: any thoughts on why? Is it just that someone using Windows probably doesn't care about Open drivers, so the demand isn't there? Or is there something about Windows that…

> On Linux...this wouldn't be a problem This , perhaps not, but Linux distros track app usage, too: https://popcon.debian.org/

[deleted]

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#66

Post by hkmurakami »

Joe-Z wrote: post #57
penagwin wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tracking the currently open application software side is perfectly within scope for a drawing tablet - they often have buttons that can be bound to keyboard shortcuts, etc. It makes sense that it should know when you're focused on Photoshop vs Google Chrome. But why are they sending this data to a server? My best guess is that this helps them focus on what software people are using. This allows them access to the pop…

IMO the more simple explanation is they want this data to sell to data aggregators, who can in turn enrich the profile they have on you. There's a similar thing going on with smart TVs, right?

That seems pretty unlikely for a mid sized, independently operated/capitalized Japanese company tbh.

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#67

Post by toastal »

dehrmann wrote: post #61
danShumway wrote: post #24

On Linux you'd be using the community-maintained drivers[0], so I assume this wouldn't be a problem (correct me if I'm wrong). But as far as I can tell, there's not equivalent Open Wacom drivers for Windows. People with more Windows knowledge than me: any thoughts on why? Is it just that someone using Windows probably doesn't care about Open drivers, so the demand isn't there? Or is there something about Windows that…

> On Linux...this wouldn't be a problem This , perhaps not, but Linux distros track app usage, too: https://popcon.debian.org/

One of the first things Debian does is ask consent about this, and the FAQs are clearly published: https://popcon.debian.org/FAQ. You can't say the same about most things.

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#68

Post by tomatotomato37 »

danShumway wrote: post #24

On Linux you'd be using the community-maintained drivers[0], so I assume this wouldn't be a problem (correct me if I'm wrong). But as far as I can tell, there's not equivalent Open Wacom drivers for Windows. People with more Windows knowledge than me: any thoughts on why? Is it just that someone using Windows probably doesn't care about Open drivers, so the demand isn't there? Or is there something about Windows that…

Ever since the Windows multi-platform tablet push windows has had built-in drivers for touch & pen support. For the purpose of drawing, these drivers are actively antagonistic, as they have weird touch macros that make fine detail virtually impossible. And as they are built-in to windows, these drivers are also a pain to override by third-party drivers.

Add that to the complications that already arise from interfacing a 3D (touch sensitivity) precision input device with a computer and you end up with poor official driver support, and even worse community driver support

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#70

Post by Joe-Z »

hkmurakami wrote: post #66
Joe-Z wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IMO the more simple explanation is they want this data to sell to data aggregators, who can in turn enrich the profile they have on you. There's a similar thing going on with smart TVs, right?

That seems pretty unlikely for a mid sized, independently operated/capitalized Japanese company tbh.

Why? Because they don't have enough users for this to be worth it you mean?
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