DrawingTabletConfiguration

Revision 3 as of 2006-06-12 06:47:37

Clear message

Summary

Provide a method for easily and unambiguously configuring drawing tablets without resorting to configuration file hackery.

Rationale

Often the process of configuring alternative input devices (specifically graphics tablets) requires intimate knowledge of configuration files and command line utilities. However, the persons who might be most interested in using linux with these devices -- artists -- are typically those who do not want to deal with such complexities, they want it to both "just work" and to be adaptable/configurable to their various styles of work.

Use Cases

  • Bob is a graphical artist who is trying out Ubuntu Linux for the first time. Bob has little experience with computers and has just perchased a wacom graphics tablet. He plugs the tablet into the computer but does not get any indication that the tablet has been recognized and to make the experience worse the stylus works but it has reverted to using relative positioning instead of the traditional absolute pointing style he is acustomed to on his apple computer. Bob can not figure out how to change this behavior and after many frustrating hours gives up on using Ubuntu for his graphical work.
  • Sally is a day trader with an RSI. Sally hears that using a graphics tablet stylus instead of a mouse will help reduce the effect of this injury on her long computing sessions. Sally is happy with the experience she gets from using a graphics tablet on her windows based machine and one day Sally hears about and decides to try Ubuntu Linux. Sally installs and configures Ubuntu Linux but requires the help of a friend to get X working with her dual displays. However, her friend does not have a graphics tablet and so can not help Sally configure which display should map to where on the tablet, nor can she figure out how to assign functions to the shortcut buttons on her tablet.
  • John is a sysadmin for a graphics design corporation that uses Ubuntu Linux on all of its computers. John is tired of having to repeatedly change the configuration of graphics tablets to suit individual artist needs.
  • Peter is competent linux user and graphic artist. Peter does not mind "dropping down" to the command line to change the pressure curve of his wacom tablet using xsetwacom. However, he cannot honestly recommend Ubuntu Linux to his artist friends as he knows they wouldn't want to deal with the problems he had encountered in setting up his tablet.

Scope

Design

Implementation

Outstanding Issues

Discussion

CategorySpec