Wacom's Intuos Pro To Be Supported By The Linux 4.11 Kernel

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Wacom's Intuos Pro To Be Supported By The Linux 4.11 Kernel

Jiri Kosina submitted the HID updates today for the Linux 4.11 kernel cycle...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-4.11-HID-Updates

[rabcor]

Wacom have a monopoly on drawing tablets and overcharge massively for their products. It's sad that off-brand tablets aren't getting better support under linux, we only have the digimend project to support some of them and not always well (although usually at least 'well enough')

To make matters significantly worse, the project maintainer of digimend abandoned the project 4 months ago.

So linux users who want to buy fairly priced tablets from non-wacom brands are almost certainly fucked. I dread the day I'll need an upgrade because I might end up having no choice but to go with Wacom.

That all said, it's nice that at least wacom is supported.

[schmidtbag]

rabcor
Are there any alternatives to Wacom tablets that are actually better or contain as many features? Seeing as it's a product for professionals, I wouldn't say their products are that outrageously expensive, especially when you consider the cost of the software compatible with their products.

Personally, I'm surprised they support Linux. They're one of the very few hardware brands where they have pretty good Linux support despite there being almost no userbase at all. Do these tablets even work properly with Wine programs?

[defaultUser]

rabcor
Are there any alternatives to Wacom tablets that are actually better or contain as many features? Seeing as it's a product for professionals, I wouldn't say their products are that outrageously expensive, especially when you consider the cost of the software compatible with their products.

Personally, I'm surprised they support Linux. They're one of the very few hardware brands where they have pretty good Linux support despite there being almost no userbase at all. Do these tablets even work properly with Wine programs?

Actually there are a solid professional group. Most of high end VFX shops uses linux almost exclusively and this a public that uses heavily this type of hardware

[M@yeulC]

Do you think it's that expensive for a drawing tablet? I was actually expecting a €1000-1400 price point, but then I am not really into that market...

Which leads me to: Any recommendations for a relatively cheap tablet that I could use for occasional drawing needs? As a beginner, still.
The small Intuos pro isn't *that* expensive at ~ € 180 (though it's starting to be quite expensive for something I would use once in a while), but is a big area an important criterion? I am a bit lost on this.

[slalomsk8er]

Well, I own a Wacom Intuos 2 A4 tablet since the beginning of the millennium and granted I didn't find the time to really use it a lot but is still going strong. I'm using it on my main PC for quick graphic work.
At the time it was a big investment for me and a bit smaller would have been absolutely OK as it is easy to make the mistake of thinking in the limitations of paper.
I'm used to absolutely map the tablet to the screen as in paper but I constantly zoom in and out of my work in software. This allows me to keep my strokes in my most comfortable range in a relatively small area. I guess A5 would be absolutely sufficient in a drawing tablet with out integrated screen.

As for the price: I think the patent that gave Wacom the monopoly expired some years ago but since then no competitor came close with a stylus without battery.
I guess I paid like 700 CHF at the time so it is about 50 per year and I plan on using it as long as I can find a USB-port to plug it into.
This tablet is by far the oldest piece of tech I own and still use. I paid for more then I needed but still I don't regret the purchase.

My advice: get a Wacom, don't go for the biggest you can afford - big enough is all you need.
Don't get fooled with arguments like you don't need thousands of pressure points in precision because your monitor only can show you 256 shades of grey - you can map pressure to line thickness or other properties as well and you can tweak the settings so that you can work in the pressure range that is most comfortable for you
If price is a issue, by a used one form there professional line - they seam to last.

[lucrus]

I know this isn't the correct place to ask, but this thread seems to be the only place where graphic-tablet-on-linux-beginners meet...
So: I've noticed that Wacom sells pen nibs in packs of 5 for 10 dollars/pack more or less. Assuming I buy a wacom tablet and use it now and then, will I need those nibs too? Are pen nibs to graphic tablets the same as ink cartridges to printers?

[schmidtbag]

I know this isn't the correct place to ask, but this thread seems to be the only place where graphic-tablet-on-linux-beginners meet...
So: I've noticed that Wacom sells pen nibs in packs of 5 for 10 dollars/pack more or less. Assuming I buy a wacom tablet and use it now and then, will I need those nibs too? Are pen nibs to graphic tablets the same as ink cartridges to printers?

My brother uses a Wacom tablet and to my knowledge, of all the years he owned one, he has not had to replace anything. Those nibs are probably for those who use their tablets for hours on a daily basis.

[AndyChow]

I know this isn't the correct place to ask, but this thread seems to be the only place where graphic-tablet-on-linux-beginners meet...
So: I've noticed that Wacom sells pen nibs in packs of 5 for 10 dollars/pack more or less. Assuming I buy a wacom tablet and use it now and then, will I need those nibs too? Are pen nibs to graphic tablets the same as ink cartridges to printers?

There are different nibs that have different texture, so the feel is different. I've used mine for years (wacom intuos 4), and never had to buy new nibs. There are some nibs that are almost a felt like material, those might not last long. I just use the standard ones. BTW, the pen holder opens up, and there are a dozen different nibs inside.

As for the person complaining about the price, grow up. Wacom boards have 2048 levels of pen pressure sensitivity, super great feel and fluid response. It does what you want it too. There is no competition because no one else has a product that even comes close.

[maxis11]

Wacom have a monopoly on drawing tablets and overcharge massively for their products. It's sad that off-brand tablets aren't getting better support under linux, we only have the digimend project to support some of them and not always well (although usually at least 'well enough')

To make matters significantly worse, the project maintainer of digimend abandoned the project 4 months ago.

So linux users who want to buy fairly priced tablets from non-wacom brands are almost certainly fucked. I dread the day I'll need an upgrade because I might end up having no choice but to go with Wacom.

That all said, it's nice that at least wacom is supported.

My huion dwh69 working well in krita without digimend drivers. The only thing needs to do, if you have multiple screens as I have, is to map device to one screen using xinput.