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Ask Slashdot: Digital Pens On Linux?

Posted by timothy on from the pen-envy dept.

New submitter Gonzalez_S writes "There are many digital pens out there, but none of them seem to work on Linux; unless you combine them with a tablet. I have contacted many vendors (Lifetrons, Dane-Elec, ApenUSA, IntelliPen..) and only Intellipen responded that there is very limited support for Linux. Do any of you know of a digital pen that works fine using Linux on normal paper? Some options to explore: can the pen work in real time on my PC screen? Can it function as a mouse? Can the pen work offline? Do I need a tablet (preferably not)? I would be happy if anyone shares a success story here, as they seem a great tool."

5 of 74 comments (clear)

  1. Wacom Inkling by nightgeometry · · Score: 3, Informative

    The Wacom Inkling should work fine, I think - it just dumps out vector files.

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    The best is the enemy of the good
    1. Re:Wacom Inkling by eric2hill · · Score: 5, Informative

      http://sourceforge.net/projects/linuxwacom/forums/forum/236871/topic/4686734

      The Wacom Inkling shows up as a drive with WPI files on it. It should work just fine in Linux since the heavy lifting is all done on the pen. And I didn't spend very long looking either.

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      LOAD "SIG",8,1
      LOADING...
      READY.
      RUN
  2. May be this can answer your question ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    I don't know so much about digital pen or digipen on linux, but you can get some info in here:

    http://linuxwacom.sourceforge.net/index_old.php

  3. Re:Non-existent beast by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    The linux Wacom driver project is maintained by a Wacom employee and has positive feedback

  4. A REALLY cheap one, with linux support by pjr.cc · · Score: 4, Informative

    I have a CHEAP digital pen (cost me 25$) called the "greenpoint mobile notetaker" (which i think is a pegasus notetaker rebadged).... its ultra simple. it works under linux and what the linux software gives you is a simple svg map of what you drew on a piece of paper. Its just a normal pen with a little tracking unit that somehow tracks everything you write... I dont use it too much, but the times i have its not failed me so far.

    http://scratchpost.dreamhosters.com/software/Pegasus_Notetaker/ will pull svg's from the pens tracking device thing

    but it looks very much like this http://www.gadgetvictims.com/2009/12/digital-note-taker-pen.html

    I find it works ok, but i've not really used any other digital pens, so i have no point of comparison - but at 25$ (which was on sale at the time) i just went "sure why not" and later found out it supported linux (which was a nice surprise).

    I had previously looked at things like livescribe and went "no linux support, wont bother". There are one or two i can see on aliexpress http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-USB-Digital-Pen-Digital-Mobile-Note-Taker-Digital-Handwriting-Capture-Device/519494331.html but i dont know if they're based on the same thing (and they're twice the price i paid) and hence will still support linux