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Linux Kernel Finally Nearing Support For The Apple Magic Trackpad 2, Thanks To a Google Employee (phoronix.com)

Michael Larabel, writing for Phoronix: Apple announced the Magic Trackpad 2 almost three years ago to the day while the mainline Linux kernel will finally be supporting this multi-touch device soon. The Magic Trackpad 2 is a wired/wireless touchpad with haptic feedback support and is a much larger touchpad compared to the original Magic Trackpad. There unfortunately hasn't been any mainline Linux kernel support for the Magic Trackpad 2, but some out-of-tree options. [...] However, as seen by this bug report there have been plenty of people since 2015 interested in using the Magic Trackpad 2 on Linux. Fortunately, Sean O'Brien of Google's Chrome OS team has been working on Magic Trackpad 2 support with a focus on getting it mainlined. The patch, which was also reviewed by other Google/ChromeOS developers, is now up to its third and perhaps final revision.

5 of 52 comments (clear)

  1. This is offensive. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Supporting Apple hardware offends me, so can we get this Google developer banned from Linux kernel development?

  2. I like my original Magic Trackpad by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Took a few days to adjust to it, but for most tasks I strongly prefer it to a mouse.

    Now the second-generation Magic Mouse, on the other hand... what idiot creates a mouse with a non-replaceable, rechargeable battery but puts the charging port on the underside so you can't charge it and use it at the same time?! Seems typical of Ive's recent work - all about looks, practical considerations aren't even an afterthought.

    --
    #DeleteChrome
  3. MacBooks? I always used mine with a desktop by raymorris · · Score: 3, Informative

    I always used my Magic Trackpad 2 with my desktop. Never used it with a MacBook. When I DO plug in my MacBook at my desk, I also use my preferred keyboard. Why use an external trackpad and not use whatever keyboard you want, Bluetooth or USB? I'd think that if one added another trackpad, they'd also add their preferred keyboard.

  4. Re:Who cares abour macbooks anymore by Stormwatch · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Without a proper keyboard

    These days, the only laptops with a proper keyboard are MSI's GT series. And by proper I mean mechanical.

  5. Third version. I wish they hasn't taken that out by raymorris · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Speaking of the new Code of Conduct, I notice this article says this is the third version and they are hoping this version will be good enough to make it into the kernel. The old CoC used to address that. The (very short) CoC said that your code probably will be sent back for revision, the first time and probably several times. Don't take it personally, that's part of quality for the world's most used kernel. Rarely does anyone get it just right on the first try, being completely up to the expected standards of the kernel. So don't take offense, just do the suggested improvements and submit again.

    If someone wanted to go into detail about what it means to not be a jerk, fine. Even if you want to say it's extra bad to be a jerk to someone who happens to have whatever kind of genitalia, fine. I wish they hadn't removed the old wording about code reviews being about the code, it's not friggin personal. I had my code sent back probably five times, until eventually we found an all-around better way of doing it, along with getting the details just right. I'm pretty sure that had nothing to do with my genitalia or complexion since few people know what my complexion happens to be, and even fewer have seen my genitalia. They just know what I write about, and in my professional circle never written about the struggles of being X in America.

    A couple times on Slashdot I've mentioned some particularly nasty and insidious racism targeting my family, but few Slashdot readers work on the projects I contribute to. Heck, even on Slashdot those who guess about my demographics mostly guess wrong, and therefore post some hilarious accusations. Apparently I hate my own family, according to one or two utter morons on here.

    With these new codes of conduct that are popular lately, I find it odd that apparently I'm supposed to figure out the sexual proclivities of everyone, in order to know who to be extra sensitive to. I don't know the gender, race, or sexual interests of most of the people involved in projects I work on, because why would you even bring that up? It's irelevant. "Here's a patch to rsync to copy device files byte-byte. I'm a hairy male who enjoys other hairy males". Doesn't make any sense to me why that would be part of the software development process.