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The amazingly useful SC Controller [GitHub] project, a third-party open source driver and user interface for the Steam Controller has a new release out. Sadly, the last for a while.

Here's what's new in 0.4.5:

  • On-screen keyboard can be now used with DS4 gamepad
  • Improved editing profile using controller
  • Allowed SVG custom menu icons
  • Allowed displaying multiple OSD messages, with different font size and display time
  • Bug fixes

In the release notes, the developer Kozec said this:

This is last SC-Controller release for a while. With all that mess happening around Linux this week, I've decided to move away as far as possible. I plan to finish all "enhancements" eventually, just not right now.

They went into further detail in a Patreon post, here's the gist of it:

As you probably already heard, earlier this week, Linux became part of political movement. It's movement that I strongly disagree with and wish to not be associated with in any way. Because of that, I don't feel welcomed in Linux community anymore.

Or, to write it like human being, with all this mess, coding is not fun at all.

So I'm throwing hands up and walking through the middle.

For those who don't really understand, it's likely as a result of the new Code of Conduct for the Linux Kernel. Something that has become a hot sticky mess in the wider community. Regardless of my own feelings about the CoC, I just hope people can find a way to get along and treat everyone with respect, regardless of who they are and where they come from.

I'm pretty sad about this, I use SC Controller practically every day for taming the Steam Controller outside of Steam and for those Steam games that don't detect it normally.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Apps, Drivers
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260 comments
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devland Sep 23, 2018
Quotewith all this mess, coding is not fun at all

Did the new Linux kernel CoC affect this guy in any way? It doesn't seem like the two are related.
The guy stopped working on his own project because he disagrees with the policy of another project? That doesn't make sense.
legluondunet Sep 23, 2018
I don't understand his reaction, does he overreact?
Anyway thank you for your great apps (sc-controller and wine controller dll), I regurlarly use them, hope to see you soon in the Linux community.
Creak Sep 23, 2018
I don't understand... How can we be against this Code of Conduct? Having one is having a political movement?

I might have missed something at some point in the Linux news.


Last edited by Creak on 23 September 2018 at 1:19 pm UTC
Lonsfor Sep 23, 2018
did he actually let the gamergate rhetoric get to him? in 2018?
scaine Sep 23, 2018
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Basically, some people are conflating "Linux has a CoC" to "Social Justice Warriors have forced Linux to have a Code of Conduct they don't agree with", and so now it's a "political movement".

I can't understand how "be nice to each other" can be construed in any way other than positive. But critics are ignoring the fact that most major projects have a CoC and Linux was an exception, and are flag waving that this means that dissent of any kind can result in you being banned from the kernel.

As if that didn't already happen. Ask Con Kolivas, for example, who now maintains a kernel fork on his own website after falling out with Torvalds spectacularly a decade or so ago. He described contributing to Linux as about as scary as it gets (source.

A CoC might have helped back then and if it had, perhaps we'd have a better kernel for desktops today. (You still can - his website gives you the patch you need to compile a more responsive kernel, if you're interested).

Makes you wonder how many truly awful, terrible people contribute to the kernel to warrant this kind of reaction.
joaojotta Sep 23, 2018
Oh, good. I thought I was the only one not understanding what the Linux Kernel development CoC has to do with developing FOR Linux.
The Lernel is open source, people like the Debian or Ubuntu teams take it and add it to their code. The CoC is no longer applicable in any way so his work wouldn’t either.

Yes, I think he’s overreacting.

Still, it’s his right to stop developing the project. Not sure how fair for his patrons but that’s a matter between them.
GustyGhost Sep 23, 2018
I like a man of principle. But if that is how he feels, doesn't he realize he is just "letting them win" by giving up?
Janne Sep 23, 2018
The argument seems to be something like "only technical merit should matter". But whenever you have at least two people working on one thing you have a social aspect to it, and it becomes important. "Be nice to each other" is not politics, it's project management 101.
melkemind Sep 23, 2018
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Quoting: JanneThe argument seems to be something like "only technical merit should matter". But whenever you have at least two people working on one thing you have a social aspect to it, and it becomes important. "Be nice to each other" is not politics, it's project management 101.

You're right. It really is politics too though, and that's not a bad thing. People only use politics like it's a bad word when it doesn't match up with their own politics. There are politics in everything, and anyone with a job knows there are office politics. There have to be. Who has the power? How much power do they have? What powers do subordinates have? What is the mission? What is the code of conduct? These are all political questions. Even in my house, there are politics I have with my kids. In that example, I'm El Presidente, and they better do what I say. :D
lucifertdark Sep 23, 2018
Quoting: melkemindYou're right. It really is politics too though, and that's not a bad thing. People only use politics like it's a bad word when it doesn't match up with their own politics. There are politics in everything, and anyone with a job knows there are office politics. There have to be. Who has the power? How much power do they have? What powers do subordinates have? What is the mission? What is the code of conduct? These are all political questions. Even in my house, there are politics I have with my kids. In that example, I'm El Presidente, and they better do what I say. :D
It is a bad thing when it's totally one-sided & anyone who even as much as questions it is shouted down.
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