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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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silmeth Sep 23, 2018
And what’s IMO is worth pointing out – the kernel maintainers remain the same kernel maintainers. There are no personal changes into some hidden “SJW infiltrators”, whoever that would be.

It’s just the same people who’ve been already maintaining the Linux kernel for some time, finally openly committing to be mindful of other people’s feelings when dealing with them, to not shit on other people when they dislike them or their work. That’s it. This should have happened earlier.

Why did they go with the CoC authored by Coraline Ada Ehmke? Perhaps because it is a sensible one, very widely known and adopted by many other projects, and using an open license. Why wouldn’t they use it?


Last edited by silmeth on 23 September 2018 at 5:18 pm UTC
qptain Nemo Sep 23, 2018
EVERYTHING is political.
I'm sorry but that is an insidious falsehood. It's entirely possible to live and do things, be kind to others in particular, without political thought.
scaine Sep 23, 2018
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EVERYTHING is political.
I'm sorry but that is an insidious falsehood. It's entirely possible to live and do things, be kind to others in particular, without political thought.

Perhaps. Her point was that some people will make anything political, I think. And I suppose that's largely true. I like smarties, but someone will probably point out the evil of nestle to make my eating smarties political. Shop at Amazon or Starbucks? They don't pay their taxes - boycott them! And so on.

This should be simple. It shouldn't be political. But like when anarchists infiltrate a peaceful protest and start rioting, the same approach can be taken with something like a CoC. Some people will make anything a political movement.

What bugs me about this is the motivation. I just don't get it.
Botonoski Sep 23, 2018
I haven't really been paying much attention to all the political nonsense lately, I stopped years ago when I realized it was stressing me out and effecting my health. I suppose there could be some kinda political agenda hidden in that Code of Conduct, but I certainly didn't notice it.
scaine Sep 23, 2018
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This is the most retarded "excuse" I've ever heard for abandoning a project. Being an open source contributor myself it has never occurred to me that some CoC for the Linux kernel has anything in the farthest to do with my work. This dude is working on a GUI tool written in Python - is he aware that the Python project has had a CoC for ages?
You broke the hypocrisy meter on the second page. Good job!

https://www.r-word.org/

Yah folk, the r word is offensive and ableist. Ableism is discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities.

I believe this to be hateful conduct and you will soon be informed of the projects you have been terminated from. /s

See the issue yet?

There is no issue. GOLs code of conduct asks to keep swearing to a minimum, and if you step over that line too much, perhaps Liam will ban you, and if so, you probably had it coming long before the ban hammer fell.

Personally, I detest the word "retarded" as much as you're making out, but having a CoC doesn't mean you get insta-banned for using it. It means you get a warning, then probably a moderation ban, then perhaps a user ban. It's a process, designed, like every CoC out there, to ensure that you get plenty of opportunity to change your ways. To encourage you to be respectful.

People who can't do such a simple thing? We're better off without them.
Dolus Sep 23, 2018
Expect more and more of this. Just when GNU/Kernel was FINALLY getting to the point of being a viable platform for gaming, in come the corporate proxies shoving this COC and their politics down our collective throats. We DID not NEED this. We're already the underdog. And to the people supporting the COC, still think it's doing more good than harm?
TheSHEEEP Sep 23, 2018
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EVERYTHING is political.
I'm sorry but that is an insidious falsehood. It's entirely possible to live and do things, be kind to others in particular, without political thought.
Wrong. Even by not being political, you support a status quo, which is a political act in itself, by intention or not (intention is irrelevant, only action counts).

"SJW people are like cancer". You think that people who want inclusiveness and respect... are like cancer. I can't respond to that.
If only that really was what SJW were actually about, most people wouldn't mind. As many political movements, it may have started out "pure" and with good intentions, and a few good-hearted souls might still believe in that.
But by now it has turned into this blindly frothing lynch mob trying to get everyone fired/doxxed/banned for disagreeing with their views.
And don't get me started on sexism/homophobic/transphobic/racism/etc. cards which can be played at will and always call the crusade right to someone's door, no matter how far fetched.

Just look at the whole absurd Jessica Price thing or the "debate" about not including black/queer/etc. people in a historical depiction of 13th century rural Czech Republic... that is what SJWs are to me, overzealous.


Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 23 September 2018 at 5:56 pm UTC
GustyGhost Sep 23, 2018
like every CoC out there, to ensure that you get plenty of opportunity to change your ways. To encourage you to be respectful.

At the risk of sounding contrarian, I would rather be in a place where people can be disrespectful yet honest with each other and with themselves than in a place which polices what they can say. Even if it is uncomfortable. Although I understand why such an atmosphere wouldn't be for everyone.
scaine Sep 23, 2018
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Expect more and more of this. Just when GNU/Kernel was FINALLY getting to the point of being a viable platform for gaming, in come the corporate proxies shoving this COC and their politics down our collective throats. We DID not NEED this. We're already the underdog. And to the people supporting the COC, still think it's doing more good than harm?

a) there's no corporate oversight here. It's the kernel, business as usual. Proxies? Please, give the conspiracy theories a rest. No-one is "shoving" anything down anyone's throats.
b) many, many other projects have a CoC. It was long overdue for the kernel.
c) being the underdog doesn't mean you get to shit on people because of a lack of CoC. Having respect should be an absolute minimum for any project, open-source or otherwise.
d) yes, it will do good in the long term, once the dust settles. This is like Ubuntu's CoC all over again.
Dolus Sep 23, 2018
[quote=Guest]
I also find it highly amusing that the only ones kicking up a fuss and making it political...are the ones saying it shouldn't be political.

Did you miss the part where the author of the COC out right said that it was a POLITICAL document?
Liam Dawe Sep 23, 2018
Happy for people to discuss such stuff, but please do remember GOL is a sanctuary for everyone to be involved. I don't want to see any hateful speech directed at any groups here please, no stupid snide remarks either about gender or anything.
Arehandoro Sep 23, 2018
All these years thinking the Linux community was highly composed by a bunch of tech-o-hippiepunks only to realise in the last weeks I was wrong...

Let me tell you something, I landed on Linux because it was political all along. And I like it this way.
Dolus Sep 23, 2018
And what’s IMO is worth pointing out – the kernel maintainers remain the same kernel maintainers. There are no personal changes into some hidden “SJW infiltrators”, whoever that would be.

Oh, really? You sure about that?

https://twitter.com/_sagesharp_/status/1042769399596437504
Dolus Sep 23, 2018
a) there's no corporate oversight here. It's the kernel, business as usual. Proxies? Please, give the conspiracy theories a rest. No-one is "shoving" anything down anyone's throats.
b) many, many other projects have a CoC. It was long overdue for the kernel.
c) being the underdog doesn't mean you get to shit on people because of a lack of CoC. Having respect should be an absolute minimum for any project, open-source or otherwise.
d) yes, it will do good in the long term, once the dust settles. This is like Ubuntu's CoC all over again.

Oh yes, and the FreeBSD COC has done wonders for that project, hasn't it? Oh, wait, no. Contributions are down and they're getting half of what they were receiving in donations last year.
Dolus Sep 23, 2018
Let me tell you something, I landed on Linux because it was political all along. And I like it this way.

"Linux" was never political even about software freedom, that was the FSF's shtick.
scaine Sep 23, 2018
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like every CoC out there, to ensure that you get plenty of opportunity to change your ways. To encourage you to be respectful.

At the risk of sounding contrarian, I would rather be in a place where people can be disrespectful yet honest with each other and with themselves than in a place which polices what they can say. Even if it is uncomfortable. Although I understand why such an atmosphere wouldn't be for everyone.

Happily, I think you're in a minority. And oddly, given your position, your reply to me was incredibly respectful: "at the risk of sounding contrarian <I respectfully disagree>".

A CoC won't prevent you saying things that are uncomfortable. They'll stop you saying things that are abusive, harmful, personal attacks. And as I keep saying, the people who want this are the same people who, in the past, could make such attacks on a whim, with no repercussion.

Anyone here use Gnome? Do you hate their CoC? How about Ubuntu? Anyone still running X.org? You more of a Wayland fan? KDE float your boat?

Honestly, I'm sick of talking about this. The scaremongering and political agenda behind the "anti-SJW" movement is too depressing for words.
Arehandoro Sep 23, 2018
Happy for people to discuss such stuff, but please do remember GOL is a sanctuary for everyone to be involved. I don't want to see any hateful speech directed at any groups here please, no stupid snide remarks either about gender or anything.

That comment sounds like a CoC to me :P

P.S: I agree with your comment, just trying to lower down the tension.

like every CoC out there, to ensure that you get plenty of opportunity to change your ways. To encourage you to be respectful.

At the risk of sounding contrarian, I would rather be in a place where people can be disrespectful yet honest with each other and with themselves than in a place which polices what they can say. Even if it is uncomfortable. Although I understand why such an atmosphere wouldn't be for everyone.

I wonder what kind of disrespect does someone need to express to a kernel patcher/maintainer/whatever aside of their coding capabilities?
Dolus Sep 23, 2018
like every CoC out there, to ensure that you get plenty of opportunity to change your ways. To encourage you to be respectful.

At the risk of sounding contrarian, I would rather be in a place where people can be disrespectful yet honest with each other and with themselves than in a place which polices what they can say. Even if it is uncomfortable. Although I understand why such an atmosphere wouldn't be for everyone.

Happily, I think you're in a minority. And oddly, given your position, your reply to me was incredibly respectful: "at the risk of sounding contrarian <I respectfully disagree>".

A CoC won't prevent you saying things that are uncomfortable. They'll stop you saying things that are abusive, harmful, personal attacks. And as I keep saying, the people who want this are the same people who, in the past, could make such attacks on a whim, with no repercussion.

Anyone here use Gnome? Do you hate their CoC? How about Ubuntu? Anyone still running X.org? You more of a Wayland fan? KDE float your boat?

Honestly, I'm sick of talking about this. The scaremongering and political agenda behind the "anti-SJW" movement is too depressing for words.

Address this: https://twitter.com/_sagesharp_/status/1042769399596437504
Dolus Sep 23, 2018
Happy for people to discuss such stuff, but please do remember GOL is a sanctuary for everyone to be involved. I don't want to see any hateful speech directed at any groups here please, no stupid snide remarks either about gender or anything.

That comment sounds like a CoC to me :P

P.S: I agree with your comment, just trying to lower down the tension.

like every CoC out there, to ensure that you get plenty of opportunity to change your ways. To encourage you to be respectful.

At the risk of sounding contrarian, I would rather be in a place where people can be disrespectful yet honest with each other and with themselves than in a place which polices what they can say. Even if it is uncomfortable. Although I understand why such an atmosphere wouldn't be for everyone.

I wonder what kind of disrespect does someone need to express to a kernel patcher/maintainer/whatever aside of their coding capabilities?
The COC goes for what you say outside of the project too, apparently. Check the link I just posted. The witch hunts have begun.
Arehandoro Sep 23, 2018
Let me tell you something, I landed on Linux because it was political all along. And I like it this way.

"Linux" was never political even about software freedom, that was the FSF's shtick.

And well done.
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