Multitouch with Kernel 2.6.30
Linux and multitouch input also work without X.org and with help from the new Kernel 2.6.30. Three French students show how it's done.
Mohamed-Ikbel Boulabiar, Stephane Chatty and Sebastien Hamdani of the Interactive Computing Lab of the French Ecole Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ENAC) in Toulouse have demonstrated that Linux can transform into a multitouch system with the help of the new kernel. A patch by kernel developer Henrik Rydberg for the Linux input system makes it possible.
A demo video on the project webpage shows how it looks in practice: what you need is a computer with surfaces from Broadcom 5974, Stantum, NTrig or DiamondTouch, Kernel 2.6.30 and Compiz with a DBus plugin. To rotate or scale windows, you also need the Freewins plugin. The demo reads input directly from the /dev/input/eventX device file. X Server plays absolutely no role at this point.
As the developers report, we're talking about a simple prototype. However, they hope that the adapted touchscreen drivers will land in Kernel 2.6.31. The demo also brings up the question whether X.org might improve handling of multitouch kernel events. The demo code and Stantum multitouch tablet driver and NTrig multitouch screen driver sources are available off the webpage.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Halcyon Creates Anti-Ransomware Protection for Linux
As more Linux systems are targeted by ransomware, Halcyon is stepping up its protection.
-
Valve and Arch Linux Announce Collaboration
Valve and Arch have come together for two projects that will have a serious impact on the Linux distribution.
-
Hacker Successfully Runs Linux on a CPU from the Early ‘70s
From the office of "Look what I can do," Dmitry Grinberg was able to get Linux running on a processor that was created in 1971.
-
OSI and LPI Form Strategic Alliance
With a goal of strengthening Linux and open source communities, this new alliance aims to nurture the growth of more highly skilled professionals.
-
Fedora 41 Beta Available with Some Interesting Additions
If you're a Fedora fan, you'll be excited to hear the beta version of the latest release is now available for testing and includes plenty of updates.
-
AlmaLinux Unveils New Hardware Certification Process
The AlmaLinux Hardware Certification Program run by the Certification Special Interest Group (SIG) aims to ensure seamless compatibility between AlmaLinux and a wide range of hardware configurations.
-
Wind River Introduces eLxr Pro Linux Solution
eLxr Pro offers an end-to-end Linux solution backed by expert commercial support.
-
Juno Tab 3 Launches with Ubuntu 24.04
Anyone looking for a full-blown Linux tablet need look no further. Juno has released the Tab 3.
-
New KDE Slimbook Plasma Available for Preorder
Powered by an AMD Ryzen CPU, the latest KDE Slimbook laptop is powerful enough for local AI tasks.
-
Rhino Linux Announces Latest "Quick Update"
If you prefer your Linux distribution to be of the rolling type, Rhino Linux delivers a beautiful and reliable experience.