[RFC] libinputmapper: Input device configuration for graphic-servers

[Peter Hutterer]

On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 08:38:44AM -0400, Todd Showalter wrote:
> On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 1:37 AM, Peter Hutterer
> <peter.hutterer at who-t.net> wrote:
> 
> > why are gamepads and joysticks different? buttons, a few axes that may or
> > may not map to x/y and the rest is device-specific.
> > this may be in the thread, but I still haven't gone through all msgs here.
> 
>     Joysticks are designed for a different purpose (flight sims), and
> so have a different set of controls.  For example, on a lot of
> joysticks there is a "throttle", which is a constrained axis you can
> set to any position and it will stay there until you move it again.
> Button placement on joysticks tends to be more arbitrary as well.
> 
>     In terms of raw functionality they're similar, but the differences
> are large enough (especially in the way they're used) that they are
> better treated separately.
 
what I am wondering is whether that difference matters to the outside
observer (i.e. the compositor). a gamepad and a joystick are both gaming
devices and with the exception of the odd need to control the pointer it
doesn't matter much which type they are.

as for a game that would access the device - does it matter if the device is
labelled gamepad or joystick? if it's a gaming device you have to look at
the pysical properties anyway and decide which you use in what matter.

Cheers,
   Peter