this post was submitted on 31 Jul 2024
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Button mapping is also in software for programmable buttons. Otherwise even my G52 Hero doesn't actually need the software. The beauty and whole point of USB peripherals is plug-n-play so there's absolutely no point to a subscription service... well, nothing short of a dystopian future where the "lifetime" mouse is "lifetime" because the switches are so terrible they only last a month before needing to send it in for replacements, justified by each switch having a programmable micro-processor that needs to be flashed with proprietary software at replacement, effectively over-powering right-to-repair in the same swoop. At that point, it's not worth using a computer. I'd learn to carve on stone tablets before accepting that BS.
There's no big reason why remapping couldn't be done in a way that doesn't require actively running software on the host machine. QMK, the open source firmware for keyboards has had this for years. You can update your keymap with an online editor, but once it's flashed, your mappings will be remembered regardless of which computer/phone/whatever you use the keyboard with - without having to run any software besides the OS on the host.
Very accurate and I don't disagree. I want to be clear my comment was only as a partial correction for the last sentence of the original comment and am in no way advocating for programmable buttons to stay this way. The argument is the status quo is simplicity (you know, except for all of the times the software is so bad that it basically doesn't work either because of bad UI or terrible programming) despite the fact the true reasoning is likely creating false brand loyalty and likely some means of selling user data. Personally, I'd like to see the availability of choice between proprietary and FOSS, even if it's only to force the big wigs to develop better software since the bar is currently on the ground on a good day.