Digitizer Mending

The DIGImend project aims at improving Linux support for generic graphics tablets. We work to provide kernel drivers, kernel and userspace driver fixes, accompanying development, testing and end-user tools, documentation and HOWTOs.

Generic graphics tablets include ones designed and sold by Huion, KYE, UC-Logic and Waltop, rebranded and sold by Aiptek, Genius, Monoprice, Princeton, Trust, and many others. Essentially, any USB-connected tablets not produced by Wacom. For the latter see The Linux Wacom Project.

The Mission

Wacom produces great tablets and Linux supports them quite well, but for many people they’re just too expensive. These include people who need a tablet only occasionally, or just want to try using one. However, most importantly, these include young people who have the talent, but can’t afford the tools to develop it.

You don’t need a computer or a graphics tablet to become a great artist and you may be better off starting without them, but computers enable so many great techniques and make experimenting so much cheaper, not needing many supplies.

Linux itself is free, runs on inexpensive hardware and supports lots of free software with great capabilities. Take a look at what is possible with free software and graphics tablets:

The cheaper tablets may be of lower quality, but they’re still much more comfortable and natural to use than mice or even touchscreens. Also, their quality and features are constantly improving.

There are now tablets built with solid quality and battery-free pens that detect tilting. Wireless tablets and tablets with programmable buttons and multifunctional dials. And even 19” tablets with embedded displays - the likes of Wacom Cintiq, but for $500. And they allow creating quite impressive art:

The DIGImend project works to get affordable graphics tablets and software into the hands of beginner and experienced artists alike.

How to Help

You can help the DIGImend project by helping users resolve their issues on GitHub, contributing new and updating old HOWTOs, providing comprehensive information on unsupported tablets, improving this website, contributing code to our drivers and tools and by contributing graphics tablet hardware.

Last, but not least: consider becoming a patron of the project maintainer, Nikolai Kondrashov, on Patreon, or Liberapay, or just buy him a coffee. Your support will help make more tablets work on Linux!