shows the same model over and over again
That’s incorrect - check the hardware IDs, they’re different. If it’s the same model they’ll have the same hardware ID.
Your linked thread is also from three years ago - that’s a long time in the Linux world where things change quickly. I could just as easily dig up a thread about x not working on pretty much any topic, so it’s not really evidence of anything.
Edit: I just checked the Gitlab releases page for libfprint. Not only have they added more devices (that aren’t listed on the page that I linked previously), it also proves that support for many new devices have been added over the last three years. So claiming that nothing has changed in these past three years, is being disingenuous towards the good efforts made by these devs.
@MJBrune @d3Xt3r Overall I understand your opinion and based on your needs Windows is probably the best solution.
I do however, disagree with the statement about the Linux community. Firstly, if a device doesnt work “out of the box”, the manufacturer is able to provide a driver for their device, or submit the driver directly to the kernal via a merge request so that the “out of the box” scenario does work.
When that hasn’t happened the community WILL help you, this help is NOT a “flaw”!
Same model, different device id. It happens.
No, that’s a marketing issue. Different device id == different model, technically speaking. Hardware makers won’t just alter a device ID for no reason at all.
There are tons more of device IDs out there that don’t work on Linux than those ones that do.
Perhaps, but [citation needed].
No, you can’t just use any random fingerprint reader which totally works on Windows.
First of all, no one is going out and buying random fingerprint readers - these are usually bundled as part of their laptop/desktop - in which case, it’s the buyer’s responsibility to verify Linux compatibility with that computer as a whole. You can’t expect to pop Linux into any random computer, or connect any random peripheral and just expect everything to work automagically. I mean, it does happen, but that’s generally with known good Linux hardware. Eg System76s, Frameworks, ThinkPads etc.
Also, even on Windows, a fingerprint reader doesn’t normally work out of the box - you’ll need to install the drivers for it to get it going (unless of course you’re using a Windows build provided out-of-the-box by the system manufacturer). Either way, it’s manufacturer’s responsibility to create and upload drivers, and it’s their responsibility to create a Linux driver. Otherwise it’s up to the community to create it, in which case you’re back to usual rule-of-thumb where you buy only popular hardware models with known good Linux support.
