Software for Linux

[gothicshark]

So because I wanted to swap the keys from the ones that came with the Keyzen to ones from my old Razer keyboard. I experimented with tying to run Azeron Software in Lutris. My results... yes no issues. I used GE-Proton10-23 with all the base settings.

 

[gottill]

thx for the hint. i will check this out. i created a whole vm with windows... works also, but is anoying with the usb passthrough...

 

[Djarid]

It seems fairly clear that there is a large and growing demand for linux. I have now ditched windows and am running CachyOS as my daily driver.

I'll give it to the summer if no linux is available I'll be selling my cyborg 2. I'm not prepared to jump through hoops for something that should already be in the works. Valve have moved the goal posts with the Steam Deck and with the release of the new steam machines, its over for windows outside of competitive gaming and while I expect them to be the last to fall, it is inevitable.

Don't be laggards and lose a lot of your fans

 

[Matt2366]

I am changing over to Linux. Can’t stand Windows software anymore. Does Azeron have any software for Linux. If not, is there a third-party that you guys approve of to use to use with your hardware? Could you also key map on Windows and dual boot on Linux?

 

[gothicshark]

I am changing over to Linux. Can’t stand Windows software anymore. Does Azeron have any software for Linux. If not, is there a third-party that you guys approve of to use to use with your hardware? Could you also key map on Windows and dual boot on Linux?

The answer is simple, the windows version of the Azeron software might work if you use your Wine compatability tool. I have Bazzite for my Linux distro, and use Lutris for my WINE tools, I used GE-Proton10-23 with all the base settings.

The answer for you might be differant based on Linux distro and your GPU, because for some reason the GPU has an effect on which compatablity tool to use.

 

[Sunstress]

I probably wouldn't brag about how much work is being done on the windows app if what we have is the result of that...
I mean, i'm currently _okay_ with the antimicrox approach in linux, but it doesn't seem to work for a lot of people. But that windows app is just... wow. I can't even resize it properly to fit on a 1920x1080 screen. And it can't scale the interface at all to be smaller than that. And apparently thats working as intended. I have just one device that can dual boot into windows now, and that "feature rich" azeron software is all i use it for to do firmware updates when absolutely necessary.
Someone designed and built what is essentially a keyzen (before you did it i might add) for 3D printing on printables and i am currently building that. I just ordered a keyzen so look forward to comparing it to the keyzen when i have it built, but that single engineer built software more open and useful than you could build in what? 6 years? And its not exactly pretty. its pretty rough.

I recently switched to Bazzite, and took a look at AntiMicroX. Installing it via Bazzar didn't work for me, but the AppImage version did. Unfortunately, the layout is super confusing for me. I know which button is which because of the GUI on Azeron Software, not by the numbers, so this one doesn't seem practical unless you know which number belongs to each key.

I got the Azeron Software working on Bazzite (Fedora Atomic image) without much fuss by running the installer .exe in a Bottle with the “gaming” preset and the latest base Kron4ek runner (detailed instructions for beginners are available here). Everything works besides the fact that software profiles obviously won’t link to any host processes/executables. There’s moderate jank with how elements under the mouse don’t really highlight, but clicking on stuff still functions.

I had more trouble with drivers for my Azeron Classic; while the keyboard, mouse, and raw device (used by the Azeron Software) all work fine, the XInput device wasn’t being assigned a driver at all, and the DirectInput device was mistakenly being assigned an XInput driver. Basically, only an “XBox One” controller showed up for joystick control, and it didn’t work. It took a few hours of learning, but I’ve created a udev rule that gets the XInput device to work (save in e.g. /etc/udev/rules.d/99-azeron-classic.rules):

# Azeron Classic keypad
# Unbinds the usbhid driver from the DirectInput device, and binds the xpad driver to the XInput device. The unbind seems to be necessary for it to work with Steam, as otherwise it only sees the DirectInput device that mistakenly looks like an XBox One controller.
ACTION=="add", ATTRS{idVendor}=="16d0", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0f3f", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'echo $id:1.3 > /sys/bus/usb/drivers/usbhid/unbind'", RUN+="/sbin/modprobe xpad", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'echo 16d0 0f3f > /sys/bus/usb/drivers/xpad/new_id'"

I don’t know to get the DirectInput device working as a generic joystick.

For 6 years, the downloads page on the Azeron website has had a note that Linux is “not supported at this time”. This seemed to imply that this would eventually become the case, which is why I made my purchase back then even knowing that I would eventually be switching my desktop OS from Windows to Linux. Are there any timelines here at all? Even if Azeron doesn’t want to make user software for Linux, they could at least contribute drivers. Open‐sourcing the firmware would also go a very long way and requires no Linux‐specific expertise. I mean, the Keyzen has to be the only “split” columnar programmable ergonomic keyboard I’ve ever seen that doesn’t use open‐source firmware! The lack of support for open platforms is entirely at odds with the modern accessible hardware ethos.

The guide you linked to is super useful, and is the one that got the software to recognize my Cyborg 2. It was able to be detected regardless of where it was plugged in (directly or using a USB hub). It is quite laggy though, and buttons sometimes don't get highlighted when my mouse hovers over them. Because of this, I highly recommend setting on-board profiles (which you have a maximum of 6), and swapping the unused board profiles for needed software profiles. That way you don't need to worry about not being able to move in the event of a crash.

So because I wanted to swap the keys from the ones that came with the Keyzen to ones from my old Razer keyboard. I experimented with tying to run Azeron Software in Lutris. My results... yes no issues. I used GE-Proton10-23 with all the base settings.

This is the one I was really hoping would work. Unfortunately, it did not. It crashes on Lutris' default wine prefix, and some Proton prefixes. I got it to launch on GE-Proton-Latest, as well as the version you mentioned. Unfortunately, it did not detect my Cyborg 2.

Your latest post mentioning the GPU having an effect on which one to use does make me curious though, so I might experiment with more versions at a later date. I have an RTX 4060 Laptop GPU. In the event more specific specs are needed, I'll happily provide those.

 

[shadowofward]

+1 for Linux. Come on Azeron we have all spent a ton of money on your products, gamers are leaving Windows on mass, you must support Linux at this point. I will not be buying any Microslop products in the future and if you refuse to support Linux we will have to start looking to companies that do support it.

 

[scatterbrain]

Logged in just to add +1 for Linux support. Windows is becoming absolutely garbage and peripheral support is one of the only hurdles left for me to completely switch over.

 

[Drea]

left microslop few months ago, sitting on nobara distro so yep count me in +1 for linux

 

[Ehmanis]

+1 for linux support pls . you guys need to wake up . ppl can't stand windows anymore and linux is becoming less scary for ppl who have command terminal phobia . so wakey wakey you sleepyheads I love your product but I need to be able to use them if you want money money .

 

[Jaquse]

I switched entirely over to Linux and despite hours of trying, I can’t get AntiMicroX to recognize my cyborg. If I could get it to work, I was planning to buy the cyborg 2 (or keyzen) and the cyro. But at this point I’m just looking for a different keypad that won’t aggravate my arthritis. Maybe just go back to controller…
Anyway, there are 6% of confirmed gamers using Linux. It’s estimated to be around 12-15% by this time next year. So if providing access to disabled gamers on Linux isn’t worthy of your attention, maybe losing access to tens of millions of newbie Linux gamers will motivate you to finally hire a Linux dev.

 

[moortuvivens]

I'm also on linux.
After initializing the cyborg on windows it seems the keys do work on linux, analogue stick not.

Also I swapped profiles using the button, and now it's just stuck on the lat profile.
A linux driver and app would be amazing.
there is something: https://github.com/Caedis/noreza this is for keymapping.
But it's not enough to use the cyborg on linux.

If just the azeron app would be open source, then we could contribute and also make a linux version ourselves.

 

[Zzzzz]

This thread has ~ 15K views, almost 4 times as many views as the next highest viewed thread in the Feedback and Suggestions forum, and this thread is the second-most-viewed thread in the entire Azeron forum. This thread also has 6 times the number of responses as the next most active thread in this forum. I hope Azeron is paying attention to the amount of interest in a Linux version of their application.

 

[Im this guy]

This thread has ~ 15K views, almost 4 times as many views as the next highest viewed thread in the Feedback and Suggestions forum, and this thread is the second-most-viewed thread in the entire Azeron forum. This thread also has 6 times the number of responses as the next most active thread in this forum. I hope Azeron is paying attention to the amount of interest in a Linux version of their application.

we are

 

[BAzz]

So I moved to Linux last year. Decided to get a new Compact (small hands) to replace my older Azeron Cyborg.
Being nearl 70 I don't have the dexterity to use the Cyborg and I'll my +1 to the request for something that works on Linux.
Until then I'll boot into Windows to set keys and do updates, but it would sure benice if I could change stuff with in my proper OS.

 

[Majik]

+1 here as well, I am moving to Linux as well... I don't know what Microsoft is thinking,, but this is crazy.
Love your products,,, here is to Linux support.

Had to make a username, log in just to add support to this.

 

[NiCo_O.E.V]

linux +1

 

[SlickSloth]

Registered an account here to give my +1 for linux.
Switched to linux a while ago and dont have a windows machine anymore to configure the device if i got one.

 

[Kooinx]

Just moved to Arch Linux recently and everything works without any trouble except for some peripherals.

The gaming community has been switching to Linux more and more according to Steam's hardware surveys. Linux is already greater than OSX.

Please Azeron, I'm seriously considering not recommending it anymore because of this as well as other people. I'd really appreciate if versions for Linux could be created.

Ideally you offer a package installation for the major distros as well as build your own package thing.