Re: [GIT PULL] Ambient Light Sensors subsystem

[Pavel Machek <pavel@ucw.cz>]

Hi!

> > > Because in general ambient light sensor may have nothing to do with the
> > > screen brightness. The fact that all current uses are tied to
> > > controlling screen brightness is coincidential. You could use it as well
> > > to turn on the lights in the kitchen if it is getting too dark...
> > 
> > But my point is, it acts pretty much like a key on a keyboard 
> > _regardless_. 
> > 
> > Sure, you migth use it to turn up the lights too. But how is that 
> > different from having a switch to do the same? Again, it doesn't sound 
> > that different from a key to me.
> 
> I guess for me the distinction is that the event was not caused by an
> action of a human being but by change in environment.

Well, I seen people covering light sensor by hand to change screen
brightness :-).

> Also, if we decide that input layer is the best place for such devices,
> it should not be a key but absolute event, ABS_LIGHT_LEVEL or something.

Yep.

> > I agree that that's not true in many other situations. A cable insertion 
> > event is about the networking, not about some independent input. The kind 
> > of application that cares about network cable presense is _not_ the kind 
> > of app that would care about keyboard input. Same goes for voltage.
> 
> What about magnetometers, accelerometers and so forth? I still do not
> think they are pure input layer devices although it is possible to build
> a bridge modules so they could plug into input framework if desired.

At least on android, accelerometers are primarily human interaction
device -- for screen rotation. And biggest use of
magnetometer+accelerometer on android is actually looking around in
streetview...

									Pavel
-- 
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