this post was submitted on 25 Dec 2025
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PC Master Race

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Why do people insist on doing this? (infosec.pub)
submitted 2 days ago by renzev@lemmy.world to c/pcmasterrace@lemmy.world
35 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 
  1. Family member has 720p webcam
  2. Family member buys shiny new 1080p webcam
  3. Family member plugs in shiny new webcam and gives me a videocall to test it
  4. New camera works flawlessly. I get to keep the old 720p cam. Yippee!!

...BUT THEN

  1. Family member goes to the website listed on camera's packaging and clicks the big blue download button
  2. download button installs custom usb driver and companion app
  3. companion app has twenty quadrillion toggles and dials spread across fifty billion tabs and sub menus. Family member spends all evening twiddling with it.
  4. No matter what, the image looks like crap. Too bright, but not enough contrast. Worse than it did originally.
  5. next day family member asks for his old 720p webcam back, I get to keep the 1080p webcam

I'm happy with my new webcam so I'm not complaining, but why do people do this?? Why do manufacturers make these shitty custom driver? The whole point of USB is to be plug-and-play without any custom software.

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[–] nesc@lemmy.cafe 47 points 2 days ago (1 children)

For manufacturers: some other people have other needs e.g. one of the twenty quadrillion toggles. Not that hard to understand.

USB isn't plug'n'play for a huge range of devices especially on windows and it never was.

[–] teft@piefed.social 28 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It literally did work as plug and play the way op described it. The app screwing everything up and adding tons of options for people who need simple is the problem.

[–] nesc@lemmy.cafe 11 points 2 days ago

It still worked in the end and yes UVC cameras often 'work' without any additional configuration. Not everyone requires simple.