DirectInput dates back to the Win9x days, and the current implementation dates back to the WinXP days. It's officially deprecated by Microsoft, which basically means "stop using it for new development." Its replacements are XInput (the Xbox controller API) and a similar API called Windows.Gaming.Input, intended for UWP applications. Source: over 1 year ago

For those unfamiliar with the XInput standard https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/xinput/xinput-and-directinput. Source: over 1 year ago

I have experience making Teensy joysticks, so the hardware/firmware side is covered. I'm happy to hear DirectInput is still being used contrary to MS advice https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/xinput/xinput-and-directinput Https://github.com/redragonx/can2rNET provides the interface to wheelchair control system. Source: over 2 years ago

I have a couple of these to add as well: VCVRack - simply one of the most mind-expanding things a synthesizer-nerd can play with. (https://vcvrack.com/) ZynthianOS - another example of a simple software solution to a problem nobody realized existed, opening the door to an absolutely astonishing array of Audio processing tools (https://zynthian.org/). - Source: Hacker News / 28 days ago

> It’s haven’t bought any Modular’s yet but I’m really looking forward to getting into other on the new year. http://cardinal.kx.studio https://vcvrack.com/ The former is libre and gratis, runs as a standalone or plugin and in the browser!! and is based on the latter. Ther former has a libre and gratis standalone version, the plugin version is non-gratis. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago

A music synthesizer. It's a pathway to learning electronics, music, and the nature of sound. There are cheap kits, cheap synths, lots of kinds of synths, and there are much more complicated and expensive systems you can grow into. You can get software synths also, VCV Rack is a free though complex one: https://vcvrack.com/ However I'd recommend an inexpensive hardware one with real knobs you can turn, like one... - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago

What really opened my eyes was the Nord Micromodular; it taught me what I just described. It showed me how limited other synths were - but that limitation was a trade-off because it's much faster to make something on a fixed-structure synth than on a modular, in most cases. Nowadays, you can use https://vcvrack.com/ instead of a small limited box that needs Windows 98 to run the editor on. Source: 12 months ago

Also I would suggest the paid version of VCV rack which works as a VST too ( the free version is just stand alone ) Expecially when experimenting with modular ( believe me, it can save you a fortune whilst you learn what different modules do ) I would also recommend Omri Cohens Youtube channel for learning this too. Source: about 1 year ago