I recently started shopping for a laptop cooling pad. One model caught my attention because it advertised software-controlled fan speeds, automatic temperature management, and other advanced features. Then I downloaded the software and discovered that it was a 115 MB Windows-only application.

I use Linux. The cooling pad can still be operated manually, but the software features included in its price would be unavailable to me. There is no technical reason a fan controller should require one specific operating system. The manufacturer simply chose not to document the device’s USB protocol or provide another way to control it.

This problem extends far beyond cooling pads. Keyboards, mice, headsets, RGB controllers, webcams, and other accessories regularly advertise features that only work through proprietary software. When that software supports only Windows or macOS, people using Linux and other operating systems pay for hardware they cannot fully use.

Manufacturers should not be required to build applications for every operating system. They should, however, publish enough documentation for others to create compatible software. Consumers and open-source developers should be able to access the basic protocols required to control hardware they legally own.

Illinois lawmakers should require manufacturers selling computer accessories in the state to:

• Document the protocols needed to access advertised hardware features
• Allow consumers to use compatible third-party software
• Protect lawful interoperability and reverse-engineering work
• Prohibit warranty denial based solely on a consumer’s choice of operating system
• Clearly disclose operating-system restrictions before purchase

I know a laptop cooling pad may sound like a small example. That is exactly the point. Consumers should not need a proprietary Windows application to control something as simple as a fan. If we accept this practice for every accessory we buy, we gradually lose control over the devices we own.
Please sign this petition and ask Illinois lawmakers to protect operating-system choice, open device protocols, and the right to use our hardware without unnecessary software lock-in.