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CONCEPT: MainFrameWork

The Vision

"One App to Rule Them All." Framework's modular hardware is a masterpiece of design, but its software ecosystem is fragmented. MainFrameWork unifies these tools into a single, ultra-lightweight, local-only desktop application. It transforms Framework hardware from a "DIY Tinkerer's Laptop" into a "Polished Flagship Machine."

Core Value Proposition

  1. Unified Control: Change your keymap, draw on your matrix, and set your battery limit in one window.
  2. Lightweight & Portable: Built with Tauri (Rust). A single small executable (.exe/.AppImage) (~10MB) that requires no installation.
  3. Local-Only, Zero Telemetry: MainFrameWork never talks to the internet. No cloud sync, no analytics, no accounts. The only outbound request in the entire app is a manual "visit our website" link — everything else runs fully offline against your own hardware. Settings are stored on disk with a light AES layer to keep the file from being hand-edited/corrupted, not as a security claim — see SECURITY.md for the honest version of that story.
  4. Cross-Platform: A single code base that runs natively on Windows and Linux.

Strategic Challenges & Viability

1. The "Driver Wall" (Windows EC Access)

  • Challenge: accessing the Embedded Controller (EC) on Windows to control Fans and Battery requires a kernel-level driver. The only one that exists is a community project, unsigned for normal use — loading it means disabling Secure Boot, a real reduction in a user's boot security posture, not a routine install. See SECURITY.md for the full reasoning.
  • Strategy: "Graceful Degradation"
    • Tier 1 (Portable): The app runs immediately without installation. Controls Input (Keyboard, Remapping) and Matrix (Drawing), which use standard HID.
    • Tier 2 (Full EC Access): Fan/Battery/Sensor tabs explain why they're unavailable on Windows instead of offering to install anything — MainFrameWork won't automate that Secure Boot trade-off on a user's behalf. Linux doesn't have this problem (/dev/cros_ec works out of the box); real EC access is implemented there, pending a verification pass against actual Linux hardware (see SECURITY.md's "known unfinished features").

Feature Pillars

1. Input Commander (The "VIA" Layer)

  • Main Keyboard: Embedded VIA/QMK Configurator. Remap keys, set macros, control per-key RGB.
  • Side Modules: Full support for Numpad and RGB Macropad as independent devices.
  • Dot Matrix:
    • Drawing Mode: Live canvas to draw pixels.
    • Widget Store: Drag-and-drop modules (Clock, Battery, CPU, EQ).
    • Animator: Frame-by-frame animation editor.

2. System Intelligence (The "EC" Layer)

  • Thermal Control: Visual fan curve editor (Silent/Performance/Custom).
  • Battery Guardian: "Stop charging at 80%" toggle. Discharge calibration.
  • Expansion Inspector: Visual dashboard of connected modules.

Target User

The "Framework Pro": Developers, Power Users, and Cyber-deck builders who want total control over their hardware in a lightweight, professional package that runs entirely on their own machine.