Microsoft introduced the standard. Under this new regime, Microsoft dictated how touchpads should work. Instead of relying on third-party drivers from Synaptics, the hardware now communicated directly with the Windows operating system.
To understand the Synaptics TouchPad app, one must first understand the company's unique origin. Founded in 1986 by Federico Faggin (a designer of the Intel 4004, the first commercial microprocessor) and Carver Mead, Synaptics did not start as a peripheral manufacturer. Their initial focus was on neural networks and pattern recognition technology.