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On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 22:18:09 -0800, Adams-Blake Company <atakeoutcanton@adams-blaketakeout.com> wrote:
> I have a Microsoft brand optical corded mouse that has a USB connector, but
> it is plugged in to the PS2 port of the box via an adapter (I've been told
> that USB mice don't work too well in Linux.)

USB mice work great in Linux... they're very easy to set up and work
just as well as any PS/2 mouse. I don't know who told you USB mouses
don't work too well in Linux... but it seems to me they were quite
wrong. All the external mice I use on my systems are USB mouses.

> I don't like the "feel" of the M$ mouse and I have an HP one that has a
> nicer "click - touch." If I yank out the current one and plug in the new
> one will the box freeze? Or do I need to power off to change the mouse.

HP makes mice? I didn't know that.

The rule of thumb with PS/2 devices is you don't hot-swap them. I guess
the reasoning has something to do with the possibility of overloading
some circuit in your motherboard when you pull the mouse out or plug in
the new one. That said, I do hot swap them when I switch mouses on my
computers, and haven't had a problem for it. I also hot swap CD-ROM
drives, too... same risks, again, no problems.

If the HP mouse can be plugged in to your USB port, just plug it in
there and set the M$ mouse off to the side. Then, the next time you're
going to reboot for a kernel upgrade or whatnot, remember to unplug the
M$ mouse before firing the maching back up. USB devices can be
hot-swapped without any ill effects almost all the time.

I believe I've posted here and in alt.os.linux.gentoo a few times in the
last few months about how to get USB mice working under Linux with X.
The kernel options necessary to enable such a thing, the modules you
need to load depending on kernel version, and the XF86Config settings
necessary for the mouse to work in X were all discussed. Google should
be able to find the posts with a little elbow grease.

Have fun. :-)

--
Rob | If not safe,
Email and Jabber: | one can never be free.
athlonrob at axpr dot net |
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