Re: non-i386 arch mice?

[Ben Pfaff <pfaffben@pilot.msu.edu>]

Adam Di Carlo <aph@debian.org> writes:

   Actually, there are better ways to detect the mice, but it's hard-core
   -- you need to look at which lines on the port are high and which are
   low.  There are certain electrical properties of the serial interface
   for mice that allow one to detect the type.  I don't really know if
   you'd need to, like, do a kernel module or something to get at that
   kinda data, though.

I'm way ahead of you.  I currently have algorithms to detect the
following types of mice, automatically:

 * All plug-and-play serial mice, although obscure enough
   ones won't merit their own code.  Haven't been able to test this
   yet, though.

 * PS/2 mice, although I'm having trouble distinguishing generic PS/2
   & the MS IntelliMouse, which have slightly and stupidly different
   protocols.  Working on this now.

 * Microsoft bus mice, just because I have one of these ancient
   critters.  They come with their own ISA interface board.

 * Microsoft serial mice.  Piece of cake, took about 2 minutes.

If you have info on how to distinguish Microsoft, Logitech, and Mouse
Systems protocol serial mice, or know where I can get it, I'd
appreciate it.  I've got a few ideas, but I don't know how they'd work
out in practice.  Unfortunately, I don't have any Logitech or Mouse
Systems protocol mice in my collection, so I can't test (if anyone
wants to send me old but working serial mice with these protocols
(gpm's `logi' and `msc'), then I'll gladly get to work on them).

Ben