Re: gpm effectively turns my mouse into a Microsoft mouse

[Scott Bronson <bronson@trestle.com>]

> ...if I don't install gpm (and point /dev/mouse to /dev/psaux), I need to
> tell X that my mouse uses the PS/2 protocol.  Over the years I've come
> to learn that my mouse -- which is a Microsoft mouse that says "Mouse
> Port Compatible Mouse 2.1A" on the bottom -- talks the "PS/2"
> protocol, and so I've formed a habit of telling X that.  But now comes
> gpm, which apparently changes it to the Microsoft protocol.

Or whatever format you've told gpm to repeat.  See the -R option
in the gpm man page.

And, actually, this should be no longer necessary.  Now that most
devices support multiple opens, both gpm and X should use /dev/psaux
(or whatever port your mouse connects to).  /dev/gpmdata can be
depricated.

> 
> So: I don't mind that gpm is doing that -- it probably has a good
> reason -- but I wish something had warned me about it.  I wasted a lot
> of time wondering why my mouse pointer was moving erratically; if I'd
> seen a message from gpm when it installed itself, saying "Note: if you
> install X, tell it that your mouse talks the Microsoft protocol", that
> would have saved some time.
> 
> Should the boot floppies be responsible for this warning, or does this
> sound like a wishlist bug for gpm?

I don't think there's any need for a warning.  After a full install, the
mouse should never move erratically.  It sounds like something got
misconfigured.  Now, was it you that did that, or was it the installer...?

	- Scott