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Re: What's /dev/mouse for?



On Tue, May 30, 2000 at 02:37:14PM +0100, David Wright wrote:
> Quoting David S. Bateman (batemand@mindspring.com):
> > ulla.russell@pp.inet.fi wrote:
> > 
> > > I do believe that your mouse should be symbolically linked
> > > to /dev/psaux and not /dev/ttyS0 or any sort of ttyS 'if' it
> > > is a ps/2 mouse that you are using.
> > >
> > > It is quite safe to delete mouse and relink mouse to /dev/psaux.
> > 
> > is there a reason why the Slink install defaults the mouse to /dev/ttyS0 ?
> 
> I once accidently installed a gpm.conf from a backup file and it
> contained psaux. IIRC the 486 locked up.
> So it's a safer bet to make ttyS0 the default because any PC is more
> likely to actually have such a device.
> 
> But I would appreciate being told what the precise function of the
> /dev/mouse link is, i.e. what actually uses it? Or is it one of those
> traditions, like /dev/modem, that causes more problems than it solves?

It's very useful for generating list discussion.

Many apps will look first for a likely-named /dev file, even if a link,
for appropriate connections:  /dev/modem, /dev/mouse, /dev/cdrom,
/dev/pilot (for Palm Pilot).

-- 
Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com>         http://www.netcom.com/~kmself
  Evangelist, Opensales, Inc.                       http://www.opensales.org
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