In <24F02856FFD@rkdvmks1.ngate.uni-regensburg.de> "Ulrich Windl" <Ulric=
h.Windl@rz.uni-regensburg.de> says
> In recent kernels I have the strange effect of a "marching mouse=20
> cursor" with my PS/2 mouse. Usually the cursor moves horizontally=20
> (e.g. right to left) without ever touching the mouse. I've seen this=20
> in 1.3.83 under X11 and on the console (gpm running). This seems=20
> rather strange. Any ideas?
I have seen something very similar to this, though under OS/2 rather th=
an
Linux. Still the explanations that I received might bear upon this.
When I bought my current computer from Micron in May 1995 it came with =
a
Micronics system board, a Phoenix planar BIOS, and a Microsoft "Port
Compatible Mouse". This is the one with the 6 pin mini-DIN connector.
Note that Microsoft does NOT claim this to be a PS/2 mouse. Anyway, I
tossed the cheap keyboard that Micronics provided and replaced it with =
an
IBM Model M with the built-in force-stick pointing device. In addition
the keyboard had a mini-DIN socket to plug in a PS/2 mouse so that the =
two
pointing devices worked in parallel.
I immediately noticed a strange effect with the two pointing devices
connected. I would release the mouse after using it, and after a few
seconds the cursor would start marching across the screen in the direct=
ion
that the mouse was last moved. It would creep until it bounced up agai=
nst
a side of the screen. There was no seeming preferred direction; just
whichever way the mouse was moved last.
I assumed a defective mouse, and bitched to Micron. They replaced the
mouse, but that did not help. Then I screamed at IBM, and they replace=
d
the keyboard with a similar lack of results. By this time several mont=
hs
had passed; the keyboard came with a 30 day warrantee that it would wor=
k
with myu hardware. I started yelling at IBM about this warrantee
demanding my money back. They pointed out that I had not originally
contacted them within the thirty days but I was still dealing with Micr=
on
then. But I had two of their keyboards in my hot little hands - the on=
e
that I had purchased and the replacement which they had advance-shipped=
.
I was saying that they were not going to get a keyboard back until this
was resolved.
So it got bounced up to IBM corporate customer service. Their
representative called me and got loudly told of the problems. He took =
a
bunch of data and went off to speak to LexMark who built the keyboard. =
In
a week or so, he got back to me and told me that they had duplicated th=
e
problem and determined (he claimed) that it was due to the Microsoft mo=
use
not being a proper PS/2 mouse. Everything worked fine (he claimed) wit=
h
an IBM (REAL) PS/2 mouse. But at that point he readily agreed to refun=
d
my money. IBM picked up ALL the shipping including that for my origina=
l
purchase and I came away with no damage. At that point I went and boug=
ht
an IBM keyboard without the pointing device. When you learned to type =
on
a Royal office manual typewriter and still type as if that was what you
were using, the IBM keyboard is about the only thing that you can feel
comfortable with.
During the time that I was struggling, the friend who had pushed me int=
o
the purchase from Micron (and a friend he was as I am very happy with t=
he
machine) by purchasing one also, decided that he wanted the force-stick
also. He bought the same keyboard, and observed the same problems. Bu=
t
he does not use OS/2; he uses DOS and Windows, so it is more general th=
an
OS/2. Anyway, he was much less annoyed by this than I was and decided =
to
stay with it.
But according to IBM that Microsoft mouse is not quite PS/2. If the
drivers here are written to the IBM definitions, there could very well =
be
problems. Since I do not yet use the mouse under Linux, I have not
noticed this. I will be on the lookout though.
Harvey
-- -----------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- Harvey Fishman | The United States needs a President fishman@panix.com | who is brave enough to make peace with Cuba. 718-258-7276 |
= =20