**This is an old revision of the document!** ----

====== Mouse & Keyboard ====== One of the very last things I would've though of when I switched from OS X to Linux Mint (LMDE) was the fact that I might face some shortcomings regarding keyboard and mouse...\\ Maybe was I so faithful that the Linux World certainly had faced that question long before I decided to join it, or was I so innocent to forget about the importance it has to be able to choose the one input device that really suits you?\\ The fact is that the only keyboard that I never ever could use with my mac-lmde system has been my dear genuine Apple Extended bluetooth keyboard. I've been using it for about 7 years at the time, and couldn't imagine using something else. Although today, the text that you're reading wasn't input through this beloved keyboard. I'm using a brand new, backlit, Logitech K800... With pleasure! ===== A History of I/O Devices ===== To cut a long story short, when I initially installed Linux Mint Debian Edition, I just didn't know I would stay in this world for so long (forever?). So I just installed LMDE on an external HD and booted from it. At that time I used an Apple Extended Bluetooth Keyboard and an Apple Bluetooth Magic Mouse. Starting to work with LMDE quickly showed me that, even if there was absolutely no problem using my Apple bluetooth Magic Mouse, the bluetooth keyboard never could get paired with my system. From there on, I started considering getting some new I/O gear since I was anyway exploring new grounds!\\ As I had no other keyboard available, I started with an attic retrieved first generation iMac USB keyboard (you know... that green egg). It worked OK but wasn't exactly the most enjoyable experience on the long run.\\ Then, I went to the computer store with only a few € in my pocket and bought a (cheap) Logitech K120 basic business keyboard. That felt already better. Once again: no problem configuring it on LMDE; do I have to mention that I'm using a belgian layout keyboard which is not always supported? OK, enough of that, I dreamt of a Logitech K800 back-lit keyboard along with a Performance MX mouse...\\ Since Christmas has just passed, guess what Santa Claus brought me?\\ You got it! ==== Keyboard ==== As already stated, I don't think you'll ever have to face a problem plugin a keyboard into an LMDE system. Except for the fact that some bluetooth gear might not work, any USB keyboard I've plugged in was perfectly usable. It might take you a little time to figure out what layout is the right one in the "Menu > Control Center > Keyboard > Layout" panel, but ultimately I must say I didn't find a keyboard that I couldn't map in LMDE. ==== Mouse ==== Well, some would say that a mouse is a mouse... That's right you plug it in the USB connector and it drives your pointer on the screen. But what about the scroll button (or sensor), and horizontal scrolling?\\ There also, most any mouse I plugged into LMDE reacted as expected. Sometimes they would be too sensitive and jump from one side of the screen to the other (a DPI problem probably), b ut I could get acquainted to all of them and LMDE understood them well enough to allow me to work correctly. Then came the Logitech Performance MX. The mouse I had been dreaming of for a long time... But what about it's adjustable sensitivity, and the "free wheel" scrolling or it's 7 buttons ?\\ Would Linux offer a way to take advantage of all these bells and whistles? I'm about to say: YES! ==== Unifying Receiver ==== Although Logitech doesn't offer a genuine Linux driver for it's Unifying Receiver devices, the community mitigates this problem, specificaly the [[http://pwr.github.io/Solaar/index.html|Solaar Project]] brings a fully functional solution to using such devices on your Linux machines. You can get more information on how to setup Solaar on LMDE by reading the [[applications:desktop#solaar_logitech_unifying_receiver|Solaar (Logitech Unifying Receiver)]] chapter of this wiki. ==== Easystrokes ==== As I stated earlier, my Logitech Performance MX mouse has 7 buttond... What the hell could I use them for? Download [[http://sourceforge.net/projects/easystroke/files/easystroke/|Easystrokes from sourceforge]]. Then: <code> </code>