nanogui: mouse driver
Subject:
Re: [nanogui] mouse driver
From:
Jordan Crouse ####@####.####
Date:
29 Jun 2001 18:17:41 -0000
Message-Id: <0106291218490B.25408@cosmic>
You are confusing the job of the kernel and the job of the userland
applications. The kernel exists only as a service, no more no less. Its job
is to actually read the PS2 port (or USB, or serial or direct connection to
the brain stem) and turn it into a recognizable set of data that can be read
by other programs. The kernel provides this data in a handy set of device
files which can be read or ignored as the case may be.
Each individual user land program then has the responsiblity to read the
appropriate device file and process the mouse data accordingly. Because the
kernel passes the data straight out, userland programs can do a wide range of
cool stuff. For example, consider GPM. GPM can emulate any mouse type it
wants by simply reading the appropriate raw mouse data, and turning it into a
common recognizable type. Microwindows likes this because we can turn input
from a variety of mice into the same format (PS2), making for a very simple
set of drivers.
So in the Microwindows driver, we can read the mouse data at our leisure, and
handle it however we like. This way the kernel stays out of the data
processing business, and we can handle the mouse the way we see fit, and not
the way the kernel sees it.
Jordan
On Friday 29 June 2001 12:02, Jeffrey Goddard mentioned:
> I don't seem to understand the issues with
> the mouse driver. If the mouse support can be
> compiled into the kernel, (as I've done on my system)
> why aren't the mouse events simply picked up from the
> kernel?
> Jeffrey
>
> Get the facts first, you can distort them later.
> Mark Twain
>
>
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