Better Mouse Drivers For X11?

OvenMitt asks: "I've asked many people the same question and have yet to get an answer. I've RTFM over and over with no luck whatsoever. So I ask you guys: how can I get smooth mouse acceleration in XFree86 4.x? I used to remedy the situation in XFree86 3.3.x by setting the SampleRate and Resolution modifiers in the XF86Config file to some ridiculous number, but this doesn't work at all in XFree86 4.x. I'd go back to XFree86 3.3.6, but I just got a Geforce2 and my thirst for Unreal Tournament forces me to bite the bullet. I use a Kensington Expert Mouse,which is actually a very large trackball, and sometimes I feel like I'm playing marble madness when trying to get my pointer from one side of the screen to the other. Are there any alternative mouse drivers for X in development? I'd give up my Kensington Expert Mouse, but it is the absolute greatest trackball I've ever used in my life and well worth the cash IMHO."

Comments

Re:give me WHEEL SUPPORT!

[dougmc]

This does it fine for me with Xfree86 4.0.1 --

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "Resolution" "1200"
Option "Buttons" "5"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

I've got one of those Microsoft Optical mice (the cheap one.) Very nice mouse at a good price ($20-$30.)

The keys are the correct protocol (not just PS/2), and adding the appropriate Buttons and ZAxisMapping lines.

Do be aware that the PS/2 extensions often don't work through KVM switchs (in mine, it works only if the KVM is switched to each computer as it boots up. If I do that, it works fine. If not, it only sees my mice as standard three button mice. It's not too hard to understand why.)

xset

[The Pim]

The mouse speed controls in XFree86 are very crude; but if all you want is to make the pointer move quickly, just look at xset(1). Note that the acceleration is interpreted very differently depending on whether you have a (non-zero) threshhold: with a threshhold, it is a simple multiplier; without, an exponent. Very different feels, so try both ways. Also note that the acceleration can be a fraction (not a decimal!).