Apple Input Devices on x86?

PimpBot asks: "So, after using a Apple G4 Tower, I fell in love with the Apple Pro Keyboard. Unfortunately, being a poor recent college graduate, I can't afford a shiney new QuickSilver Tower. Does anyone know a way of using the Pro keyboard on a x86 box? The keyboard is USB, which hopefully means I can just plug it on an x86, and have it work under Linux and Windows. Of course, I don't really want to blow $60 unless I know it'll work. Anyone out there know the answer?" Unfortunately, Apple's page on the keyboard doesn't address this. Anyone out there using these, or finding glitches?

Apple made good keyboards (depending on taste) before anyone thought of USB, too -- It looks like iogear.com sells hardware that will let you attach that old Extended II (search for "ADB") -- but of all the keyboard-sharing hardware and software listed at macwindows.com, nearly all of it goes the other direction (PS/2 --> Mac). The Griffin iMate claims to turn your ADB keyboard into a generic input device under USB-friendly versions of Windows. Can anyone vouch for the effectiveness of going with Mac input devices through such adapters?

Comments

It May Work / How to Remap

[CritterNYC]

It may work with your PC. It seems some folks found that the BIOS could not detect it on bootup. At least, according to a discussion at usb.org and a few other places.

I did find a reference to an old key remapper. ZDNet actually made one a while ago called ZDKeyMap thet you can download at CNET. It says it only works with Windows 95 and on standard keys. You'd have to try it in Win98 and see if it still worked.

A better option may be JRkey. This project's goal is to create a generic, open-source, freeware multimedia keyboard driver for Windows 98. It looks promising, though it is still in Alpha.

Also, the Windows 2000 Server Resource Kit has a utility called Reymapkey.exe which is supposed to let you remap scancodes.

One Caveat

[dhovis]

One thing that I have notice when you swap Mac/PC USB keyboards is that the modifier keys get swapped around.

The Apple "Command" Key (The one with the cloverleaf design on it) becomes the Windows "Start" Key and Option becomes Alt. This is reversed from their orientation on a PC keyboard. I suspect you can remap them, but I'm not sure. My only experience is with a PC USB keyboard on a Mac.

I have no idea what Linux would map to the "Command" Key, but a USB keyboard is a USB keyboard, pretty much.
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