Wanted to use my keyboard/mouse combo for my new shiny used Power Mac G5 as I recognized this type of mouse "Microsoft Comfort Mouse 4500" does not play well with MorphOS. I also tried it on my Powerbook G4, where it behaves the same. MorphOS 3.9 on both machines.

The USB-stack acknowledges the device as mouse, HID-class device but it still does not work. It works however on the same machine with Linux (Ubuntu MATE 15.10).

It's not a big deal, as I could simply buy another mouse which does work under MorphOS. But maybe it can be made to work with some minor tweaks which I am not aware of?

The mouse in question:
https://www.microsoft.com/hardware/de-de/p/comfort-mouse-4500#overview

The reason is most probably poorly written USB drivers. Most manufacturers are happy if their products work with Windows (or sometimes MacOS too) and don't really care if they have written the driver correctly or not. I have had several mice not working because of this.

> The reason is most probably poorly written USB drivers.

I doubt the product comes with a driver for MorphOS.

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This mouse works however with Linux out of the box (on the same Power Mac I run MorphOS). And get's reckognized correctly under MorphOS albeit not working.

Makes me wonder which types of mice I have to avoid when I buy a new one...

Hello,

Micro$oft series :

Not works with MorphOS but detected :
- Comfort Optical 3000 (reported not to works to MorphOS Team years ago)
- Comfort Optical 4500 (you know)
- Comfort Optical 6000

Works
- Basic Optical Mouse v1.0A
- Basic Optical Mouse v2.0
- Compact Optical Mouse 500 v2.0
- Wheel Mouse Optical


If you want a microsoft mouse, better choose one without extra buttons.

I think you're quite safe if you select any other than Microsoft mouse... it's pretty much always MS one if someone complains that a mouse doesn't work. Haven't heard any non working Logitechs for example.

[ Edited by jPV 26.11.2015 - 22:29 ]

Mkay, thanks for the hint! Then I will solve this by simply buying o none-M$ mouse. ;)

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Or more like, "designing the hardware so, that it requires specific drivers, and doesn't work with the standard (in this case, USB HID) drivers".

There can be several reasons, such as:
-Wanting to make sure that the user installs "own" drivers with all the bundled crap the user doesn't need
-Wanting to do something the standard drivers can't (and choosing to "screw others", and just write custom drivers)

Both reasons are good enough for "pick some other device instead", even if there ARE drivers for your hardware.

There are quite a few "special workarounds for special devices" in the linux kernel, that's why they work there.

Got a new Logitech G100s which works perfectly. Problem solved for me.