Linux Microsoft Drivers?

[Colin McGregor]

Ok, so I have a Microsoft keyboard and mouse on my
(main) home Linux box. Both the keyboard and mouse
have special goodies that it would be nice to be able
to use under Linux, the question is how?

For the keyboard (a Microsoft Natural Multimedia
Keyboard 1.0), there are several special function keys
above the regular keys (i.e. mute, play/pause, stop,
fast forward, rewind, etc.), and the question is how
to put those to effective use under Linux?

For the mouse (a Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse
2.0), the scroll wheel can be pushed left/right (and
the right software can detect this, meaning the scroll
wheel can send up, down, left, right, or click to the
computer). As well the mouse sends (or can be made to
send) information about the battery status (I would
(sort of) love to say get periodic e-mails that said
stuff like "The rechargeable batteries in the mouse on
ONYX are down to 10% charge and need to be
recharged").  Again looking for a driver that can
allow me to use this mouse's features to the full.

Now, not to put the keyboard or mouse down, they both
work ok as is, I would just like to make better use of
both items. Further I don't think there would be any
convincing Microsoft themselves to write Linux drivers
:-) .

Colin McGregor

P.S. I have named all the computers on my home network
after different types of stone, so there is onyx,
ruby, topaz, opal, pearl, and mica.
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