Adaptors for keyboards/mice

Not heard of that one! Got a URL?

I'll have a look at the adaptor, thanks.

Anyone else?

One way of doing it is with a KVM switch. My Belkin switch can take either USB or PS/2 as both input and output.

Probably overkill if you don't actually need a KVM switch though. I am not actually using my switch to switch video anymore. I hate the deterioration you get on video through the things and my new monitor has separate inputs so I switch with those now.

That's funny; I was just now trying to help a cow-orker get a Kensington Optical USB mouse to work through a Logitech-provided PS/2-to-USB adapter, in order to free up the *ONE* (Count-'Em!) USB port on her old ThinkPad for her new USB ThumbDrive thingamabob. No such luck, I'm afraid....

They do make small USB hubs, you know.

Where I work, we wouldn't know of such luxuries as USB hubs of which you speak. Honestly, I don't how she got anybody to buy her an OPTICAL mouse, when plenty of perfectly serviceable, dirty, little balls are still rolling around the aisles here....

Come on. Here's a 4-port USB 1.1 hub for $8. Surely someone can swing that.

For my Mac at home, I've got my Kinesis hooked up through a now-discontinued Belkin adapter (they've got a replacement that looks smaller and nicer than my old one). It largely works without complaint. Once every month or two, my keyboard won't be working and I'll have to power-cycle the Belkin adapter to make it work. I've experienced similar needs for power cycling with the internal USB hub in my Apple monitor, so it's hard to say what, exactly, is the cause of the problem.

In practice, the Belkin adapter does all the right things. I still keep my original Mac keyboard plugged in for the odd times that I need the Option key, the CD Eject key, or the volume buttons, none of which are on a standard PS/2 keyboard.

If we could order from price-competitive 'net vendors, sure. But our process & contracts have so much overhead, that $8 item would be a $40 "luxury," considering she has XP, and therefore can plug/unplug her 2 USB devices at will.

But I'll ask if we've got one that one of the "coaches" may have had purchased for them just laying around, unused. That's possible.

If she bought a USB flash drive, she can afford the $8 for a USB hub.