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Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 04:52:24 -0600 (MDT)
From: Warren Block <wblock@wonkity.com>
To: David Benfell <benfell@parts-unknown.org>
Subject: Re: All of a sudden, problems with X
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On Mon, 21 Jul 2014, David Benfell wrote:

> Yes, I'm running HAL. I understand this is what makes detecting a USB
> keyboard (I have a *full size* keyboard this way) and a USB mouse (my
> precious trackball) possible.

Not exactly.  HAL provides hot-plugging, recognition of keyboards or 
mice that are connected after X has started.  The latest versions of the 
FreeBSD port have support for doing this through devd.  Without either, 
mice and keyboards work, but only if they were connected when X started.