Conference noted::ibmpc-95

    The simple answer is "no".  A regular joystick won't mate with any of
    the ports you have available.
    
    Someone came out with a joystick that could be attached to either the
    parallel or serial port a while back.  Don't remember the details.
    
    I'm new to laptops, but even though there were a few sound card PCMCIA
    cards available for a while, I don't konw if they included a joystick
    port, though I'd guess not.
    
    BTW, it may not be much better, but you know you can use the pointing
    device (mouse, touchpad, etc) as a "stick", right?  Also, watch the
    stick position indicators.  Unfortunately, without a keypad, you lose
    easy access to extra keys like the one that performs centering. 
    However, if you have the luxury of adding an external keyboard
    (probably not an option while traveling) then you can at least get the
    extra keys in a place you can use them.  The "center" key really fixes
    a lot of things (the 5 key on the keypad).
    
    And the cadillac option, many port replicators and docking stations now
    have joystick ports.  
    
    jeb
    

     Try;
    
     Genovation Inc
     17741 Mitchell North
     Irvine, CA 92714
     FAX (714)833-0322
     BBS (714)442-0826
     Phone ???????
    
     I had a gameport to Parallel port adapter from them. It did require
    game specific drivers, that they provided. This was back several years
    ago. They probley have a WEB site, I just don't have the URL. 
    
      The adapter worked very well with Falcon 3.0 and F117.
    
    
    
    Terry

    I think you'll have luck with the most games going the PC Card
    (PCMCIA) joystock route, which should use standard i/o addresses...
    the parallel port route required special programming on the game's
    part to see it.  K

    EXP Computer Inc. makes a PCMCIA Game Port card ("Game Port Traveler",
    I think is the model name; there is no model #).  For $53.xx with
    DEC discount at CompUSA/Nashua, NH, the kit includes a game-pad
    with a digital joy-stick (no analog sensing); but the card is
    compatable with standard analog joysticks.  I bought one last month
    for my Toshiba laptop: works great !  
    
    For a portable analog stick, I found the Vivatar 2000 Infra-Red remote
    control stick to be quite compact.  It has a base-unit/reciever 
    powered from the game-port; and a handheld control that uses some
    type of magnetic sensor (non-gyro) to sense the stick offset
    from vertical.  This sells for $29.95 at CompUSA.
    
    Hope this helps.
    
    	Regards, Bob Brassard

    Thanks Folks,
    		  I think I will buy a cheap external keyboard & butcher
    it..
    then make a joy pad of sorts...
    I don,t think the expense is worth it..
    
    the flight sim was $60
    and the pc interface for the joystick is $75 in the Uk
    
    		Many Thanks
    				Brian

I have a device from Colorado Spectrum called a Notebook Gameport
which sounds like what you need. It attaches to a 9 pin mouse port
and provides a pass-thru port for the mouse, and also provides a
joystick connection. It claims on the box to work with flight
Simulator, I don't think I ever tried it.

						-Brian

    How does that work?
    
    For example, I have a PS2 port on my laptop.  It is not hot swappable,
    and it overrides the pointing device on the laptop (I know that some
    laptops do allow both the internal and external pointing devices to be
    active at once).  I'm wondering though about having a mouse on the
    serial port.  
    
    This must require a special driver, and probably requires disabling the
    internal pointing device.  I guess it depends how badly you want to use
    a joystick!  Fortunately, many new laptops are including a joystick
    port.
    
    jeb
    

>> It attaches to a 9 pin mouse port <<

Do you mean serial port? The PS/2 port is a 6-pin connector.