Detecting keyboard layout

[Michael ODonnell]

Ben wrote:
> Short answer: It is not possible.
>
> Longer answer: PS/2 doesn't support this at all.  USB supports
> some kinds of device identification, but I believe there is no
> standard way for a keyboard to report its layout.  You could try
> and build your own table of manufacturer and model IDs, but I
> bet you'll find that a lot of keyboards just report themselves
> as somebody's generic USB keyboard controller chip, used in any
> number of keyboards, layouts, manufacturers, etc.

This insider's account (pointed out by Scott Mellott) :

   http://mail.nl.linux.org/linux-utf8/2002-02/msg00206.html

...confirms many of those bleak suppositions.