the problem (with the kmd switch...the keyboard i just spilled tea on) was hardware, not software: laptops have don't have
fucking basic primitive connectors!!!! it'd be a total waste of space!!!
signal flow:
ps/2 keyboard --> kmd switch [0] --> ps/2 input on tower
ps/2 keyboard --> kmd switch [1] --> ps/2 to usb adapter --> usb input on laptop
symptoms:
when switch is set to laptop, key sequence PAGE UP/PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN switches to tower just fine.
when switch is set to tower, key sequence PAGE UP/PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN does nothing until 14 or 15 attempt.
[possible explanation #1] ps/2 to usb adapter is the problem. now you have messy signal coming out the other end. works fine for most things. but not clean enough for the laptop to bounce a signal back to the switch for it to flip. could be that the whole thing depends on the recieving computer recognizing the key sequence "PAGE UP/PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN" as "FLIP SWITCH" and not "PAGE UP/PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN." but this makes no sense as the problem occurs when the switch is set to the tower, not the laptop.
[possible explanation #2] even if the switch itself is engaged in the entirely wasteful activity of constantly monitoring the signal for the occasional PAGE UP/PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN sequence.... i don't know... theoretically that should work perfectly since the signal always comes from the same keyboard directly to switch. hence my belief in
[possible explanation #3] gremlins
it's a moot point as i now have a usb keyboard, and i no longer need the ps/2->usb adapter... but am now faced with a different problem: i now have a ps/2 mouse, a usb keyboard, and a ps/2 kmd switch.
anyway..... this computer hasn't had a clean install in years (like to do one every six months) and has so much computer AIDS its not funny. needs to be rebuilt and when i get a chance i'll hackintosh it, i swear.