Is there a simple way to cut off the end of a mouse with a 9-pin DIN plug and wire it to a USB plug?

This may confuse you ... so pay attention. Only if the mouse was designed to make that switch. And it would be far easer just to use the conversion connector that came with the mouse in the first place (again, if it was design to make that switch).

Confused? Fine, the difference between a PS2 mouse and a USB HID is the way it interfaces with the computer. A PS2 mouse, I think (so anyone knowing different chime in) uses a clock and data line.

A USB Human Interface Device uses a bi-directional differential par - and the conversation between the HID and the Computer is far more complex than I have time to write here. Now then, there was a transition period when the special chip inside mice could work either way. I believe most of these mice came with an adaptor.

I am guessing, but I think there is nothing in the adaptor except spaghetti wiring. The real magic was back a the chip where the manufacture of the chip (not so much the mouse) was able to squeeze both the PS2 and the USB HID feature into the same interface. Very cool.

In the end, if your PS2 mouse is not one of these "convertible" mice by design, toss it or give it away and get a USB mouse. Wired USB mice are routinely less then $10. Probably less then $5.

And, BTW, you can't use one of those serial to USB converter on your mouse. Here's why, your computer (a-la-microsoft) expects all keyboards and mice to identify them selves as USB Human Interface Devices. The serial to parallel port adaptor identifies it's self as a USB serial port device, not a HID.

The computer is not going to expect any directional input from the USB serial port adaptor. Rather, it expects some other program like a terminal or printing program to come along and talk to the USB serial device.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.