Are Joysticks generic?

[jethro10]

If I were to buy a joystick/gamepad for an Xbox, it would just work, they are Generic, all the same as such.

Is that the case for PC's / Linux.
Can I buy any for ubuntu and have the same chance of getting it to work?
I realise however some have more buttons/facilities than others and these may not work, but would the 'Basics' of all of them work?

Ta
Jeff

[graigsmith]

well, some of them you can just plug in, and they work, like the logitech ones.

if you buy an xbox 360 controller it wont just work. i can't figure out how to get mine working.

[Tosa]

I am not sure weather I am right, but I'd say they are more or less.
I have a simple 8 buttons Genius game pad and it worked in Ubuntu from the start...