Notebook Keymap Ubuntu / Debian

[xx75]

Hi Debian fans,
Can someone please explain to me how Ubuntu automatically configures the keymap on my notebook?
Reason being that I have just installed Debian (gnome) for the first time (very nice indeed) and would like to know if I can have it do the same.

edit:
To elaborate on the question, all of my function keys and hotkeys(?) are working on Ubuntu by default, however this is not the case with Debian. I know I can edit keyboard preferences in the menu but I don't think I can add things like brightness control. I would prefer for the keys to be automatically configured as they are in Ubuntu.

edit 2:
Ok, I have upgraded from etch to lenny and all is good except for brightness. On Ubuntu I can adjust the brightness with fn+f7 & fn+f8. Ubuntu also auto adjusts my brightness when I disconnect my notebook from the power source. At the moment in Debian I have a dullish darkish screen and can't adjust it, and no matter if the power is connected or not it stays the same.


Thanks in advance.
xx75

[xx75]

Now, since I have changed the brightness settings in XP on the same notebook, my screen is brighter.
Weird. My bios gives me no settings to play with but my guess is that XP controls it through the bios.
I still can't adjust the brightness manually though, although it does now change when power is disconnected. I think it must have been on the lowest setting for me not to see that happen before.

A quick question off topic -
The notebook came preinstalled with Vista but it was buggy, and wouldn't let me partition to the size I wanted, so I installed XP instead. I did this just before I installed Debian. Could this be the cause of my problems? (since, I'm guessing, that the computer is setup to work with Vista - bios and all).

Thanks

xx75.